2025 Ford Tourneo family review: could this be the best new people mover for Aussie families?

If you’ve been hunting for a practical, flexible and premium-feeling people mover that doesn’t scream “bus” or look like every other mum with their Kia Carnival the all-new 2025 Ford Tourneo might be your answer. Available in two variants — the Active and Titanium X— this new addition to the 8 seater family car market is turning heads for good reason.

Rivalling models like the Kia Carnival, Hyundai Staria, Volkswagen Multivan and I.D Buzz, Mercedes Vito and Lexus LM, let’s find out if the Ford Tourneo deserves a place on your family car shortlist.

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Ford Tourneo Pros & Cons: What you should know before buying

Pros:

• Flexible seating layout: track-mounted seats in both the second and third row

• Large boot space:

• Impressive fuel economy for an 8 seater car: around 7.5L/100km in real-world testing

• Packed with family-friendly tech: including wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, tri-zone climate control, and FordPass App connectivity.

• Five top tether anchors and four ISOFIX points across both second and third rows

Cons:

• Third row seats don’t fold flat: may limit how you load longer or bulkier items. However, you can remove the third row if you need to.

• No petrol or hybrid option: diesel only available currently

• At over $65k before on-roads, it’s not the most affordable 8 seater car in Australia.

• It’s still a large vehicle: might not suit tight garages or inner-city parking easily.

• Premium features like the panoramic roof and B&O audio are limited to the more expensive Titanium X variant.

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Maxi Cosi Oxford stroller shown

Ford Tourneo price guide – How much does the 2025 Ford Tourneo cost?

The Ford Tourneo is available in two trim levels, pricing as follows

• Active : $65,990 before on-road costs (as tested)

• Titanium X: $70,990 before on-road costs

(Exact driveway pricing will vary depending on location and registration type; check with Ford Australia or your local dealership for up-to-date costs.)

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Ford Tourneo engine options: Diesel

The 2025 Ford Tourneo comes with one engine option:

• 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo diesel: 125kW of power & 390Nm of torque.

I was sceptical against the decision to not bring another fuel type option with the 2025 Ford Tourneo given every brand is offering PHEV, EV or hybrid family car options at the moment. The thought was further questioned when the Transit Custom (commercial van version of the Tourneo) offers the option of petrol plug-in hybrid.

Despite my initial thoughts, I was pleasantly surprised with the 2.0L turbo diesel engine. It felt responsive for a diesel people mover, and was economical on fuel with a 7.5L/100km average based on urban/city driving. The engine had more grunt than I expected — especially for a full-size 8 seater car — both off the mark and on the freeway.

While the overall feel is still more van than SUV, it was the comfortable driver's seat cushioning and modern digital setup that gave it a more refined, “soccer mum car” vibe — not something you usually say about a van-based family car.

The auto engine stop/start system and auto stop handbrake worked seamlessly, with no concerns.

I haven’t driven the diesel Kia Carnival for a direct comparison yet, but the Ford Tourneo impressed me with how little road and engine noise made it into the cabin. There’s a noticeable refinement in this generation of diesel drivetrains — I didn’t even notice the transmission shifting through gears, and it never felt clunky at low speeds like older diesel vans often do.

That said, one of my only gripes is the column-mounted gear shifter. No matter how hard I try to remember it’s there, I still find myself accidentally flicking it into neutral when reaching for the blinkers or wipers. For a vehicle that will often carry children, it would have been safer if there was a built-in safeguard to prevent an accidental shift from Drive to Neutral. It’s a simple and clean dashboard layout, but this design feature is one that takes some getting used to — especially in the Australian market, where this is still a relatively new design in mainstream everyman cars.

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Is the Ford Tourneo fuel-efficient?

Fuel consumption figures are as follows:

• Diesel: 5.4L/100km (combined), 5.8L/100km (urban)

It’s worth noting that you can get around 800km out of a since tank. The fuel tank is 70L so based on fuel at $1.98 per litre this would cost roughly $138 to fill up the 2025 Ford Tourneo.

Maxi Cosi Pria LX car seat shown

Ford Tourneo Interior & Space: How practical is it for families?

The first thing that impressed me was the configurability of the second and third rows. Each seat in the second row is on its own rails, meaning you can pull it forward, push it back, or even remove them individually. This feature is available in the Kia Carnival, from memory, but I found this system a little easier to use thanks to the large grab handles under each seat and larger cabin size.

The interior of the base-model Tourneo Active isn’t what I’d describe as premium. Most surfaces are plasticy, and the seating is fabric. Not to mention, the two side windows are manually adjustable, which did feel a little disappointing — especially considering you’re paying over $70,000 once you add on-road costs. I understand this makes the side door controls simpler, but it’s impossible to close them from the front row while the vehicle is in motion. They’re positioned too far from the driver or passenger seats, and I wouldn’t trust a child to close them properly on their own.

Some nice family car features, include heated front seats, a rear parking camera, and front and rear parking sensors — though these standard inclusions are a bit hard to justify given the Active’s price point, especially when compared to the Carnival price point equivalent variants. The step up to the Titanium X adds a panoramic sunroof, artificial leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, a B&O sound system, and a 360-degree camera to justify the $5,000 price increase.

There are five top-tether anchor points — three in the second row and two in the third row — as well as four ISOFIX points, located on each of the outboard seats in the second and third rows. There are also two cup holders built into the second-row middle seat if you choose to fold it down.

Installing car seats was incredibly easy thanks to the roomy cabin and the ability to move the individual seats forward and back as needed. The Tourneo sits fairly low to the ground, I don’t think most families will struggle to get younger kids in on their own. That said, they may still need help moving the seats — once you add a car seat on top, they can get fairly heavy for a child to move. I will also mention the seat belts are located on each seat making it so easy to move the seats around and using a seat belt install for your car seats.

It’s worth noting: if you plan to move the seats forward and back, you need to ensure your top tether straps are still correctly installed. The middle seat in the second row is quite slim, so I found the top tether strap would fall down when put on the outer stalks of the headrest. For this, I’d suggest running the strap through the headrest to ensure it stays secure.

The electric sliding doors took a bit of getting used to. You need to pull out the handle, then pause while the system continues to open the door slowly. I couldn’t see a button in the second row to open or close the doors, which felt like a bit of an oversight — especially when the Kia Carnival includes this. That said, there are buttons on the dashboard and key fob that allow you to open the doors remotely.

Maxi Cosi Oxford Stroller shown

Ford Tourneo Boot Space & Storage: How much can it fit?

• With 5 seats up:

• With 8 seats up:

• With third row folded:

Boot space is excellent. It too sits low to the ground, making it easy to lift items in and out. I could easily fit a Maxi-Cosi Oxford pram, 6–8 paper shopping bags, and a baby bag without issue. If you need more space, you can push the third row forward or take it out completely — adding even more practicality to this 8 seater family car.

The Ford Tourneo’s roofline felt higher than the Carnival’s and the cabin overall felt roomier. It’s worth noting that the Carnival feels more like an SUV to drive, whereas the Tourneo carries more van-like characteristics in size and shape — so you do have to weigh up what matters more for your family: SUV feel or maximum flexibility and space.

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Ford Tourneo Safety Features: Is it a safe family car?

The 2025 Ford Tourneo comes with a comprehensive range of driver assistance and active safety features across both the Tourneo Active and Titanium X variants. Here’s a breakdown of what’s standard across the range:

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

• Pre-Collision Assist with AEB (includes pedestrian detection and Intersection Assist)

• Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and BLIS Assist

• Lane Keeping System

• Rear parking camera

• Front and rear parking sensors

• Nine airbags

• Exit warning system

• SOS emergency calling

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

• Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

• Five top tether anchor points

• Four ISOFIX anchor points

Tourneo Titanium X additional safety features:

• 360-degree camera system

• Driver attention monitoring (TBC – confirm if experienced)

• Additional parking visibility tech via the panoramic roof and surround cameras

ANCAP safety rating: The Ford Tourneo is yet to be ANCAP tested at the time of writing this review.

From a day-to-day driving perspective, the Tourneo’s safety tech felt solid and unobtrusive. Nothing was overbearing or constantly beeping, which can sometimes be the case with modern family cars. I particularly liked the exit warning feature, which alerted me to hazards while opening the door — helpful with kids in the backseat and busy school zones.

The reversing camera was of good quality, offering enough clarity for a vehicle this size. That said, if you’re not used to parking or manoeuvring larger people movers, I’d suggest opting for the Titanium X with its 360-degree view camera for extra confidence.

The blind spot monitoring worked seamlessly, and I appreciated the additional blind spot mirror integrated into the side mirrors — it made it easier to check for hazards and gave me more confidence when lane changing or parking close to the kerb. Visibility in general was great, especially thanks to the overall window height and width and elevated driving position.

The adaptive cruise control was smooth and responsive — no jerky slowing or hard acceleration, just a well-calibrated system that helped on longer drives.

In terms of the overall safety package, the Tourneo doesn’t include as many named systems as, say, the Mazda CX-70, but it didn’t feel like anything was missing in real-world driving. That said, at a price point north of $65,000, it’s fair to question whether Ford could’ve added more premium features — such as driver attention monitoring or enhanced autonomous lane-keeping systems — especially considering other 8 seater cars offer them as standard.

As for child safety, I liked that there are five top tether anchor points, but it is curious there are only four ISOFIX points — two in the second row and two in the third. In practice, though, if you’re installing three car seats across the second row, you likely wouldn’t use ISOFIX for all three anyway, so this layout still works for growing families.

Ford Tourneo vs Kia Carnival vs Hyundai Staria: Which one is best?

• Best for Fuel Efficiency: Ford Tourneo (7.5L/100km)

• Best for Cargo Space: Hyundai Staria (831L)

• Best for Luxury & Comfort: Kia Carnival GT-Line

• Best for Towing: Ford Tourneo and Hyundai Staria (2,500kg braked)

• Most affordable to service: Hyundai Staria (5 years capped price servicing when you pre-pay at an average of $451 per service)

• Longest warranty: Kia Carnival (7 years unlimited km)

The Ford Tourneo wins for now if you want a fuel-efficient 8 seater car that's still available new. While the old Carnival diesel was lower, it’s no longer sold, making the Tourneo’s turbo diesel the most frugal choice among current models.

While the Staria wins on litres, the Kia Carnival takes the lead in usable boot space with smart underfloor storage, a deep well behind the third row, and the ability to load a double pram and shopping without removing seats. The Tourneocomes close, especially with its removable third row, but Carnival’s depth is just hard to beat.

The Kia Carnival GT-Line edges out the others for overall luxury SUV vibes — especially for families who value features like ventilated seats and high-end materials in all rows. The Tourneo Active feels more commercial-van-like in places (manual windows, fabric seats), although the Titanium X brings in more premium features.

Need to tow a trailer, jet ski or small caravan? The Hyundai Staria and Ford Tourneo both top the list for best towing capacity in this segment, offering a solid 2,500kg braked rating.

Kia Carnival (7 years capped price servicing average cost per service Hybrid $656, Diesel: $593, Petrol: $556) Ford Tourneo has up to 12 years capped price servicing and requires servicing every 12 months or 30,000km. The Hyundai Staria while being the most affordable only has capped priced servicing for 5 years. All respective vehicles have roadside assistance alongside their servicing agreements if you service at a dealership.

Kia is the clear standout for warranty coverage, offering the longest protection of any 8 seater car in Australia.

Read our Kia Carnival review and our other reviews here.

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Ford Tourneo Towing Capacity Australia: Can it handle a caravan?

• Diesel: 2,500kg braked or 750kg unbraked.

We didn’t get a chance to test out its real-world towing capabilities.

Should You Buy the Ford Tourneo in 2025? final verdict

If you're looking for the best people mover in Australia for a family with 3+ young kids and loads of gear, the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all — but the Ford Tourneo is a strong contender. The Tourneo is best suited to larger families with 3 or more kids who want something practical, spacious, and still stylish without being overly flashy. If you’re not going to take advantage of the extra seating in the third row or the skate rail configurations an SUV might be more practical.

Even though the Kia Carnival and Ford Tourneo are both 8 seater family cars, they almost feel like they’re targeting different types of buyers. As of today, the Carnival is the go-to choice for many Aussie families looking for more than 7 seats — it’s everywhere, and there’s almost a cult-like belief that if you’re buying a people mover, it has to be a Carnival. That said, the Tourneo is refreshingly different. It offers a van-like layout, a clever seating system, and all the practicality a growing family could need — without losing its design appeal.

If your family does long-distance driving or lives in the inner city, I wouldn’t say one stands out far above the others — all three options (Carnival, Staria and Tourneo) are will do the job. But if you’re after something that drives more like an SUV, the Carnival would probably feel the most familiar behind the wheel. It’s also the only one with a hybrid powertrain, which changes how it responds on the road. In my opinion the petrol hybrid gives it less of a diesel “pull” compared to the Tourneo.

In terms of design and tech, the Ford Tourneo feels incredibly modern — clearly part of Ford’s latest-generation product line. It offers app-based connectivity, an intuitive 13” infotainment screen, and 98% of what families in this market are after.

So, is it worth $65k+? It’s a mixed bag. There are a few areas where I think Ford could sharpen the value — like adding electric windows in the second row, offering a power tailgate, or including more advanced safety tech in the base variant. But overall, it’s a seriously capable, still well packaged, and a well-built family car that delivers where it matters most.

Is the Kia Carnival still king of the category? Yes and no. The Tourneo makes a compelling case — and honestly, I think each model wins its own lane:

• The Carnival for comfort and SUV-like luxury

• The Tourneo for practicality, flexibility, and fuel efficiency

• The Staria for futuristic design and towing capacity

In the end, it comes down to what’s important to you — but I’ll say this: the Ford Tourneo is one of the best family cars I’ve enjoyed testing to date.

Want to save money? Baby and Car uses a trusted network of dealerships Australia-wide to find you the best price for your next brand new car. With tailored Australian-based support, it’s free to get a quote. Find out more here.

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