2014 Ford Transit Connect – Test Drive, Specs, Rating, Price

A cargo van with a bit of love.

If you’re going to make a cargo van, why not make it drive like a normal car? Any fleet manager with half a sense would ridicule this idea in efforts to save costs. But for any small business owner, this idea makes perfect sense. The Transit Connect is all about that – a dual edged sword that can both haul your “business stuff” while making the process a comfortable one.  The Ford Transit Connect Wagon variation spins the basic version into a more family oriented and versatile vehicle with added second and third row seats that fold with optional leather seats and side windows. Ford also offers the Wagon Titanium model with standard options including a heated six-way power adjustable driver seat, auto-dimming rear-view mirrors, and dual climate control.

But all that sugar coating doesn’t mean the Transit Connect is not capable of corporate level cargo transportation. The basic Transit Connect VAN is stripped down to its basic sheet-metal form for pure grunt use.

Powertrain Performance

Ford is not new to the game when it comes to fleet vehicles.  To back this statement up, Canada Post (Canada’s primary postal operator) and one of Canada’s largest construction companies, Ledcor chose the Transit Connect as their primary fleet vehicle.  Its compact form factor, ultra-durability and best-in-class fuel ratings were the key decision factors for the right fleet vehicle.

Under the hood lies two stock engine configurations options – a standard 2.5 liter DuraTec V4 producing 169 horsepower at 6000 RPM and a more sophisticated 1.6L liter EcoBoost engine with direct injection producing 178 horsepower at 5700 RPM.  Both engine configurations are mated to a standard six speed SelectShift automatic transmission and electric power assisted steering.

What the added added 800$ for the 1.6 liter ecoboost engine gets you is an increase of 9 horsepower and better fuel economy.   Our EcoBoost equipped test vehicle concluded with an average city and highway fuel mileage of 23.4 MPG on our test drive

Interior Features

It doesn’t take long to do a visual inspection on a car to figure out whether you want to run away from it or not.  But in the case of the Ford Transit connect, I actually wouldn’t mind driving one.

Ford made a smart choice by porting over their existing interior design elements from the Focus/Fusion family tree.  The result is a somewhat cozy interior ecosystem employed with up to date gadgetry.  The quality of interior side panels, and even the clothe seat materials are surprisingly impressive for its class.  Other features such as the steering wheel, center console, and the Microsoft SYNC infotainment system are directly borrowed from the Ford/Fusion inventory.

Along with its costume borrowed from the Ford/Fusion department, its Rubbermaid-like floor mats and rugged foot well side panels ensures the Transit Connect is easy to clean and durable enough to last many years of hard use.

Driveability and Final Thoughts

Given the fact that the Transit Connect platform was built around the Ford-CMAX platform, you can expect it to drive similar to a compact family vehicle.  The overall ride is good with very capable acceleration for highway and lane merging.  Because the suspension setup is set stiff to accommodate heavy cargo load, ride quality is a bit compromised.  But with zero cargo load, the Transit Connect still achieves a good balance and consistency.  Standard to all Transit Connect models is the electric power steering that is both precise and light to the feel.

0-60 mph takes a mere 10 seconds with the standard 1.6L Duratec Engine.  This number is turtle speed compared to other Mini-vans we’ve tested such as the Dodge Caravan that achieves 7.6 seconds.  But I wouldn’t directly translate this number as slow (even though that’s what the number implies).  Low to mid speed acceleration on the Transit Connect is respectable, and that is where it matters most for the purpose of moving cargo – especially for city driving and even highway cruising.  The reason for its 0-60 crawl speed time is mostly influenced by its box-like aero-dynamics, which plays a bigger factor at higher speeds.

It is worthwhile mentioning that even though, the EcoBoost engine surpasses the stock 2.5L Duratec engine by only 9 Hp, it also achieves an additional 13 lb.ft of torque at a lower 2500 RPM range as opposed to 171 lb.ft of torque at 4000 RPM.  We did not get a chance to test drive the standard 2.5L Duratec engine, but we expect the EcoBoost to deliver a much more responsive acceleration in low to mid speed range given the torque specifications.

Despite its softened interior, and mimicked driving behavior of a compact vehicle, there is still no escape from the fact that you’re still driving a “work” vehicle.  Due to the lack of insulation, its hallow cargo area easily promotes excessive wind and road noise into the cabin space.  Climate control is also tricky when heating up the cabin space under cold weather conditions.  But nonetheless, the Transit Connect is still a very easy and practical car to drive.  I personally liked the massive front windshield that helps bring in lots of natural light into the driving area with the extra benefit of improved visibility.

The Transit Connect VAN and WAGON model base price starts at $25,199 and $26,999.  With the extra $1800 spent towards the Wagon mode, you more standard features including side and rear glass windows, fold-able second and third row seats.  The wagon model does lose about 700L of cubic space in compromise for an additional 5 passengers.

Specifications

• Vehicle : 2014 Ford Transit Connect
• Model : XLT VAN
• Price as Tested : $36,004
• Vehicle Type : Cargo Van
• Seating Capacity : 2 (VAN), 2+2+3 (WAGON)
• Powertrain Configuration : FWD
• Engine : 2.5L Duratec DOHC I-4, or 1.6L EcoBoost w/ Direct Injection
• Transmission : 6 Speed Automatic
• Horsepower :  169hp @ 6000 RPM (2.5L Duratc), 178 hp @ 5700RPM (1.6L EcoBoost)
• Torque: 171 lb.ft at 4500 RPM (2.5L Duratec), 184 lb.ft @ 2500 RPM (1.6L EcoBoost)
• Wheelbase : 120.6″
• Height : 72.8″
• Width : 84.1″ (with mirrors)
• Maximum Payload : 780 Kg
• Additional Features : 1.6L EcoBoost Engine, MyFord Touch Infotainment addon, Front and Rear proximity sensing system, Rearview Camera

Pros

• A general forgiving car to drive, despite the fact that it’s a work vehicle.
• Highly configurable options if used for every-day use.
• Excellent use of cargo space.
• Can be used for every day and family use, and as a cargo work vehicle

Cons

• Noisy interior cabin space with lack of insulation
• Stiff suspension setup causes a slightly harsher ride.
• Box-like chassis minimizes aero-dynamics. Will not achieve good fuel economy on highway cruising.