Compact, European-style van sips gas, offers cavernous cargo space
By Ann M. Job, APWednesday, December 30, 2009
Ford Transit Connect finally comes to US
The new Ford Transit Connect has a strange name, a compact European delivery van appearance and a ceiling that
But these oddities are nearly endearing in one of the smartest and most practical vehicles for anyone — including a small business owner, camping enthusiast or trend-eschewing individualist — looking for something different to drive.
The front-wheel drive Transit Connect has been sold in 55 countries by Ford Motor Co. but is only coming to the States this model year as something of an experiment in downsized commercial vans.
Buyers won Buyers also find on the Transit Connect window sticker a government rating of 22 miles per gallon in city driving and 25 mpg on the highway, which is about double that for a traditional, large, Ford delivery van. Best of all, the Transit Connect is affordable with a starting manufacturer A cargo version of the Transit Connect, with no rear seats, has a starting retail price of $21,475. There aren For example, the 2010 Scion xB comes from Japan and has a starting retail price of $16,420, while Chevy In fact, even large sport utility vehicles don The Transit Connect has van-like side doors for the second row of seats that slide open and closed. So, it might compare with small passenger vans like the 2010 Mazda5 that starts at $18,745. But the six-passenger Mazda5 with three rows of seats and 5-foot-3-inch height seems conventional vis-a-vis the 6-foot-6-inch-tall Transit Connect. The Transit Connect is based on a special version of the platform of the Ford Fiesta small car that But in the US, the possibilities are endless among business owners looking to reduce gasoline use, camping fans who want to downsize, even drivers suffering from disabilities who need to carry wheelchairs and medical equipment. Part of the appeal of this new vehicle is how easy it is to get in and out. At 5 feet 4, I just turned and sat onto the driver The two cargo-style doors at the back meant I didn Seats, dashboard arrangement and door trim were all no-nonsense and functional in the test Transit Connect. There was nothing fancy, and the center console area didn I noticed how tall the side windows are, and I had to open the side windows to reach out and manually wipe away condensation that had formed overnight on the outside mirror and stationary part of the side windows. There I readily heard the engine at work as well as road noises from the 15-inch tires on pavement. Sometimes, the sounds seemed to reverberate throughout the cavernous interior, which was a unique experience. But I loved the low load floor at the back of the Transit Connect, not to mention how the two rear doors were hinged so they could swing all the way back and stay against the sides of the vehicle and out of the way. This is so much nicer than ducking under a tailgate door or walking around a single, side-opening rear cargo door. The impressively tall ceiling meant even a 6-footer could darn near stand up inside in the cargo area, and the utilitarian floor material makes for easy cleanup. I didn Unusual options complete the package. For $1,395, for example, a buyer can add an on-board computer that monitors a driver
