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Ford Transit Connect
Oshawa, Ontario – I’m a bit of an oddball when it comes to automobiles. While most writers prefer carving corners in low-slung sports cars, I’m happiest when I’m behind the wheels of work machines, the funkier the better. Right now, that’s the new Transit Connect, a Ford mainstay in Europe that’s now available in North America.
Companies use the term “whitespace” to describe segments void of any vehicles. In this case, the whitespace is small, purpose-built work vehicles, where the front-wheel drive Transit Connect stands alone. It’s smaller than the Dodge Sprinter (a vehicle now under the Mercedes badge), Chevrolet Express or Ford E-Series, making it easy to move around tight urban centres, and far more practical for those who don’t haul full-size loads. It’s also smaller than the cargo van version of the Dodge Grand Caravan, but larger than the Chevrolet HHR Panel, both of which are variations of passenger vehicles without rear seats or rear side windows. The Ford is available in three versions: a two-seat cargo van with solid metal rear doors, at $26,799; the same but with windows in the two rear doors, at $27,299; and a five-seat wagon, with sliding and rear door windows, at $28,299. My tester, a cargo van with rear windows, came equipped with all of the options available: electronic stability control for $550, reverse parking sensors for $250, and a block heater for $80.
  Ford Transit Van. Click image to enlarge |
That’s pricier than the HHR Panel, which starts at $20,545 with a manual transmission and $21,805 with an automatic, and includes standard stability control, but the HHR’s hinged doors aren’t always as convenient as sliding side ones, and it’s not as tall. The Grand Caravan Cargo Van has sliders, but it’s more expensive, starting at $27,945. The Transit Connect is going to attract a specific audience for whom pricing is only one factor, but it’s still fairly reasonable for the segment.
There’s a diesel version in Europe, of course, and with any luck, Ford will eventually offer that over here. In the meantime, the Transit Connect comes strictly with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, cranking out 138 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. It’s no power monster, but then, it really isn’t meant to be; instead, it’s intended for light-duty work on urban streets. Officially, it’s rated at 9.5 L/100 km in the city, and 7.9 on the highway; in a week with it unloaded, in combined driving, I averaged 8.3 L/100 km (34 mpg Imp).
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at 8:09 am
Always a fan of European bread vans, I test drove one of these for a lark. Not bad to drive, very manageable in tight spots, seems very well thought out and would be a great alternative to an Element for the camping/surfing set.
But for me, the lack of turbodiesel and manual transmission is a deal-breaker. Thanks for trying, Ford — you nearly got it perfect for me.
at 8:13 am
One thing the author neglected was the fact that this vehicle starts out as a passenger van. Their first stop in North America is a warehouse where the windows and seats are promptly ripped out. The fabric is shredded, the steel parts are broken down, and everything is sent off along with the glass to be recycled. This is not an environmen-friendly vehicle. Ref: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125357990638429655.html
at 8:18 am
that be a cheap campermobile =-)
at 9:20 am
…2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, cranking out 138 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque…
LOL! I mean come on…How is this engine going to motivate this vehicle at full load? Surely that 4cyl will have to work extra hard which will impact fuel economy. A V6 would have been a better choice.
at 9:34 am
I think this is another great new option for the marketplace. This helps plug the hole left by the demise of the Astro and Safari cargo vans. It will be interesting to see if the new ecoboost 4 makes it under the hood.
at 2:07 pm
Insane to not launch this van without the turbo diesel….
at 3:46 pm
I can buy a Canadian Package Dodge Minivan for $21K and pull all the seats out for cargo. Why would I waste $28K for this ugly thing?
at 5:35 pm
I agree with Vee.
at 8:04 pm
Vee makes sense. ChargerGuy, just a wild guess but if you do the math for a max loaded with trailer f-250 and a fully loaded transit, i bet the power/weight numbers would be similar. Even then, 90% of the time, vehicles like this are just puttering around in urban/suburbia or stuck in traffic, and not fully loaded.
at 10:06 pm
Mark Hudson: Interesting reference article. But it really doesn’t start out as a passenger van, except for import customs purposes. A minimalist rear seat and a couple of glass window panels are all that go – unfortunate. All due to US farm subsidies (chicken) and European truck/cargo vehicle subsidies, which both lead to inefficiency and waste.
at 10:52 pm
Where is turbodiesel? If they bring european models, please bring diesel engine, too. No diesel- no buy, simple it is!
at 10:56 pm
Funny how, everytime I read the word “efficient” it is always asociated to a vehicle already familiar to europeans… whether it’s ugly or cute, expensive or affordable, whitespace/blackspace/outaspace
at 11:35 pm
I think this could be a real success as a passenger vehicle if Ford is willing to put some work into producing a version for the non-commercial market.
There’s a gap in the market for it, in part because Honda refuses to fix the Element’s many flaws. The Transit Connect has sliding doors in the rear, appears long and tall enough to put your bike in the back standing up with both wheels on, and has features like bumper strips on the doors (something Honda doesn’t think Element owners deserve). Give the Transit Connect true four-wheel drive (not the Element’s on-demand 4WD), put a motor with some torque under the hood, and it will sell briskly to the outdoors crowd, dog owners, etc.
at 8:02 am
tparkit, there is a passenger version in Europe.
at 10:42 am
Looks like those bashing the Transit Connect never actually drove one or even looked at it.
For one thing you don’t need a rip snorting engine for a vehicle built for cross town deliveries.
This is typical of the North American mind set that puts brawn before practicality when purchasing work vehicles.
These are the answer for a multitude of trades – HVAC, Mechanical,Carpentry, Plumbing, Electrical, Parts delivery, and small business’s like florists, catering etc who don’t need a full size van or truck.
The Caravan CV might be cheaper but then you’re stuck with a V6, less cargo room, mediocre mileage, dodgy reliability and plummeting resale value.
Honda does not want the Element for a work vehicle, they want hip twenty something’s buying it for going to the beach like those 80’s Juicy Fruit commercials but instead the geriatric generation has embraced them instead.
And yeah there should be a diesel but the American market doesn’t like them – apparently due to a crappy Oldsmobile 30 years ago – so we don’t get one.
Using this type of vehicle will not make less of a man but it will probably help your bottom line if you own a business.It’s all about the cost of ownership.
But they probably won’t kick ass in drag races between traffic lights , deal with it.
at 11:13 am
Actually, I’d be one of those to use it for camping. It’s small enough to park it by my place and large enough to sleep in it, and to stand in it. Great package. Just having 30 thousand bucks is an issue at this moment….sigh…
at 8:48 am
Like most vehicles that get imported here from Europe, there’s no diesel because of the U.S market. Americans don’t want diesels in their passenger cars (at least that’s what the manufacturers keep saying) because of availability and cost. Diesel isn’t available everywhere like it is in Canada and Europe. And because no company is going to bother certifying a vehicle just for Canada, we lose. If Canada were to change their safety and emission standards to those in the EU, we would get a hell of a lot more diesel models to chose from.
at 8:53 am
@ T.W, how is this larger than the Caravan? Ford’s resale value isn’t much better than Chrysler’s, and reliability of the Caravan should be pretty good considering it’s V6 powertrain has been around since Clinton was President. You definitely get more for your money with the Dodge. You’re paying for the convenience and efficiency with the Ford.
at 10:18 am
Okay I stand corrected, the Caravan has 4072 litres (143.8 cu.ft.) as opposed to the Connects 3830 litres (135.3 cu. ft.)but frankly that amount is negligible. And the Caravan uses more fuel, it’s 800 lbs heavier and the V6 can best be described as unrefined, especially the 3.3 litre.
The previous Ford mini vans were terrible for resale value but they’re built during the SUV craze and lets face it the Windstar/Freestar were basically phoned in by Ford. They stopped caring years ago.
I’ll be willing to bet the Connnect will enjoy far better resale value.
But the biggest difference is the Transit is built for commercial application whereas the Caravan is a converted mini van.
I fully agree however on aligning our safety and emission standards to those in the EU, in fact I pray for it to happen.
at 10:24 am
Great car Ford! Just add a diesel and manual transmission and I’m in!
at 1:38 pm
Another vote for turbo-diesel + manual – please! (Old) Europe has it, why the heck is the New World being deprived?