The dashboard is clear and concise in its lay out and there's an infotainment system plus heated seats and door mirrors, cruise control, adjustable speed limiter, LED daytime running lights, blind spot warnings, a rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors and much more. I can confirm this too having driven all the WAVS we have stocked over the years as I have to turn in a small space at the bottom of our yard when I come in each morning. Having deliberately chosen a rough and narrow road to be transported down and, bear in mind I was in a basic manual wheelchair, I was again surprised by the lack of juddering and bouncing in the vehicle. Guarantees/Indemnities may be required. Electrically operated, heated and power-foldable auto-fold door mirrors with body-colour housings, blind spot eliminator and integrated side indicator the mirrors are superb and almost all blind spots are eliminated, Integrated sunblinds on second row windows, plus third row windows on L2 models increase your privacy or cut the sunlight down, Rear-view camera in conjunction with the 8 touchscreen display which shows you the vehicle direction as it changes and where you will end up on your current course and it is pinpoint accurate. Below is the Titanium X specification over the Titanium and Zetec models of the Tourneo Custom with brief explanations of what it means as discovering and learning about it for myself means hopefully I can explain it to you so you can understand how it might be of benefit to you. What is often overlooked is the centre of gravity is for a wheelchair user is, generally lower the better but of course there is a finite height for ground clearance under a lowered floor WAV. If I am close to another car when turning, the front parking sensors will tell me with a mixture of green, amber, red lights and the youre going to hit something audible warning it gives when you get very close so I can move with confidence. All rights reserved. You wont have any trouble stopping in a hurry if you need to, I have felt in total control in an emergency braking situation as I tested it to see how it behaved. Please note we are unable to offer this vehicle on the Motability scheme but do have lease and hire purchase options readily available. Fords main (and obvious) contender, the Volkswagen Caravelle, is still considered to be the van to be in and for many years has ruled the roads in its size and class. Remote control central locking with two key fobs will beep the horn twice if the vehicle is not 100% secure when locked, Front and rear parking distance sensors these give extremely good indicators of where your vehicle is in the tightest of spots, Privacy glass on rear windows we can take this to a chauffeur tint although it is a good grade of opacity from the factory build, Versatile Conference Seating with second-row individual seating, which can rotate, and third-row 2+1 seats. Further charges may be made subject to the condition of the vehicle, if the vehicle is returned at the end of the finance agreement. We as a company have added some features to the build on our new vehicles that we feel make the X a better vehicle for wheelchair users because after all when you are carrying a wheelchair passenger you are accepting a great responsibility and its the finer points that help all aboard to have a more pleasant journey however short or long it may be. 2007 - 2022 Southern Mobility Vehicles Limited | All rights reserved | Website design -, The specification with explanations where necessary. The dashcam will always be recording the forward view so there is no risk any incident will be missed should anything untoward happen on the route. After early experience in Fleet Street as a news reporters he developed his own niche in the motoring world writing for the Northcliffe UK Media Group and its parent Associated Newspapers and continues to do so to this day. Finance subject to status. *Finance Facility Fee is payable with the first instalment. Pye Motors is a limited company registered in England. Without wishing to criticise the converted Caravelle and, having driven many of them over the years I can confirm that both the standard and converted Ford handles better than its worthy adversary. I have travelled in all seats in a Custom Titanium X as well as both the Tosca and Lucca conversions seats with wheelchair users present. Admittedly the Titanium X is top of the range and costs a whopping 44,658 but this new Ford people carrier is obviously not aimed at humble scout groups anymore and more for the premium business market carrying executives from A to B. It has a claimed top speed of 99mph with a combined fuel consumption of 39.8mpg. I have always driven with my headlights on regardless of the weather, so now I dont have to think about switching them on, they are automatic and as it gets darker the Bi-Xenon headlights switch on too. For the driver, there are now more car-like features that it really makes life as a chauffeur so much easier with distinctive Mondeo/Focus features inside. This is almost certainly down to the 17 tyres, a superior chassis and Fords attention to the stability of this vehicle which has certainly paid off because I can now happily confirm there is nothing so far that has phased me, or the X, whatever the road conditions are. At Southern Mobility Vehicles Ltd we only use the highest quality materials and components for our conversions, and this all adds up to what is a great vehicle to be in as a wheelchair user, driver or passenger. It really does perform when you need or want it to. The 2.0 litre 185 ps (182 bhp) diesel engine produces 415Nm (306 lb-ft) of torque and the motor will willingly take you smoothly up through the gears to a more than adequate velocity. Of course, we werent doing this for comfort we were doing it to test what it felt like on a wheelchair users behalf. Mechanical:128bhp, 1,998cc 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 6-speed automatic gearbox. Required fields are marked *. I can report they are all spacious and comfortable. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us. Then I turn my attention to visibility as we all naturally do before we set off in a new vehicle and there are treats in store here too. They may incentivise us for introducing you to them. Remember too, there are more than enough USB ports located near the passenger seats in the vehicle and the rear air conditioning is zoned separately from the front, so you are in control in the rear. Tailor your finance package to suit your budget and lifestyle with Ford Acquire Traditional vehicle financing with flexible deposits and terms. Safety systems include front and curtain airbags. We strive for the perfect wheelchair accessible vehicle and that doesnt just mean its all about the finish and the build quality, its about the attention to detail and that for us is the little extras that make all the difference. Overall, the Tourneo Custom Titanium X may be expensive but compared to rivals like the VW Transporter it's still represents good value for the money. Moving on to other driving aids that instil us to confidently press the loud pedal we find Pre-Collision Assist which will warn you if it looks like you are going to have an impact. Why do I Need a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle? 4 Isofix seats this will depend on the conversion that works for you and is discussed during each customers vehicle build planning, An extended 5-year dealer warranty it says just what it does on the tin. To this end, included on all our vehicles from December 2019 on are the following: Your email address will not be published. I recently had to drive through some quite severe side winds and very heavy rain in the X, and I am very pleased to report that the Tosca xs L1 Tourneo Custom Titanium X I was driving behaved itself very well indeed. We have discussed Isofix seats in our conversions so if you need Isofix, we can accommodate this in row 2 of the seats in the lowered floor Tosca conversion when we discuss your specific build needs, they are standard in the Lucca, our level floor conversion. I was truly amazed that almost immediately I sat in the Custom I felt confident to start it up straight away. Having first sat in the pre-warmed heated seat I immediately notice the excellent all-around visibility; the commanding driver view and the comfort and flexibility of the seat. Now, I know this is not innovative technology but how many WAVS come with something like this, the truth is not many. There are other features of this vehicle that help enormously when considering other road traffic but Ill start with the wing mirrors. Pre-Collision Assist adjustable on the multifunction steering wheel to change the sensitivity and is highly effective and non-alarming! We believe that the location of the wheelchair in our Tosca xs (L1) and xl (L2) conversions are ideal for wheelchair users and also remember that if a wheelchair user would like to be further back this can be accommodated in the design by relocating or adding further restraint points. Despite the overall size, it's an extremely easy vehicle to drive. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The only way you will know this of course is to come and try it for yourself and we know that not all Customs are equal. As we use the Ford original seats, we are also very pleased to confirm that one of the row 2 seats can be reversed so a passenger can face backwards during travel which can be highly advantageous for a carer supporting a wheelchair user with greater or ongoing needs whilst in transit. Using the Isofix seats in row 2 on a Tosca conversion with a lowered floor means the gap between them for the wheelchair user reduces by approximately 30mm which doesnt sound like a lot, but it will make the difference to a wheelchair user in terms of whether they can sit exactly between their fellow passengers or not. With Ford Acquire you can tailor your finance package to suit your budget and lifestyle. We use cookies on our website to analyse our traffic and share information about your use of the website with our analytic partners. Based on your search find the dealership nearest to you. We were after a WAV that would look and behave as much like a standard vehicle as possible without a huge price ticket and we believe we have achieved this and are thrilled to show you too. In difficult driving conditions this is a huge bonus and having Static Cornering Lights is the icing on the cake. Of course, if you are entering in an electric wheelchair that is different, but I think a winch should be considered here too, most electric wheelchairs have a neutral switch (and a finite battery life) and coming backwards out of any WAV can certainly be a challenge for some and sometimes a little intimidating too. It really is a most refined engine that's responsive enough with a stop/start system. This modern day seven-seater (there's also a nine-seater available on a long-wheelbase platform) has all the trimmings such company executive travellers would expect, such as leather trimmed seats, front and rear air conditioning, privacy glass, twin sliding side load doors with steps for ease of access and much more. The distance between the row 2 seats can vary if the Isofix seats are required as on a standard pre-conversion X these are located on the outer ends of row 2 and row 3 and number 4 in total. The vehicle I am in and describing to you has the non-Isofix seats in row two hence the slightly wider gap, in fact, the seat edges are inside the lower floor width on each side. If you imagine yourself sitting rear-facing in a standard Ford leather seat as you care for your wheelchair user, you have a total view of your charge and they would have peace of mind that you were always there for them too, we will discuss this with you when we build your vehicle. The steering column has sensible flexibility about it ensuring the Titanium X will suit any driver or driving style. We have now added as standard Fords BLIS to all new order vehicles which you can read about below at the end of this blog under additionally included specifications. I dont need to look behind me at all when reversing, even in the dark and rain, as it shows me as much of what is happening in the periphery areas as it does directly behind me. I have spent much time testing the X and seeing what limitations it has (no limits, Ill leave that to Top Gear) and dangers such as water on the road and weve had plenty of that in 2019, it handles with finesse and just seems to shrug off. After all, we know that when people come to us for a WAV they ask many questions that are quite different than when people are looking at standard vehicles so we know whats important to a driver, a wheelchair passenger and seated passengers too. For example, a tall wheelchair user probably wont feel comfortable in a Peugeot Partner as they will feel overly tall, yet the centre of gravity isnt too bad. I appreciate there are better cars out there but we are thinking about the X in terms of how it behaves once it is converted to have wheelchair access so it will behave differently than when driven as a standard vehicle. By David Ward on 2019-02-02 - David Ward is a motoring journalist with over 40 years of continuous coverage of the motor industry working for national, regional and local newspapers along with motoring and consumer magazines. As I scan the cockpit, I also notice how easy it is to find a good comfortable driving position. Reversing out of a parking space in a busy car park, I have confidence that even if someone was going to walk directly behind me, I would have enough time to stop if they didnt. Truth be known, the Transit started life in 1953 need to be a driver-only vehicle and Fords have generally always been known for their superior handling and driveability, likely because the traditional white van man often drove on the edge so the vehicle needed to handle well. Pye Motors 2015 - 2022. Then and only then could I report on how it feels for a wheelchair passenger. Once you have turned the key or started it remotely, the Custom come alive, automatically switching on the LED daylight running lights and Im a big fan of these. Me, well it works for me and as I have tried most WAVs in the marketplace in a wheelchair myself and have realised its not just about the ramp angle and visibility, its all the little things that much of the industry seems to have forgotten or overlooked. The Tourneo was fine and at less than two metres high there were no dramas when parking in height restricted supermarket car parks. In other words, it works effectively, isnt alarming and allows the driver to act appropriately with enough time or, let the X do it for you. What most wheelchair users will experience at one time or another in a WAV is that they dont quite sit where they want to be which makes communication more difficult and they may well feel a little awkward, not so in the Tosca. I have driven a few vehicles in the WAV market with stop-start and many are dire taking what seems like an age to go through the cycle which is very frustrating in a constant stop and start situation like slow-moving traffic. Sunday Appointment only Home appointment on request, Useful Documents Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions. The front and rear parking sensors are incredibly good and the rear parking camera with night vision can absolutely be relied upon using the ample 8-inch touch screen display. Registered number: 204727. Slipping into the now warm driver cockpit I soon realise that I am in control of what seems like a large vehicle but Fords superb attention to detail will help you feel safe and ready to transport your valuable charges. The Custom I am driving is an L1 lowered floor Titanium X with four standard seats plus a tip and fold seat in the rear as opposed to the original 8 standard seats in an unconverted X and it handles extremely well instilling confidence when driving the vehicle and, in very testing road conditions. We are also happy to fit dashcams that can be switched to an internal view so a front passenger can observe a wheelchair user in the rear if necessary and there are also several other specification benefits we can have fitted at the build stage, locally or during conversion so please ask. Of course, if there are aspects of the X you simply arent interested in, we are more than happy to source you a Titanium or Zetec specification model, just ask and we will cost it for you. Automatic headlights with auto dip and full beam these are magic, and I have never been flashed by anyone, they just work brilliantly and I never realized how often I switch the lights between dip and full beam or how many times driver error has annoyed another driver. Such vehicles have now moved up market and offer far more sophistication in their make up along with all the latest technology. I can also advise that we have had the winch fitted on the front of the lowered floor and between the two front seats and access is much easier for the driver and passenger to step over the winch there as it allows floor space between the two front electric belts to step into when a wheelchair user is in place; should the need arise to move to attend to your charge. The only minor niggle for the driver is on fuel filling with the filler cap sited next to the front passenger door. If you set your vehicle up with the heated seats on when you use the FordPass app your seats will be heated when you enter the vehicle, such a bonus and a great touch by Ford in our view. For passengers the ride is a far cry from those earlier Transit days. With wheelchair accessible vehicles, the importance of all who travel in them being helped and supported whilst the vehicle is in use is paramount in our view. Improvements to the chassis and suspension make it a whole different ball game - this Tourneo even had the 1,104 option of rear air suspension to further improve comfort. I dont aim to go through every feature of the specification of the X here, there is a specification glossary with explanations below this blog, although I did want to deal with what is useful and worthy of comment on driving and in poor road conditions because after all, that is when the driver, the vehicle occupants and the vehicle itself are all truly tested. This doesnt suit everyone but at least you, the customer, can decide from a choice of three ramp styles because after all, who gives you a choice out there in WAV land. After early experience in Fleet Street as a news reporters he developed his own niche in the motoring world writing for the Northcliffe UK Media Group and its parent Associated Newspapers and continues to do so to this day. In our lowered floor Tosca x conversion, you will almost certainly gain visibility through the rear-view mirror as the third row would not be there, instead, there could be tip and fold seats if they should be required. TRADITIONAL large vans converted in some form to become people carriers have always had their own niche in the car market. For a personalised finance quote or a valuation on your vehicle, talk to your local sales team. Then we have the Rain Sensing Wipers, again not an innovative feature but very necessary for the British weather and putting all these packages together driving the X in any weather is a very relaxing experience because you can keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel and just confidently drive through the worst possible weather feeling relaxed. Incidentally, I know WAV drivers do worry about upsetting other drivers in car parks as they often have to inconvenience other vehicles movements but my advice is dont worry about what other people think, those that are small-minded enough to be that intolerant arent angry because of your needs, its just them and you are best to ignore what think, the SmartFlare ramp will help of course as it means your vehicle wont be so far forward and less obstructive to others. The SmartFold ramp has a 12.5-degree entry angle and feels very solid when I start to enter the Tosca. Registered office: Ovangle Road, Morecambe LA3 3PF. For the purposes of this blog, my write up is based on the Ford Tourneo Custom L1 Titanium X 185ps diesel auto lowered floor with a rear SmartFold ramp for wheelchair user entry, the one shown below. With a 10-way electric seat that covers all possible driving positions, I can set the seat with exacting ease. If its not for you it can be switched off via the steering wheel controls, Carpet floor covering in passenger and luggage compartment, Electrically operated front windows with one- shot up/down on drivers side, Rear courtesy lights with theatre-style dimming the Titanium X is very well lit, not too bright and the lighting works very well, Inside and outside of the vehicle when starting up, powering down, running or stationery, Drivers airbag, front passengers airbag, front-seat side thorax airbags and side curtain airbags. Whether you're a petrol head or buying your first car, keep up to date on all things motoring with our occasional email alerts and newsletters. From the moment I tap the FordPass app on my phone and press Start Engine I know I am going to be welcomed at the drivers door by the quietly purring engine running the air conditioning whilst clearing the glass and mirrors ready for me to drive. Dont get me wrong I am not claiming the Custom is superior to these marques, but it does represent excellent value for money against them and is quite different too. Despite its size and heritage, I can truly call the Tourneo (that word distinguishes it from its more basic Transit sibling) Custom a car because thats exactly what it feels like to drive. I can see clearly through the front windscreen and the suitably tinted rear windows to each side. We will of course advise you on the best ramp option for your circumstances and, although they will all work well, we know which ramp suits different types of the wheelchair so you can be assured of getting the right one for you. Getting into a brand-new vehicle one would usually feel a bit apprehensive, but the Customs layout just puts the driver at ease and, if the driver is at ease, your passengers are too. The MPG figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results, are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience. Along with the front and rear parking sensors all eyes can be on the screen, Bi-Xenon headlights, including LED daytime running lights and static cornering lights bendy lights on cornering which really help with visibility from the driving position, Leather trim (Salerno Leather in Palazzo, or Dark Palazzo) we recommend Dark Palazzo as the light is very light, 10-way power-adjustable and heated drivers seat with lumbar support get comfy in any position with the driver seat and the steering wheel. This is quite an achievement as usually we usually find ourselves craning our necks to ensure we dont have someone in our blind spot which the Custom just doesnt seem to have much trouble with. On our return, the winch was used to help me exit the vehicle and that put me at ease, we then detached the winch and I re-entered the Tosca by being pushed in manually. That having been said, it really isnt all about the driver when it comes to WAVs but the driver does need to know what its like to be in and drive because after all a confident driver driving safely generally makes for relaxed passengers too. The X also makes light of 3 point turns and manoeuvring generally is quite simple and nimble too. We will never sell your information and will treat it with respect. If you feel too tall in a WAV, its not a great feeling but we have worked hard on the Tosca conversion to ensure balance in all matters for all users whether wheelchair-bound or not. The vehicle remains locked and immobile until you enter the ignition key and turn it, at this point the air conditioning adjusts itself to standard heating mode reducing the blowers. Having the winch on the lowered floor is an option but wed recommend it is located between the two front seats, its safer, more practical and looks better too as well as allowing more forward access for the wheelchair user. Our conversions are always of the highest quality, we never compromise on any aspect of our Lucca and Tosca signature models. It is also important to say that the VW has been around much longer and is going to be remodelled in 2020 and the Tourneo Custom is the newcomer. The visibility in the rear-view mirror, and this depends on the conversion you have, gives confidence that you can see exactly what you need to see. Pye Motors work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. We are only able to offer finance products from these providers: Ford Credit PLC, Black Horse Ltd, Ford Lease, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Motors Finance, Evolution Funding Ltd and Mann Island Finance. Ford has been building this newest and most superior version of the X on the Transit platform since 1953 and they have always focussed on the driver and their needs since the early days, so it comes as no great surprise that 66 years later it has been developed to near perfection. Secretly I also had more confidence in the winch than the person pushing me in which I dont think should be a surprise to some wheelchair users out there. As a driver, I am always impressed with long lists of specifications for a vehicle but rarely do understand most of it before I start pressing buttons. We are always ready to manage this when we demonstrate wheelchair accessible vehicles to our customers who may not have the experience to be aware of this when a wheelchair user enters the vehicle for the first time. Most importantly even when most of us look to buy a vehicle, we dont usually manage to understand everything it can do for us and in the wheelchair accessible vehicle industry this is very important indeed. By signing up you agree that we can process your information in accordance with our privacy policy. As each of our conversions has a bespoke build and finish, we weigh up these factors when discussing the available options with the customer who buys each X and build to individual specification so we will always discuss all aspects of the build with you. I must say when the X first did this, I was a bit puzzled but within a couple of minutes the benefits are very apparent, we dont realise how much we have to fuss about with our lights without this feature. The transmission through the gears up and down is smooth, tolerant and I never feel like I need to kick down, it just happens, and this is important because it means Ford got the ratios right on the 2.0-litre diesel 185ps unit.