Ford Transit Custom UK’s Best Selling Van Of May 2025

The Ford Transit Custom has dominated the van and light commercial vehicle (LCV) in the UK for years, and it’s continuing that trend into 2025. The van landed itself atop the region’s van/LCV sales charts in January, February, March, and April – and it doesn’t look like it’s going to lose its throne anytime soon, earning the honors once again in May 2025.

The latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that the Ford Transit Custom retained its bestselling performance thanks to 3,365 registrations last month. The runner-up Ford Transit – its corporate cousin – placed a distant second with 2,449 registrations.

The Peugeot Partner brought up third with 1,216 registrations, followed by the Toyota Hilux (1,096) and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (1,064) rounding out the top five. The Ford Ranger, meanwhile, slotted in sixth as the only other LCV with more than 1,000 registrations, but just barely, wrapping up last month with 1,003 new units registered.

Unsurprisingly, the Ford Transit Custom’s strong performance keeps it ahead of the competition throughout 2025. To date – that is, January through May – the compact van is sitting pretty with 20,271 registrations, vastly outperforming the Transit with 11,008. The Ranger slots in third, with 9,366 registrations recorded so far this year.

Overall, the UK LCV segment slipped 11.8 percent last month, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline. That makes May 2025 the worst May since 2022, which SMMT attributes to “weak business confidence” preventing buyers from adding to their commercial fleets.

“Six months of declining new van demand reflects a tough economic environment and weak business confidence – and that won’t be helped by punitive taxes such as on double-cabs that will only restrict wider growth,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive.

He added, “Fleet renewal with the latest, cleanest models must be encouraged so it’s positive that zero emission van uptake is rising, but with market share at just half the mandated level, it’s clear we need action to drive that uptake faster. Accelerating LCV-centric and affordable chargepoint rollout is the bold next step that van operators and manufacturers need now.”