The Ford Transit has helped The Blue Oval maintain its iron grip on commercial vehicle sales in the UK. Similarly, the Ford Transit Custom is a familiar face at the top of the charts, but its bigger counterpart, the Ford Transit, is never far behind. In fact, during April 2025, the Transit closed out the month as the runner-up in the van segment, only beat by the small but mighty Transit Custom.
As per the latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the Ford Transit moved 1,360 units in the UK last month. Only the Transit Custom bested that result with 2,560 sales, and the full-size van slotted in just ahead of its Blue Oval brethren, the Ford Ranger, with 1,216 sales in the overall light commercial vehicle (LCV) picture.
The Ford Transit was also the second-best selling van in March 2025, recording 4,040 sales that month. As of April, throughout the 2025 calendar year, the Transit has moved 8,559 units, enough to keep it second-best in the LCV segment behind the Transit Custom’s 16,906 units.
Interestingly, April 2025 was the worst April since 2020 for LCV sales. Overall, segment sales fell 14.9 percent, which SMMT says is partially because of the timing of the Easter holiday, which typically causes fluctuations in a historically low-volume month. Additionally, last month’s slide represented the fifth consecutive month of decreased demand.
In terms of individual segments, vans posted a 22.9 percent drop, while medium and small vans a declined by 5.8 and 5.5 percent. However, 4x4s grew by 19.2 percent while pickups rose by 10.2 percent.
“Five months of shrinking demand for new vans reflects weaker business confidence and a challenging economic environment,” said SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes. “Such conditions discourage fleet upgrades into new zero emission technology, meaning older, more polluting vehicles stay on the road longer. Switching must have clear commercial benefits, so the sector needs bold and assertive action if ambitious mandate targets are to be met. Preferential treatment for grid connections, more affordable energy and consistent local planning – all are needed to make the case for going electric unarguable.”
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