Ford Transit Custom tops latest ANCAP van testing

The latest round of ANCAP Safety comparative van testing has been topped by the new mid-size Ford Transit Custom.

The testing, which focuses on active safety systems rather than crash testing, awards a colour medal ranking and percentage score rather than the traditional five stars.

The result was a Platinum medal and a record 96 out of 100 for the 2500-3500kg GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) Ford.

It finished ahead of medium-sized rivals the Hyundai Staria Load (Platinum/90 percent) and the Mercedes-Benz Vito and electric eVito (Platinum/90 per cent).

The leading heavy-duty (3501-8000kg) commercial van was the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and electric eSprinter combo which scored Platinum and 89 per cent.

The Fiat Ducato (Platinum/88 per cent) and diesel LDV Deliver 9 (Gold/74 per cent) completed the heavy-duty podium.

ANCAP’s van comparison testing expanded its assessment of active driver assist systems in 2024. Systems already tested included low and high-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane support systems (LSS), speed assistance systems (SAS) and occupant detection systems.

Updates included additional AEB car to pedestrian, adult and child and bicyclist day and night testing, a new junction crossing scenario and several lane support scenarios.

Seven vans were tested to the latest criteria in Europe with some local verification by ANCAP. They were the Transit Custom, the two Vitos, the two Sprinters, the Deliver 9 and the LDV eDeliver 7 electric mid-size van, which was rated fourth in category with a Gold/77 per cent score.

The other vans listed in the comparison were tested to the previous criteria. ANCAP has previously conducted van comparison testing in 2020 and 2022.

As published, the new results are not clearly date stamped to show which generation criteria vans are tested against. This apparently will be clarified.

“The Transit Custom is sold with a comprehensive suite of active safety features as standard and is able to detect and respond to other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in forwards and turning scenarios,” ANCAP reported in a media statement.

“High levels of performance were recorded in each of these areas. Full points were awarded for lane support, speed assistance and occupant status monitoring.”

Safety gradings are available on the ANCAP website for 18 new commercial van models currently sold in Australia.

Five vans are Platinum, five Gold, five Silver, and two Bronze. The LDV G10/G10+ remains as the sole van with a grading status of ‘not recommended’.

Since ANCAP’s earlier publication of vans results, other van models that were previously not recommended have either been upgraded or withdrawn from the market.

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