Ford hasn’t had a people mover on the Australian market since 1990, when it pulled up stumps on the deliciously ’80s Spectron eight-seater.
So why, after a 35-year hiatus, do we now have the turbo-diesel Tourneo MPV landing? Ford Australia says it’s down to a “sharpened focus” on commercial vehicles, including anything that can riff off the impressive Transit platform – 2024’s International Van of the Year, no less.
Lovely stuff, but the people mover market is hardly a volume-bringer. And there’s a monster of a segment rival in the shape of Kia’s excellent Carnival. Of the 12,000 MPV sales in 2024, the eight-chair Korean hoovered up over 10,000 of those. Utter domination.
Can the big Ford possibly compete? A starting price of $65,990 for an (MY25.25) Tourneo Active isn’t the best start when a base Carnival is $15k less. A higher-spec Titanium X, at $70,990, challenges the tree-topping and luxe-filled Carnival GT-Line, which is offered in petrol, diesel and hybrid form. (Post review, pricing rose for MY25.75 Active to $68,490 list.)
The Tourneo? Just the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel EcoBlue four-cylinder, offering a rather tame 125kW, but with a chunky 390Nm of torque from just 1750rpm. But in these emissions-focussed times, no hybrid, plug-in or EV version for a brand new model isn’t ideal.
But the Tourneo arrives with some game. The party piece is track-based rear seating, allowing in-car musical chairs where any or all second-row seats can be removed (with some muscle) and turned to face rearward for a “conference layout”. Face to face, basically.
There are power side doors, Isofix points throughout, ample active safety, a 13-inch touchscreen and tri-zone climate control. Fantastically, all six rear seats can be removed to give you a literal Transit Custom van when required. The usefulness here of a family MPV with occasionally work hauler capability can’t be underestimated.
Drivability’s helped by independent rear suspension and disc brakes all-round, while payload’s a decent 854kg (838kg in Titanium X), and towing capacity an impressive 2500kg.
But here’s the problem. That rival Carnival is practically the perfect people mover (ride quality, space, versatility, powertrain options) that it’s bemusing why MPV shoppers would consider alternatives. Especially as Kia’s seven-year warranty trumps its rivals, including Ford’s five years.
Ever wonder why Porsche has no rivals for its rear-engine 911? Or why nobody tries to take on Mazda’s MX-5? It’s because these are so damn near perfect at their job remit that trying to compete feels futile. It’s the same with the Kia Carnival, hence its 83 per cent MPV market share.
It’s an odd move by Ford, as Tourneo volumes won’t be huge. In the first three months of 2025 they’ve only shifted 157 of them, where Carnival has managed 2400.
Ford Australia has dumped the petrol-engine Puma small SUV, Escape medium SUV and Focus and Fiesta hatchbacks (although Ford Europe’s axed them too), which you’d fancy would shift in far more solid numbers than a pricey people mover.
Anyway, we enjoyed a short day out exploring town and country with a Tourneo Active. Not the full living with one for a week test, but time enough to highlight some key strengths and weaknesses.
There’s no mistaking its van roots as you climb up high into the Tourneo’s driver’s seat. While the Kia Carnival feels like a high-riding family SUV, this Ford feels properly commercial, ready to have a job sheet chucked on the dashboard and some pallets forklifted into the back.
The Ford’s doors and windows are massive for wonderful visibility, but you can’t see the bonnet ahead of you. The mighty upright dashboard has a box to lob in your workbook and pack of durries. It’s a really wide cab; the passenger door looks like it’s in another postal code, but it’s hard plastics galore in here.
The cloth front seats look and feel rather basic in this entry-level Active – they’re no match for a Carnival or Hyundai Staria rival MPV at the $65,000 point. They have nice armrests, are heated and feel hard-wearing and supportive, but for this coin I’d want artificial leather.
The large infotainment screen’s backed by a 12-inch digital driver display, and they are the modernised standouts in the Tourneo. Graphics are crisp (rear camera’s superb), the screen responds quickly and there’s built-in sat nav, 5G capable embedded modem, Ford’s SYNC4 with voice activation, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto and wireless charging.
USB-A and USB-C ports are dotted around the cabin, alongside plenty of storage in a central bin, two glove boxes and massive door pockets. No centre console means you can walk straight through to the back in between the two front seats. This is a huge advantage of van life – no chance of that in a Kia Carnival.
There’s a column shifter to start you truckin’, and on the move it never stops feeling like a van, but happily, a very good van. Steering is light and easy in this front-drive unit; it manoeuvres with great control and it doesn’t mind holding speed through a roundabout – body roll despite its height is kept well in check. Independent rear suspension’s a huge help here.
Even so, the ride quality is quite firm in and around town, although it improves at speed. I’d prefer my MPV to be softer sprung as it’ll be used for family duties. I was unable to test it with every seat occupied and the extra weight that would add, so the jury is out as to whether the ride settles when laden with bods and luggage.
Payload is 854kg and it tows 2500kg – good numbers. A Carnival manages only a 754kg maximum payload, and hauls up to 2000kg. So this round goes to the Ford option.
The diesel’s response is excellent, but all that torque means the skinny front tyres spin up if you’re too eager. Alloys are only 6.5×17-inch in both grades, shod in 215/60 rubber, which are tiny compared to most high-spec SUVs these days, and this Ford does look terribly under-wheeled, aesthetically.
The engine works well in town, fast to respond to throttle inputs, and the eight-speed auto transmission smoothly shifts between cogs. There’s no old-school van gear hunting and engine flaring, while the diesel note is well suppressed unless you stomp the loud pedal.
On the open road the Tourneo feels more out of its depth. The ride’s reasonably cushy, but there’s wind noise off the large side mirrors and due to its brick-like body design.
Even with only me the driver on board, a reasonable hill exposes the four-cylinder’s lack of power. Gears dropped, the engine worked hard and progress wasn’t quick. With eight souls on board, a ten percent hill would be a riot of stressed engine noise I fear.
Brake feel isn’t wonderful, but the turning circle is nice and concise. That’s a handy van carryover.
Our fuel use was 9.8L/100km overall, against a claim of 7.4L/100km. But out on the open road, we saw it drop to around 7.5L/100km. As an advisory, these Ford diesels require AdBlue too.
Driver assist is decent, but thankfully not invasive. All Tourneos get a 180-degree split view rear camera, front and rear sensors, lane keep warning and assist, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitor and assist, rear cross traffic alert, intelligent adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist and forward collision warning.
Distracting, however, is having to work climate control through the screen. You must have eyes off the road for too long, and it all seems unnecessary as there are physical buttons below the screen already. Temperature control should be added to these functions.
Key for these people movers is life in the back. The space and versatility for passengers is superb in the Tourneo, helped by an incredibly high roof.
Our Active does feel a bit dark however, which would be remedied with the Titanium grade’s glass panoramic roof. I fancy most Aussie buyers will stump up the extra $5000 for it, as it also brings artificial leather trim, power adjust front seats (only the driver’s is electric in the Active), B&O audio, 360-degree camera (helpful in this big bus) and fancier 17-inch dark alloys.
With seats in conventional layout, the middle chairs can be slid a huge way back for incredible legroom. However, I feel these centre seats should have much more recline for better comfort.
You can fold the centre seat’s back down to give cup holders and plastic storage for an iPad or book – nice touch and boosts the spaciousness feel. This centre seat can be removed (like in a Carnival) to give walk-through access to the back row.
Not so great are the back windows. They have a clip and slide for middle row passengers, which is a faff and I’d fear kids getting fingers trapped, while the windows for the third row don’t open at all. The middle windows also have a huge bar down the centre, really obstructing the view.
Tri-zone climate control is excellent, with both vents and control being mounted in the ceiling. The speaker array in the ceiling (as part of a 10-speaker system) is also very cool.
All the chairs can be lifted off their runners, and the second-row seats rotated. It makes for a unique passengering experience, and although the seats are heavy, they slot into the runners easily. You can change the layout in only a few minutes, but you’ll be a sweaty mess afterwards.
Third row legroom is dependent on how generous the middle row is, and at its best when the conference room layout’s used. The three rear seats are all individual, feel wide enough for smaller adults and have a nice recline, ceiling vents, USB ports, cup holders and phone holders.
I hopped into the third row of a Carnival immediately afterwards, and it’s here the Ford wins. The Transit Custom-based Tourneo feels less of a squeeze and with far better headroom.
Being able to remove some or all chairs is ideal for varied uses. If there’s just the two of you, pull out all the back seats and you have a motorhome ready for your mattress and gear. Remove the chairs on the right-hand-side only and two kayaks can slide in. Need shed loads of boot space and only five seats? Just remove the back row. It’s superb.
Getting into the boot means opening a giant tailgate. Sadly, it isn’t electric. It’s not heavy and is well supported on gas struts, but pulling it down with a handle and then pushing it closed is a mission.
With third row seats slid forwards there’s huge boot space, and you can fold them for a flat load space for suitcases.
Numbers-wise, there’s 2622L with all rear seats removed; up to 1790L with the third row taken out; and up to 725L with all seats in place. If you count the volume up to the roof, with all seats gone there’s 4683L to play with. You could moonlight as a furniture removalist.
In verdict, it’s a bold move by Ford to enter the Tourneo into a segment where the roundly excellent Kia Carnival dominates, and for good reason. The Carnival bests the Tourneo for value, style, SUV-like cabin, drive experience, warranty and choice of powertrains. So why pick the big Ford?
It’s there for a niche buyer type; either those who need adult-sized seating for eight – the Ford’s third row is the roomiest I’ve experienced – or for those who want the absolute versatility of being able to remove all the rear seats. As clever as the Carnival is, it can’t become a proper vast removal van like this Tourneo.
But this Ford can’t hide its commercial roots. Perhaps some buyers like this, and favour the van experience over the SUV-like Carnival’s drive and cabin.
But it won’t be many. It’s a likeable big MPV, but it’s hard to see this Ford making a huge dent in Carnival sales.
