The Ford Transit Custom towing capacity is amongst the best in the medium van segment where the Transit Custom is the undeniable leader. Bought by UK van drivers in their thousands, the Transit Custom not only has a great ability to tow but is a comfortable, safe and economical van to be in.
The Ford Transit Custom towing capacity is up to 2.5-tonnes or 2,500kg. This is the total towing capacity for a Transit Custom with a braked trailer.
For an unbraked trailer is it also possible to tow up to 750kg with a Ford Transit Custom.
The Transit Custom towing capacity is what you would expect for a medium van and is an improvement over past versions which had a towing maximum of up to 2000kg. The improved 2,500kg towing capacity puts it at the top of the medium van segment along with rivals like the towing capacity of the Vauxhall Vivaro.
Each Ford Transit Custom van has the same towing capacity of 2.5-tonnes regardless of the model or engine power. Because there are 110hp, 136hp, 150hp or 170hp engines it’s important to consider that if you plan to tow a full trailer, or even a caravan, boat or car, using the Transit Custom it will be easier if you have the most powerful model.
Although simply saying that the Transit Custom can tow 2.5-tonnes makes it a nice and tidy answer, it’s not quite that simple.
Vans have a designated weight they are allowed to carry called the gross vehicle mass. This is the weight of the van (its kerb weight) plus the weight of any occupants or payloads.
There’s then the gross combination weight (GCW), also known as the gross train weight (GTW) which is the weight of the vehicle plus any load in the cargo area plus the weight of whatever you are towing.
The Ford Transit Custom towing limit is therefore the GCW which can be affected by the payload.
The Transit Custom has several permitted gross combination weights (GCW) ranging from 4,825kg to 5,725kg depending on the variants. A detailed breakdown of the GCWs is listed below which covers the engine size and gross vehicle weight (GVW) of the vans.
The GVW – which is the weight of the van plus the maximum payload – is limited to 3.2-tonnes, giving the Transit Custom a maximum GCW of 5,725kg. If you factor in the 3,225kg GVW you’ll see that 2.5-tonnes is the maximum possible towing weight for the trailer plus its payload. This means that even if fully loaded you won’t exceed the combined weights of the van plus trailer.
| Transit Custom GCW - Maximum (kg) | T280 | T300 | T320 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L TDCi Ford EcoBlue 110 PS (80 kW) | 4825 | 5025 | _ |
| 2.0L TDCi Ford EcoBlue 136 PS (100 kW) | 5325 | 5525 | 5725 |
| 2.0L TDCi Ford EcoBlue 136 PS (100 kW) 8-speed automatic | 5325 | 5525 | 5725 |
| 2.0L TDCi Ford EcoBlue 150 PS (110 kW) | _ | 5525 | 5725 |
| 2.0L TDCi Ford EcoBlue 170 PS (125 kW) 8-speed automatic | _ | 5525 | 5725 |
But you can see that if you have a Transit Custom 300 with a 110hp engine that allowance is drastically reduced. Here the 5025kg GCW and the 3025kg GVW of the Transit Custom means that there is just a 2-tonne towing capacity, if the van is fully laden.
Our advice is to consult the weight plates for the vehicle towing capacity and the Ford Transit Custom payload. These will usually be found inside the door frames – usually the passenger side – or under the bonnet.
The Transit Custom doesn't come with a tow bar as standard, but there is an option for it in the lengthy list of extras. A fixed tow bar can be specified for towing large items of up to 2.5 tonnes. The optional tow bar is designed to be fully compatible with the vehicle’s electrical system with a 13-pin connection to enable brake lights linked to the van to be shown on a trailer.
Prices for the tow bar and electrics are, at the time of writing, listed at £430 while a retractable tow bar for the Transit Custom is £550 (ex VAT).
