Having now driven this brilliantly designed vehicle for quite some time I am now able to give you an insight into all aspects of the Ford Tourneo Custom Titanium X 185ps diesel auto model including all its features and benefits, drivability and specification.
A quality driving experience
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. Most importantly even when most of us look to buy a vehicle, we don’t usually manage to understand everything it can do for us and in the wheelchair accessible vehicle industry this is very important indeed. 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 what’s important to a driver, a wheelchair passenger and seated passengers too.
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 it’s the finer points that help all aboard to have a more pleasant journey however short or long it may be.
Further down the page, you will find a glossary of the specification and descriptions of what each really does.
A driver’s point of view
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 driver’s door by the quietly purring engine running the air conditioning whilst clearing the glass and mirrors ready for me to drive.
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.
Slipping into the now warm driver cockpit I soon realise that I am in control of what seems like a large vehicle but Ford’s superb attention to detail will help you feel safe and ready to transport your valuable charges.
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. As I scan the cockpit, I also notice how easy it is to find a good comfortable driving position. With a 10-way electric seat that covers all possible driving positions, I can set the seat with exacting ease.
The steering column has sensible flexibility about it ensuring the Titanium X will suit any driver or driving style. 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.
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. Interestingly on a standard Custom with 8 seats, you do in fact lose approximately 150mm from the bottom of the rear window because of the 3rd row of seats. 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.
There are other features of this vehicle that help enormously when considering other road traffic but I’ll start with the wing mirrors. I was truly amazed that almost immediately I sat in the Custom I felt confident to start it up straight away. I seem to be led to turn the key as if I had driven this vehicle many times before. Getting into a brand-new vehicle one would usually feel a bit apprehensive, but the Custom’s layout just puts the driver at ease and, if the driver is at ease, your passengers are too. This is particularly important for wheelchair passengers and we often say to our customers here at SMV Ltd that they are buying two cars, a driver and wheelchair passenger car too, the Titanium X makes it much easier for both. The key factor about the wing mirrors is the absolute confidence I had using them, I know many vehicles have these, but the convex mirror below the main mirror gives complete knowledge of all traffic on both sides and behind you.
This is quite an achievement as usually we usually find ourselves craning our necks to ensure we don’t have someone in our blind spot which the Custom just doesn’t seem to have much trouble with.
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. It has three settings so you can change the sensitivity and it is intelligent. In other words, it works effectively, isn’t alarming and allows the driver to act appropriately with enough time or, let the X do it for you.
You can also easily deactivate the Active Braking feature, so the vehicle won’t automatically brake for you too so you control the controls. 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.
I don’t 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.
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 didn’t.
We have now added as standard Ford’s BLIS to all new order vehicles which you can read about below at the end of this blog under additionally included specifications.
Now, I know this is not innovative technology but how many WAVS come with something like this, the truth is not many. The WAV industry is typically loaded with low specification vehicles and this is what inspired us to convert the X, it just has so many well thought out features that are beneficial to all who enter, we couldn’t resist it!
If you then compare Ford to other marques, the X fits in beautifully next to its Mercedes and Volkswagen cousins which also do a great job in the wheelchair accessible vehicle industry. Don’t 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.
Once you have turned the key or started it remotely, the Custom come alive, automatically switching on the LED daylight running lights and I’m a big fan of these. We all need to be seen on the road these days and you will probably never know how daylight running lights may have helped you avoid hitting or, being hit by someone or something and that can only be a good thing. I have always driven with my headlights on regardless of the weather, so now I don’t have to think about switching them on, they are automatic and as it gets darker the Bi-Xenon headlights switch on too.
Nighttime driving is an absolute treat in the X as the headlights have Auto High Beam assist which means the vehicle will automatically switch between high beam and dip when appropriate. 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 don’t realise how much we have to fuss about with our lights without this feature.
In difficult driving conditions this is a huge bonus and having Static Cornering Lights is the icing on the cake. Each time you take a bend depending on whether it is a left or a right, the appropriate fog light will illuminate the roadside and forward of it too so being in a higher driving position you are always aware of where you are on the road.
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.
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. No car with all these features is going to feel safe unless it can handle properly and this for me was probably the biggest surprise. Ford’s 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.
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. 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.
As a wheelchair accessible vehicle, I found the Caravelle to oversteer and therefore I was always cautious when approaching bends. Oversteer is where a vehicle in a turn feels like it wants to drive in a tighter bend than you are in and can cause the driver to feel the need to counterbalance this by turning the steering wheel against the bend direction to check the vehicle’s position on the road.
The oversteer is quite possibly due to the reduction in weight of some vehicles post-conversion and isn’t really an issue with a standard build vehicle so I am in no way suggesting this is a design fault.
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. I have spent much time testing the X and seeing what limitations it has (no limits, I’ll leave that to Top Gear) and dangers such as water on the road and we’ve had plenty of that in 2019, it handles with finesse and just seems to shrug off.
This is almost certainly down to the 17” tyres, a superior chassis and Ford’s 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. 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.
You won’t 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. Well, it stopped exactly how I would have liked it to have done, in a straight line and quickly with no brake fade. 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. It moves through the gears slowly and efficiently and backs down again until you are at a halt and then Ford’s Stop-Start feature kicks in.
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.
The X stops and starts as a vehicle should with almost no delay between me moving my foot from the brake to the accelerator, so I don’t find myself wondering if the impatient driver behind me is going to be on his horn in milliseconds because he won’t need to be.
I don’t 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.
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. I have driven both and the reduced weight doesn’t seem to bother the X at all when it comes to handling which is great news indeed for all who travel in it.
I know you don’t plan to buy an X for its 0 to 60 acceleration but there is another surprise for those who thought that a WAV meant 0 to 60 meant performance was measured in minutes and not seconds. 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.
Parking and manoeuvring in tight spaces are also a breeze as the X has an excellent turning circle and puts many much smaller cars to shame as well as some of its similar-sized peers.
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.
I can make it with the X in one turn which some smaller cars can’t do which is remarkable and very helpful too. The X also makes light of 3 point turns and manoeuvring generally is quite simple and nimble too. 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 “you’re going to hit something” audible warning it gives when you get very close so I can move with confidence.
The warning lights also show which part of the vehicle is closest when manoeuvring too as each light changes from green, red or amber which is very helpful for perspective, yet another very well thought out feature by Ford.
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.
Ford’s growth in the van market has certainly helped them to have the edge with the distinction that really does make it a better vehicle than anything else in its class in my humble opinion. 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 that’s exactly what it feels like to drive.
That having been said, it really isn’t all about the driver when it comes to WAVs but the driver does need to know what it’s like to be in and drive because after all a confident driver driving safely generally makes for relaxed passengers too.
A wheelchair user’s point of view
Although I am not a wheelchair user, I wanted and needed to know what it would be like as a wheelchair passenger to enter the Tosca, travel aboard, and exit the vehicle too. Then and only then could I report on how it feels for a wheelchair passenger.
Of course, you can come and test drive ours and see for yourself, we are all different, but here’s what I think and feel to give you some insight. 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.
Sitting behind the Custom watching the tailgate open I started to feel a little vulnerable and that might well be because I am not a wheelchair user myself, so this was a good test for me, and the lowered floor Tosca xs we are reviewing. The SmartFold ramp has a 12.5-degree entry angle and feels very solid when I start to enter the Tosca.
As well as the SmartFold ramp we also have two single piece ramps available, the SmartFlat and our exclusive SmartFlare ramp, the SmartFlare ramp has an innovative twist. The SmartFlare, as its name suggests, is flared so a wheelchair user has a greater angle to enter from and this means the vehicle doesn’t have to be so far away from whatever is behind it for a wheelchair user to enter. The width at the entry of the SmartFlare ramp is 1082mm which narrows to 782mm and this is the maximum ramp width the Custom can accommodate, this means that the maximum floor width inside the Custom is a tad greater.
The SmartFlare and SmartFlat ramps are both the same length so both have 15-degree slopes compared to the SmartFold ramp at 12.5 degrees which is longer. You might remember earlier on that I mentioned that the driver loses 150mm from the bottom of the rear window because of the row 3 seats in a standard Custom, well that is what you will lose with the SmartFlat and SmartFlare ramps. This doesn’t 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.
Now a width of 1082mm at wheelchair entry for the SmartFlare ramp might not sound like a lot but it makes a huge difference to the angle the vehicle can receive a wheelchair user allowing greater flexibility in more restricted spaces and a greater margin for error. Interestingly it also greatly reduces the manoeuvring time a wheelchair user needs to line themselves up with a straight ramp, in the pouring rain, this can make the difference between getting damp or drenched.
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.
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 don’t worry about what other people think, those that are small-minded enough to be that intolerant aren’t angry because of your needs, it’s just them and you are best to ignore what think, the SmartFlare ramp will help of course as it means your vehicle won’t be so far forward and less obstructive to others.
The vehicle I was entering had a wheelchair assist winch which I would highly recommend, having a winch has a little to do with the physical strength of whoever is pushing you in but more to do with the smoothness a winch gives the wheelchair user to enter and of course the stability too.
Secretly I also had more confidence in the winch than the person pushing me in which I don’t think should be a surprise to some wheelchair users out there. 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.
So, I am now in the Tosca and looking around me, the first thing I notice is that I have an excellent view as the Titanium X, with its Palazzo Leather seats, doesn’t have a double bench seat in the front. Aside from wheelchair users getting an excellent view forwards, the front seat passenger or driver can easily get back between the two front seats if need be, even with the winch in place. Having the winch between the two front seats gives maximum access and floor space forward for the wheelchair user allowing them to go right between the second row Ford leather Dark Palazzo seats which only we use in our conversions.
This is most helpful to all and I can imagine quite reassuring for those with serious medical conditions that may need attending to quickly. 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. Having the winch on the lowered floor is an option but we’d recommend it is located between the two front seats, it’s safer, more practical and looks better too as well as allowing more forward access for the wheelchair user.
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.
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.
In this Tosca conversion, the distance between the seats and the floor space in front means my wheelchair sat far enough forward for me to be sitting exactly where the middle seat would have been with passengers on either side of me, not just in front of me but exactly where I wanted to be, with them. What most wheelchair users will experience at one time or another in a WAV is that they don’t 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.
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. 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 doesn’t 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.
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. 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.
There is plenty of room for my footrests as I come to a halt as the stainless steel sloping front of the lowered floor rises to the bulkhead so there isn’t a chance of crushed toes.
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. Once I am settled and am secured in properly, I take a proper look around me, I am between my fellow passengers and at eye level with them too with excellent all-round visibility too. I can see clearly through the front windscreen and the suitably tinted rear windows to each side. I can also see just in front of me two USB ports so I can keep my tablet and phone charged on a long journey and, we fit a 3-pin plug in the vehicle at build too so I can use my laptop to work or watch a film.
We at Southern Mobility Vehicles Ltd fit the superior ICE Pack 25 to our X’s which also has Traffic Sign Recognition and also means your X is a Wi-Fi hotspot too and it will support all occupants however many mobile devices they have with them.
Now to the journey, travelling in a moving vehicle in a wheelchair can be a stressful time for a wheelchair user but much will depend on the care and attention to every detail that will reduce any anxiety and we did as much as we could to ensure the wheelchair user wants to get in their chariot and enjoy the experience. Now we are moving I am a bit more conscious of how I feel as usually, I am the driver and today, I am not. I am pleasantly surprised; the ride height is good and from the driver back this will make others feel more confident and I did myself after a short period of time.
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. Cornering too, and Ford has always been on point with handling, felt smooth and untroubled and the vehicle I was in could have been driven more sedately, I insisted it wasn’t, otherwise, the outing would have been much more pleasant.
Of course, we weren’t doing this for comfort we were doing it to test what it felt like on a wheelchair user’s behalf. We know everyone’s pain is different, different wheelchairs behave differently and we all drive differently so this was just a test to get a feel for how it all came together, and the results were very pleasing. 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. I am not lightweight and there was some grunting and groaning going on behind me, but I went in fine. I was then helped to exit the Tosca xs without the winch and whilst I wasn’t in any danger, it’s a long way to travel at someone else’s mercy so my advice is to have a winch fitted if you have a manual wheelchair, it’s well worth it. Me, well it works for me and as I have tried most WAVs in the marketplace in a wheelchair myself and have realised it’s not just about the ramp angle and visibility, it’s all the little things that much of the industry seems to have forgotten or overlooked.
This is where SMV Ltd differ, attention to detail makes all the difference for a wheelchair user’s experience as well as any others who will travel with them.
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. I have tested the majority of WAVS already in the marketplace on behalf of wheelchair users and many are uncomfortable or noisy or both and I can, in all honesty, confirm that now having travelled in the Tosca xs as a wheelchair passenger it is quiet and normal conversations are to be had and the ride quality is excellent.
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. Following on from this aspect of wheelchair user position we also need to consider where a wheelchair user sits relatively inside a lowered floor WAV; in relation to what is around them. For example, a tall wheelchair user probably won’t feel comfortable in a Peugeot Partner as they will feel overly tall, yet the centre of gravity isn’t too bad.
If you feel too tall in a WAV, it’s 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 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. The Tourneo Custom Titanium X combined with our conversion and all the options you, our customer, decide on make our WAVs unique in the marketplace.
A seated passenger’s point of view
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. I can report they are all spacious and comfortable. The front passenger and driver seat obviously being the comfiest as they are both heated as standard, the driver seat being electric, what could be better.
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. We have tested all combinations of seating with 6 passengers in the rear of an unconverted vehicle and both our Lucca and Tosca conversion models too with their various seating patterns.
In our Tosca model, there are options to have a forward or rear-facing seat beside the wheelchair user or, the wheelchair user could sit further back so be observed too. 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 tip and fold seats we can fit in the L1 and L2 Tosca are the most comfortable we could find, and we tested a few! We can also trim the tip and fold seats in the X’s same Dark Palazzo leather for that finishing touch and are very excited about this, it looks amazing. 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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
We are very pleased we took all our customer-facing experience and translated that to a wheelchair accessible vehicle that would please everybody, it really isn’t that easy to do that but we believe we have succeeded and we’d love to share our enthusiasm with you so why not come and take a look at the world of possibilities we can offer you.
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.
Of course, if there are aspects of the X you simply aren’t 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. Our conversions are always of the highest quality, we never compromise on any aspect of our Lucca and Tosca signature models. Please note we are unable to offer this vehicle on the Motability scheme but do have lease and hire purchase options readily available.
The specification with explanations where necessary
- 17″ 10-spoke Sparkle Silver finish alloy wheels with locking wheel nuts and wheel arch extensions – new vehicles all come with this darker colour, the earlier ones were silver and the new ones look much better.
- Body colour bodyside moulding
- Perimeter alarm
- Pre-Collision Assist – adjustable on the multifunction steering wheel to change the sensitivity and is highly effective and non-alarming!
- 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
- Rear mud flaps
- Integrated sunblinds on second row windows, plus third row windows on L2 models – increase your privacy or cut the sunlight down
- Illuminated vanity mirrors in sun visors
- 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. 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 driver’s seat with lumbar support – get comfy in any position with the driver seat and the steering wheel
- SYNC 3 navigation system, with DAB, SYNC (includes Emergency Assistance*) with Bluetooth®, Voice Control System, AppLink, audible text messaging and privacy mode, 8″ touchscreen display, extended integrated control panel, USB connectivity port with iPod® functionality, remote audio controls and ten speakers (ICE Pack 24) – what can we say, this really is a complete sound system and it sounds great. The emphasis can be adjusted around the vehicle, to the front cabin or the rear as well as having fade and balance so it really is surround sound.
- Front fog lights
- 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
- Flip-open second-row windows
- 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
- Washer fluid low-level sensor
- Versatile Conference Seating with second-row individual seating, which can rotate, and third-row 2+1 seats. All seats can fold, tumble, stow or be removed – maximum flexibility which is perfect for our Lucca x conversion allowing for a wheelchair friendly space quickly
- Front & Rear air zoned conditioning with pollen filter
- Leather-trimmed steering wheel – leather on a steering wheel always feels good in the hands and helps with grip to as well as being warmer
- Cruise control with Adjustable Speed Limiter – “adaptive” cruise control means the vehicle will slow down and speed up when it senses traffic ahead, this is very helpful and does take getting used to. If it’s not for you it can be switched off via the steering wheel controls
- Carpet floor covering in passenger and luggage compartment
- Lockable glovebox
- Electrically operated front windows with one- shot up/down on driver’s 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
- Driver’s airbag, front passenger’s airbag◊, front-seat side thorax airbags and side curtain airbags
- 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.
- Rain-sensing wipers – extremely useful along with the auto dip and full beam feature above, it really helps for a safer drive.
- Quickclear heated windscreen – this has been a Ford feature for many years and is worth its weight in gold and avoids the use of a cloth that smears the windows.
- Manual rear seat recliner
- 4 Isofix seats – this will depend on the conversion that works for you and is discussed during each customer’s vehicle build planning
Additionally included specification
We strive for the perfect wheelchair accessible vehicle and that doesn’t just mean it’s all about the finish and the build quality, it’s about the attention to detail and that for us is the little extras that make all the difference. 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. To this end, included on all our vehicles from December 2019 on are the following:
- An extended 5-year dealer warranty – it says just what it does on the tin
- A full ceramic coating with a 5-year warranty.