Ford Transit Custom VS GWM UTE

The large front doors open wide for easy access. Multiple seat adjustments combined with a fold-down inboard armrest, ample choice of steering wheel height/reach and a large left footrest ensure a comfortable driving position.

The thick-rimmed steering wheel has a quality feel and there’s clear eyelines to the big door mirrors, in which the lower third of each offers a wide-angle view. This is most appreciated on the LHS given the van’s solid walls and resulting huge blind-spot, with safety enhanced by blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert.

It has brisk acceleration from standing starts, with the eight-speed automatic smoothly upshifting at 2500rpm in each gear to keep the engine operating in its peak torque zone. This ensures zippy performance in city and suburban driving, plus optimum efficiency at highway speeds.

Unladen ride quality and handling are enhanced by the new IRS, although the difference is not as noticeable as you might expect given how well Ford refined the previous leaf-spring/beam axle arrangement.

To test its payload rating we forklifted 975kg into the cargo bay, which combined with our crew of two equalled a total payload of 1155kg that was only 54kg less than its legal limit.

The coil-spring IRS compressed about 60mm under this load, which ensured long cone-shaped jounce rubbers attached to the underfloor engaged with the suspension arms to provided a second stage of load support. This also avoided any harsh bottoming-out over larger bumps on our test route.

Its competent drivetrain also made light work of our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60km/h, with the eight-speed auto self-shifting down to fifth gear and maximum torque at 2500rpm to easily haul this load to the summit.

Engine braking on the way down was also commendable, given its modest 2.0-litre displacement and the big payload it was trying to restrain, with only one solid brake application required to avoid exceeding the speed limit or reaching its 5000rpm redline on overrun.

If you’re not expecting a dynamic, sporty driving experience from the Cannon XSR, then you won’t be disappointed.

I’m enjoying the fact that off-road vehicles from China and India are improving all the time but there are significant trade-offs when opting for a much cheaper version of the ute you actually want.

The XSR is not an insubstantial ute, but that doesn’t excuse its less-than-ideal steering (which feels too loose) or its stiff ride on upgraded suspension which, even though it increases wheel travel (for 4WDing – more about that later), seemingly hasn’t been tuned to suit the XSR’s bigger tyres, wider wheel track and greater bulk than its lower-spec stablemates.

Also, this ute has an unwieldy turning circle of 13.7m, which makes it an interesting vehicle to manoeuvre along busy urban streets or through a bustling car park.

This is a well priced ute if compared to similarly equipped, much more expensive utes, but that doesn’t excuse its touchy throttle and thrashy transmission.

However, its engine, which can feel underdone when challenged, has a relaxed feel about it when open-road cruising and if you aren’t putting too much pressure on it you likely won’t think it’s much of a let-down.

Overall, the XSR does okay on sealed surfaces, without ever getting anywhere near great – it’s simply not as refined or compliant as it could – or should – be.

On the dirt track leading to our 4WD test track, the XSR was very skippy over corrugations and tended to thump through potholes.

This ute does go well off-road though when it comes time for low-range 4WDing but, equipped with front and rear diff locks, that’s to be expected.

Off-road traction control and other systems including hill descent control, are adequate without being as seamlessly smooth as the equivalent systems in more expensive vehicles.

It also has 'Crawl Mode' (allows for no-pedal, low-speed driving) and 'Turn Assist' (which brakes the XSR’s inside rear wheel to reduce the ute’s turning circle on traction-compromised surfaces).

The over-sensitive throttle is far from ideal during low-speed low-range 4WDing when you need absolute control for safe driving, but I did become used to it – or at least I put up with it.

As mentioned earlier, the upgraded suspension has boosted wheel travel, which means you’re more than likely able in the XSR to stretch a tyre to the dirt for better traction and controlled forward progress.

The XSR’s Cooper Discoverer AT3 all-terrain tyres help, especially when the dirt becomes sticky mud that would gum up a lesser tyre, and we had no strife getting up and over one of our more severe set-piece hill climbs on that rubber.

All in all, the XSR is a capable twin-locked 4WD without ever being exceptional – and that’s fine.

The Cannon XSR has towing capacities of 750kg (unbraked) and 3000kg (braked).