Ford’s all-new 2014 compact Transit Connect commercial van has good looks and car-like handling.
Ford’s all-new 2014 Transit Connect cargo van provides cost-conscious commercial fleets and small business owners with fuel economy and versatility.
Redesigned from the ground up, this handsome van drives and parks like a car, hauls more payload than a full-size Ram 1500 pickup and delivers fuel efficiency claims unmatched by any other commercial vehicle in North America today.
“We have completely reengineered the Transit Connect with North American business owners’ [needs] top of mind,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas. “This all-new cargo hauler offers entrepreneurs and fleet owners a unique combination of leading fuel efficiency, cargo capacity and manoeuvrability.”
To meet customer needs, Transit Connect comes in XL and XLT series levels, with up to a 725 –kilogram payload and more than 3,700 litres (130 cubic feet) of cargo space. For the first time this compact van is approved to tow up to 907-kilograms when properly equipped.
Owners have a choice between two four-cylinder engines—a standard 2.5 –litre and an optional 1.6-litre EcoBoost delivering 6.6-litres per 100 kilometres on the highway. Compressed natural gas/liquid propane gas can be packaged with the 2.5L engine. Both engines come mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, geared for around-town responsiveness and low-rpm highway cruising.
Features include convenient sliding side doors, side-hinged rear cargo doors, choice of side and rear windows plus a 725 –kilogram payload capacity.
The well-appointed van is available with or without second-row seating and offers useful options, such as rear view camera, 6.5 –inch touch screen display with navigation, SYNC MyFord Touch voice-activated mobile communications and entertainment system, plus a handy, overhead shelf useful for storing work items.
Other standard features include first-row frontal airbags and side-curtain airbags, a tire pressure monitoring system and Ford’s Mykey programmable ignition key, which allows owners and fleet administrators to restrict maximum vehicle speed and audio volume. Monitoring systems for location, speed and excess idle time can be added for use in multiple vehicle fleets.
Comfortable car-like cockpit is similar to that in the Ford Focus and C-Max.
First introduced in 2009, the Transit Connect was recognized as filling a new category in the market and in 2010 named North American Truck of the Year.
This versatile, front-wheel-drive van has gone on to record sales and earned its recognition as the popular choice with a wide range of business owners.
Prices start at $30,000 for the XLT version, as shown.
Test-drive the latest model at your local Ford dealer.