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Got the Econoline
Blues? Need a cheap, roomy van to haul your indie band's
gear from one college town to the next? Your plumbing
company's profits circling the drain as gasoline prices
rise? You're a handyman who needs a handy van?
Ford's ready to change
your tune with the 2010 Transit Connect. The compact van
fits into a Toyota Corolla-sized parking space but
boasts a workmanlike 135 cubic feet of cargo space and
1,600-pound payload capacity.
Throw in budget-balancing
EPA fuel economy ratings of 22 mpg in the city and 25
mpg on the highway and the Transit Connect should have
the butcher, baker and candlestick maker whistling while
they work.
The Transit Connect is a
triumph of space efficiency and flexibility delivered in
a tidy and economical package. It's intended for small
businesses that need carrying capacity but can't afford
the sticker price and fuel consumption of traditional
vans like the Ford Econoline, Chevrolet Express, GMC
Savana and delivery versions of the Dodge Grand Caravan.
Prices for the 2010
Transit Connect start at $20,780 for the base XL Cargo
model and run to $22,350 for the XLT Wagon version.
I tested a well-equipped
Wagon XLT with a $24,280 sticker price. All prices
exclude destination charges.
The Transit Connect has a
136-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and
four-speed automatic transmission. Cargo models come
with two front bucket seats and leave the rear free for
stowage.
The Wagon adds a bench
seat that can be folded flat for loads. Standard safety
equipment includes antilock brakes, rollover-sensing
stability control and front-seat side air bags.
The Transit Connect
measures just 180.6 inches long 1.9 inches longer
than a Toyota Corolla compact sedan; 13.5 inches shorter
than a midsize Honda Accord. More to the point, the
Transit Connect is a whopping 43.4 inches shorter than
the Chevrolet Express van, which has 204 cubic feet of
cargo space behind its front seats. The bigger vans have
more cargo room and payload capacity than the Transit
Connect, but the Ford's combination of space- and fuel
efficiency make it an appealing alternative for
businesses that don't need all the space in a larger
van.
That size makes vans like
the Transit Connect ideal for the narrow streets and
limited parking in European cities. Ford imports the
Transit Connect from Turkey. It's been on sale in Europe
since 2003, when it won the International Van of the
Year award.
The fuel-efficient van
also makes a lot of sense for American businesses that
don't need big, thirsty vans like a Ford E-series or
Chevrolet Safari.
The Transit Connect is
maneuverable, easy to park, fuel efficient and roomy.
Ford offers a wide variety of customized interiors
tailored to the needs of everything from caterers to dog
groomers.
That's good, because the
quality, fit and finish of the Transit Connect's base
interior are poor. The materials were chosen for low
price and high resistance to dirt and scratches rather
than comfort. The mechanism to fold the second-row seat
away to increase cargo space is primitive and balky.
Those drawbacks are not
critical, since the Transit Connect competes with
utility vans rather than Lexus SUVs, but there's room
for improvement.
The Bluetooth connection
for hands-free phones also needs work. It frequently
failed to connect with my phone. The optional Ford Work
Solutions computer essentially an Internet-enabled
laptop built into the dashboard with a wireless keyboard
could also use some tweaks.
The system's ability to
send and receive e-mail, do word-processing, billing and
spreadsheets is unmatched, but the touch screen's
ergonomics are poor. The buttons for some functions are
awkwardly placed, while others aren't sensitive enough
and require repeated presses.
The van's basic layout is
superb, however. The front seat offers excellent room
and comfort. The twin sliding doors provide excellent
access to the cargo area.
The split rear doors open
wide 180 degrees on the standard truck and 255
degrees with a $190 optionfor bulky loads.
The Transit Connect's
exceptional functionality more than outweighs its flaws.
The little van delivers value and practicality like
nothing else on the road.
Got the Econoline Blues?
Maybe it's time to change your tune.
2010 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT
XLT
Front-wheel drive compact
commercial van
Rating: Three out of 4
stars)
Price as tested: $24,280
(excluding destination charge)
Reasons to buy: Value,
fuel economy, practicality, flexibility
Shortcomings: Interior
materials and fits; Ford Work Solutions computer and
Bluetooth phone connection.
Four stars Best in
its class
Three stars Above
average
Two stars Competent
One star Below
average
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