2017 Ford Transit Connect Review

The 2017 Ford Transit Connect is one of a very small number of compact vans that targets both commercial and individual buyers. For those in need of something business-oriented, the Transit Connect Cargo Van offers seating for two, with an empty area behind the front seats that is good for up to 128.6 cubic feet of cargo space. Alternately, the Wagon variant fills this space with two or three rows of passenger seating (depending on wheelbase configuration). Although the Wagon is not as luxurious as a typical minivan, it's nice enough inside to distract you from the fact that it's a just a modified version of a bare-bones utility vehicle.

With either version, we like how the Transit Connect goes out of its way to meet your needs. There are a seemingly endless number of door, window, interior storage, infotainment and luxury options to consider. Each body style also gets features unique to the way they are typically used. The Wagon can be ordered with closing overhead bins similar to those found in an airplane, or a fixed-glass panoramic roof. The Cargo Van comes standard with LED lights in the cargo area to aid in nighttime loading and unloading.

Although the Ford Transit Connect was the first modern small cargo van on the scene, a few competitors have entered the fray in the last few years. If you're looking strictly for a small cargo van, the Chevrolet City Express and its mechanical twin, the Nissan NV200, also offer two seats and a large cargo area. The Ram City Promaster is similar but offers a second row for passengers and its payload rating is a few hundred pounds higher. You might even look at the midsize (but more expensive) Mercedes-Benz Metris if you want a van that's bigger than these compact models but not as large as full-size behemoths like the regular Ford Transit. Overall, we think you'll be impressed with the Connect's versatility and wealth of available options.

The 2017 Ford Transit Connect's standard safety features include antilock brakes, traction and stability control, hill start assist, and front seat side and side curtain airbags.

Front and rear parking sensors, daytime running lights, a blind-spot and cross-traffic warning system and a rearview camera are available as options on various models. The optional Ford Sync and Sync 3 systems include an emergency crash notification feature that automatically dials 911 when paired with a compatible cell phone. Ford's MyKey system, which can be used to set certain parameters for various drivers (think teens, valets or employees), is also optional.

In government crash tests, the Transit Connect wagon earned five out of five stars for overall crash protection, with four stars for frontal crash protection and five stars for side crash protection.

The 2017 Ford Transit Connect is a compact commercial minivan offered in Cargo Van and Wagon body styles, each with two different wheelbases. There are three available trim levels: XL, XLT and the wagon-only Titanium. The XLT and Titanium wagons seat five or seven, depending on which wheelbase you select, while seven-passenger seating is standard on the XL. All versions have dual sliding rear doors and give you a choice between swing-out cargo doors or an overhead liftgate (the Titanium only comes with the liftgate).

Although the 2017 Ford Transit Connect lacks the get-up-and-go of V6-powered traditional minivans, it feels much lighter and a lot more agile around town. These characteristics are equally useful for large families and for delivery drivers needing to get in and out of tight spaces. If you live in the city or frequently travel on tight rural roads, the Transit Connect will feel like an athlete compared to something like a Honda Odyssey. Unfortunately, the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine we liked so much from last year has been axed, leaving the less powerful (and less fuel-efficient) 2.5-liter engine as the only engine choice.

The steering is particularly praiseworthy, offering the just-right effort and impressive road feel found in other Ford vehicles. On the other hand, the ride can be bumpy over rough roads, and suspension-transmitted noises tend to make their way into the cabin much as they can on smaller, sportier vehicles. That may be fine for those transitioning from something like a Focus, but minivan drivers may find the Transit Connect's suspension doesn't provide the suppleness and isolation they've come to expect.

With the Transit Connect, flexibility is paramount. The wagon, particularly the seven-passenger long-wheelbase model, can be used as a family vehicle. Granted, the second-row seat doesn't recline or slide, and folding both the second and third rows of seats takes an extra step compared with most minivans, but space in both rows is just as good, especially the headroom.

If it's cargo you're looking to haul, the short-wheelbase cargo van offers 103.9 cubic feet behind the front seats, while the long-wheelbase version's larger cargo hold can swallow 128.6 cubic feet. This is less than a regular minivan, but still much better than a large crossover. Even more capacity is available thanks to the fold-flat front passenger seat. Cargo room in the wagon models is reduced, but if the seats are folded, the short-wheelbase wagon offers a maximum of 77.1 cubic feet and the long-wheelbase models offer 104.2 cubic feet.

Although the Transit Connect has a much larger windshield and dashboard than its siblings, the Ford Escape and C-Max, from the driver seat it could easily be either. The distinctive dash design is virtually identical, with climate controls below clearly separated from the infotainment controls above. The quality of the interior materials is below what you'll find in mainstream Ford products, but on the whole the Transit Connect is pretty nice for its class. The Sync 3 infotainment system is new this year, and it's quicker to respond to user inputs, and feels much like a smartphone (with pinch-to-zoom and swiping gestures) than the previous MyFord Touch system. The same can't be said, however, for the standard stereo interface, which consists of a small central screen controlled by many buttons.

What's behind the driver varies considerably depending on the wheelbase and whether you're carrying people or cargo. The XL cargo van, for example, is a bare-bones workhorse with vinyl upholstery and floor coverings with mounting points for customizable shelves and whatever a business might need. Upper trim levels, especially in the wagon models, add creature comforts, but the van is still very much a dedicated work vehicle.