The lush and verdant Valley of 1000 Hills route played host to the launch of two new minibus iterations from Ford. Flowing roads and picturesque scenery — exactly the kind of thing the automaker envisages for buyers of its road-trip-ready Tourneo Sport and Titanium X contenders.
Keen followers of the blue oval brand will already know that the long-wheelbase Tourneo Trend already came to market earlier this year. But while that has a commercial slant, the Sport and Titanium X are short-wheelbase derivatives with more upmarket executions, aimed at families.
The two eight-seater models have distinguished personalities. Starting with the Sport, the obvious differentiators are its racing stripes, aggressive front bumper design and blacked-out 17-inch alloys, with the option of 19-inchers.
Meanwhile the Titanium X gets 19-inch rollers as standard, with a shiny machine-faced finish. It takes on a classier persona, featuring more brightwork and less assertive frontal aerodynamic cues. Their cabins deploy different upholstery materials: a grippy blue-tinged fabric for the Sport, black leather for the Titanium X.
That is the extent of the differences. Both models abound in useful storage spaces, offering seats that can be configured in various ways and electric sliding doors. The six rear individual chairs are able to fold, slide and recline. Buyers can set up their own conference area, with the three seats on either side facing each other.
The cubby can swallow a laptop. Pity the tailgate is not electrically-operated as it is a heavy unit to lift open and pull shut. Ford said it would refer the suggestion to its engineering team. The SYNC 4 infotainment system, using a 13-inch landscape screen, offers a clear display and menus that are simple to navigate.
Downloading the FordPass smartphone application enables features like remote starting. Driver assistance functions such as a lane-keeping aid and adaptive cruise control are part of the mix. Powering the pair is a 2.0l, turbocharged-diesel unit with four cylinders, delivering 125kW/390Nm, linked to an eight-speed automatic.
It has an official towing capacity of 2,500kg. Our first leg of the journey was behind the Sport, edging out of Durban’s urban sprawl. The commanding driving position, light steering and punchy diesel motor made for easy negotiation of busy streets.
Once out on the twisties, the shorter wheelbase of the vehicle revealed benefits where agility and manoeuvrability were concerned. Perhaps it was the racing stripes, but the Sport certainly goaded enthusiastic inputs from the person behind the wheel, navigating up the Valley’s narrow turns.
As far as minibusses go, the Tourneo is a fine steer, free of rattles and jitters. It has a composed feel that masks its panel van roots rather convincingly. Swapping into the more luxurious Titanium X, the feelings are the same, save for the plusher ambience afforded by the hide upholstery. It made light work of a jaunt down KwaZulu-Natal’s coastal highways.
Ford cited rivals such as the Hyundai Staria, Mercedes-Benz Vito and V-Class, Volkswagen Kombi and Caravelle, as well as the Toyota Quantum. Later this year an optional luxury package will be offered, comprising a panoramic roof, B&O audio system and second row seat heating. According to Ford, there are also bespoke solutions in the works for niche industries such as the funeral sector, including hearses and other transport duties.
Ideally these Tourneo twins are best enjoyed by five-member families with active lives, whose requirements demand more than the average sport-utility vehicle.
Prices:
Trend: R1,104,500
Sport: R1,218,000
Titanium X: R1,264,000
