Ford Tourneo Active 2025 Review

The Ford Tourneo Active’s direct competitors include the purpose-built and segment-leading Kia Carnival as well as the van-based Hyundai Staria and LDV Mifa.

As the cheaper of the two Tourneo models, the Active, is $68,490 (all listed prices are before on-road costs), while the better-equipped Titanium X is not that far away at $71,990.

The eight-seat Hyundai Staria Highlander is $67,500, yet it’s better equipped, comes with all-wheel drive (AWD) and a more powerful 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine. At $63,990, LDV’s Executive-spec Mifa is even less expensive, side-stepping diesel power for a less-thrifty 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and front-wheel drive. Apart from having seven, rather than eight seats, it’s similarly equipped.

Ahead on sales by a country mile, the eight-seat Kia Carnival diesel, in Sport trim, employs a front-drive 2.2-litre turbo-diesel powerplant and is priced close to the LDV Mifa at $63,790.

In context, the Ford Tourneo isn’t exactly a bargain.

While the 2025 Ford Tourneo Active’s cloth trimmed interior doesn’t match the lushness of the Titanium X’s leather-look ambience with its powered driver and passenger seats, panoramic sunroof, 17-inch wheels (one inch bigger than the Active) and B&O sound system, it’s well fitted out, nevertheless.

Self-dipping LED headlights, tri-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, powered sliding side doors, heated front seats and twin gloveboxes are above average features for a base model.

The Ford Tourneo is covered by an industry-standard five year/unlimited-kilometre warranty but is accompanied by only a year of 24/7 roadside assistance.

Servicing is every 12 months or 30,000km (which is lengthy). Ford Australia’s website doesn’t yet register the Tourneo, but indicative servicing costs for the donor short-wheelbase Transit Custom is capped at $2408 in total for the first five years.

Colours on offer include Agate Black, Grey Matter, Artisan Red, Blue Metallic and Moondust Silver, with all but the basic Frozen White adding $750 to the price.

It’s currently untested by ANCAP. However, the 2025 Ford Tourneo Active should rate highly given the Transit Custom van’s benchmark-setting 96 per cent Platinum safety rating when tested to commercial van standards in 2024.

The six-airbag Tourneo Active comes with low-speed autonomous emergency braking, intersection assist, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, rear view camera, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring with active assist and driver attention detection.

Active safety systems include anti-lock braking (the Tourneo has disc brakes on all four wheels, ventilated at the front, solid at the rear), electronic brakeforce distribution, stability control, rollover mitigation, and trailer-sway control.

The 2025 Ford Tourneo Active’s in-cabin technology is comprehensive, with the landscape 13.0-inch touch-screen sitting high on the dash and complemented by a digital screen viewed through the flat top/bottom steering wheel.

Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging pad and native sat-nav are all provided. There’s an embedded 5G connection, while the FordPass app enables remote functionality of things like pre-scheduled engine startup, finding the vehicle in a crowded carpark, locking or unlocking the doors or requesting help through roadside assist.

USB A and USB C ports abound, as do 12-volt power outlets.

The 2025 Ford Tourneo Active’s engine is a long-stroke 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel that outputs 125kW and 390Nm and drives the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. There are five driving modes: Normal, Eco, Slippery, Sport and Tow/Haul.

Combined with the Tourneo Active’s 2321kg kerb weight, the power outputs make for a seemingly less than spectacular power-to-weight ratio. However, the Ford doesn’t seem too concerned and quotes a respectable braked towing capacity of 2500kg – equal to the Hyundai Staria and better than the Kia Carnival and LDV Mifa, which both max out at 2000kg.

The official combined average ADR fuel-consumption figure for the 2025 Ford Tourneo Active is 7.4L/100km. That’s not too bad for a relatively heavy MPV, but thirstier than the kia Carnival diesel which quotes 6.5L/100km.

Over a week of mixed, sometimes loaded-up driving in urban and freeway conditions our Tourneo averaged a respectable 8.9L/100km.

Commercial vans are not as primitive as they once were and the Transit-based 2025 Ford Tourneo Active is testament to how far workhorse vehicles have come.

With an independent wishbone system at the front and an also-independent semi trailing-arm setup up back, the Tourneo is fundamentally more refined than the impressive Ford Transit vans which, for utilitarian load-carrying reasons, employ rear leaf springs.

Combined with a longish 3100mm wheelbase and comfort-biased settings for the springs and shock absorbers, this makes for a relatively cruisy eight-seater. The Tourneo rides and steers well with its reasonably high-geared (3.2 turns lock to lock for a tight 10.9-metre turning circle) and responsive steering.

The lofty dimensions are no great impediment on tight corners and although there’s no doubt about its commercial-van origins, the Tourneo’s interior is not plagued by incessant drumming.

Outward vision is about what you expect in a van, helped by the (slightly fuzzy) reversing camera and large, multi-pane rear-view mirrors. Although, the Active would be better off with the Titanium X’s 360-degree cameras.

While we didn’t get the opportunity to fill each pew with a passenger at one once, this was compensated by innumerable boxes packed with books. This had no appreciable effect on overall engine performance, which remained satisfyingly eager.

The eight-speed torque converter auto played a part in that – and it’s operated via an unintrusive steering column-mounted stalk shifter. The stop-start function was a bit tardy kicking in, but it worked with relative smoothness.

The 2025 Ford Tourneo Active’s expansive interior fulfills the family-conveyance brief with acres of cabin space. The length, headroom and shoulder room – particularly the latter – are helped by the Tourneo’s high and wide stance.

Fore-aft travel in the second and third rows of seating is ludicrously generous, as it needs to be with the ability of each seat to be in various positions, or removed entirely. Helped by the flat floor that extends for the whole length of the interior, the centre-row seats can also be configured in a rear-facing ‘conference’ position, while the centre seat can be set up to act as a mini table complete with cup holders.

All this makes for exceptional flexibility. Even without removing the seats there’s plenty of storage space  available by simply folding the backrests flat – a facility greatly appreciated during our book-hauling activities.

Climbing into the front seats (both with twin fold-down armrests) is a bit of a challenge as no A-pillar grab handles are provided. Entry into the back is helped by the power-sliding side doors. They function obediently with a measured, reassuring smoothness – even when the Tourneo is parked on a steep driveway – and lock securely in all operations.

Via roof-mounted vents and nifty flip-open side windows in the sliding doors, the Tourneo’s multi-zone climate control system functions well, with ample air supply. It has no trouble coping with the expansive space that needs heating or cooling.

The missing A-pillar grab-handles and a lack of oddment storage spaces in the front of what is purportedly a family-vehicle cabin is a shame – even if there are two gloveboxes. Like many vehicles today there’s an over-reliance on touch-screen controls, but the most significant thing we would ask for is a power-operated tailgate.

Clearly family-oriented, the 2025 Ford Tourneo Active is a seemingly bold venture that epitomises Ford Australia’s penchant for choosing to populate what are relatively low-volume market segments.

It’s not as car-like as the top-selling Kia Carnival, but it’s dynamically sound, spacious and wonderfully versatile with generous levels of standard equipment and excellent passenger comfort.

It sounds unlikely, but maybe the Ford Tourneo could be the shot in the arm to revitalise MPV sales.

2025 Ford Tourneo Active at a glance:
Price: $65,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 125kW/390Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km
CO2: 194g/km
Safety rating: Not tested

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