Undeterred by the cold weather snap, Al Suttie travels some of the UK’s highways and byways to assess the Ford Transit Custom’s switch to lifestyle campervan status.

Model: Transit Custom Nugget Plus EcoBlue 130 PS

List price (BiK): £83,719 (37%) CO2: 204g/km Economy: 36.2 Test efficiency: 31.1mpg

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Monday

The Ford Transit is an icon of the working world, but it’s always had to give best to Volkswagen when it comes to the lifestyle side. Until now, that it, with the Transit Custom Nugget looking to snuggle up to the campfire alongside the VW California. This explains the Nugget Plus pulling on to my driveway this morning and, later on, two very excited kids planning a weekend away regardless of the chilly weather.

Tuesday

Before heading off on a road trip with the kids, more mundane tasks await the Nugget, such as this morning’s trip into Edinburgh for a meeting. As with all Transits, it’s easy to drive and cruises happily on the motorway. The six-speed automatic gearbox in this particular van makes life very easy around town and it changes gear smoothly. There’s also a tight turning circle to deal with the Scottish capital’s compact road network and many, many roadworks.

Wednesday

An unexpected upside of the Nugget makes itself know this evening while taking my son to football training. As he spends an hour running around and keeping warm, it strikes me that I can stick the kettle on and have a brew while I wait. The two rings on the hob are easy to access as this is the long wheelbase version of the Nugget, and I’m soon sipping hot tea and have one ready for the boy when his training finishes.

Thursday

More commuting action for the Nugget Plus this morning and it copes easily with the sub-zero temperatures at the outset of the journey. Ford’s Quickclear windscreen has the ice melted and gone in a minute as I de-ice the side windows. The 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine is decently quiet and smooth, while the driving position is better than I remember in other Transits.

Friday

Packing for the weekend away is simple thanks to plenty of storage inside the Transit Nugget. It’s made all the simpler by lifting the rear tailgate and just chucking in a couple of big bags plus sleeping gear. With the kids chucked in too, it’s off we go. Mrs S has claimed she is needed at home this weekend, so it’s just the three Musketeers. Arriving at the campsite, it takes about 10 seconds to raise the Nugget’s roof and we’re all set to make dinner.

Saturday

The upstairs bed in the raised roof section is very comfortable and certainly beats having a nap with the seat reclined as in most company vehicles. My son chose the downstairs option with the bench seat folded flat. It takes a little getting used to in order to work it, and some heft to pull the bench forward, but it’s certainly all very well thought out. Even so, a bit more space in the walk-through by the kitchen would be appreciated.

Sunday

We’ve got through our camping trip in comfort and the kids have loved it. I’m just pleased we didn’t use the Nugget Plus’ fitted toilet as it means I don’t have to empty it… It’s been fun, but so-so fuel economy is disappointing. Also, from my experience, the Mercedes V-Class Marco Polo is a more convenient camper if you’re thinking of choosing this type of van as your next fleet vehicle.