We had the chance to crawl all over Ford’s Transit Connect van at the New York Auto Show and liked what we saw. While the trucklet’s looks may be controversial, there’s no arguing over its versatility …
Just don’t call it a minivan …
With 143 cubic feet of storage and 6 feet by 7 1/2 feet of floor space, the Ford Transit Connect will carve a sizable niche in a work van market that’s more than ready for change. As small businesses deal with the brutal realities of soaring gasoline prices, conventional truck sales are taking it on the chin.
Ford is posised to score with the Transit Connect’s estimated 19 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway when it goes on sale in America in 2009.
While the Transit Connect’s estimated mileage falls short of the automatic-equipped HHR 1LT Panel (at 22 city / 30 highway), it offers more than twice as much cargo volume. What about the Honda Element? The Transit Connect offers nearly twice as much cargo volume as Honda’s boxcar (at roughly 77 cubic feet).