While the Ford Transit Custom consistently dominates the competition in the UK’s light commercial vehicle (LCV), the larger Ford Transit is never far behind. During April 2025, the Transit slotted in just behind the Transit Custom in the van segment, and it maintained that runner-up performance through May 2025.
According to the latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the Ford Transit posted 2,449 new registrations last month, good enough to place second among its peers during May – although it was a distant second. The Transit Custom, the segment leader, posted 3,365 new registrations last month, while the Peugeot Partner closed the month well behind the Transit Custom, with 1,216 registrations. The Toyota Hilux and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter rounded out the top five.
Throughout the 2025 calendar year – specifically, from January through May – the Transit Custom maintains the lead with 20,271 sales. The Ford Transit, meanwhile, has posted 11,008 registrations so far this year, keeping it solidly in second and outpacing its Blue Oval Brethren, the Ford Ranger, in third with 9,366 sales.
The UK LCV segment slipped 11.8 percent last month, marking its sixth straight month of decline. That makes May 2025 the weakest May since 2022, a trend the SMMT attributes to “weak business confidence” holding buyers back from expanding 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. “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.”
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