Ford Transit Connect

...lightweight approaches to the issue. Ford is not a company renowned for getting to market first, preferring to see which way the wind is blowing first. In this instance they've gone out and decided that industrial strength and versatile dual-purpose utility are the way forward.
In this corner of the market. they have the technology to bring this off.
Any vehicle that's going to be used for lugging bags of cement or plasterboards has ...
...also be of a decent size.

These two considerations have traditionally meant giving up any notion of refinement or driving enjoyment.

Fortunately Fords latest generation TDCi common diesel engines render this dichotomy obsolete and make the Tourneo Connect viable.

the Tourneo Connect differs from normal window vans like Citroens Dispatch or Peugeots Expert by offering unmatched versatility. Not only are ... more

As a freelance driver I get to drive may vehicles from lovely little comp[act vans like this up to 7.5 tonne however for a small van I like it (almost likening it a lot)
Fords Tourneo Connect Is A Van That Thinks It's a Car. Or Vice Versa. Either Way It's Something Different From The Blue Oval.

we've had vehicles like Citroens Berlingo Multispace, Renaults Kangoo and Fiats Doblo performing just such tasks for the past few years but these have been decidedly lightweight approaches to the issue. Ford is not a company renowned for getting to market first, preferring to see which way the wind is blowing first. In this instance they've gone out and decided that industrial strength and versatile dual-purpose utility are the way forward.
In this corner of the market. they have the technology to bring this off.
Any vehicle that's going to be used for lugging bags of cement or plasterboards has to have a diesel engine. It's a must. It must also be of a decent size.

These two considerations have traditionally meant giving up any notion of refinement or driving enjoyment.

Fortunately Fords latest generation TDCi common diesel engines render this dichotomy obsolete and make the Tourneo Connect viable.

the Tourneo Connect differs from normal window vans like Citroens Dispatch or Peugeots Expert by offering unmatched versatility. Not only are the rear seats fully removable, they can also be folded flat and stowed vertically. The rear seat offers a 60/40 split on both the cushions and backrests, offering one to three seats across the back. The front passenger seat can be specified with four-way adjustment with under seat stowage or alternatively a fold flat seat can be selected for maximum load length.

Wide ranges of door options are available including standard twin side loading doors and reinforced hinges on the rear doors. The interior is genuinely enormous.

This allows the Tourneo Connect to swallow 8x4 boards with a gross payload of an impressive 800kg, you'll probably end up waving the white flag before it does. private buyers may sniff that the rear end is a little square, those who expect their vehicles to work for a crust will appreciate the fact that the Tourneo Connect is wider at roof height than any of its competitors, increasing the useful cube. Interior stowage is plentiful, the center console featuring a coin storage tray, a penholder, an indented section for other items and a twin cup holder.

The glove box can easily handle A4 sized documents and also features a carry hook on the lid to keep your chicken curry the right way up.

As well as rear door stowage nets and big front door bins, an overhead stowage shelf above the windscreen can be specified. The standard front passenger seat has a storage area beneath it big enough to hide a laptop but even if you put the PC on the dashboard with Back In A Week written across it, many thieves would require considerably longer to effect an entry. As well as double locking, the Tourneo Connect features the same pioneering lock-in-latch system as the Transit, effectively making pry-ins impossible.

There's also the key operated bonnet lock to counter the growing trend for theft. Even if all these measures are overcome, there's still an integrated passive immobilize and shielded wiring to defeat hot-wirers. An alarm would have been nice though. Two versions are on offer, a standard and an LX version, priced at £15,758 and £17,080

The standard model features a driver's airbag, cloth seats, an RDS radio/cassette stereo, remote central locking and tinted front windows. The LX adds air conditioning, a passenger airbag, ABS and traction assist, front fog lights, heated door mirrors, a heated front windscreen and washers, and a CD stereo with steering column-mounted remote. If these differences seem extreme its because the two models may well be catering to two very different buyers, namely those who buy

the Tourneo primarily as a commercial but with occasional passenger use and those who purchase it to carry people around with the sporadic need for big load space. Naturally the first will be interested in cutting comforts to a minimum whereas the latter will expect a car-like experience with the utility being a bonus.

Functional rather than chic, the Tourneo Connect has just enough sophistication in its makeup not to completely alienate those looking for something that can genuinely double up. For some it will be just the job. Others will look at the price tag and consider a new van and a used family saloon a better way to defray costs. Either way, its not going to be long before this market sector spawns a host of imitators.

 

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