Compact cargo van in a class by itself

For years we’ve traveled Europe and always marveled at the sizeable number of vehicles sold there that we wished were available here in the States. Among those are small compact cargo vans that seemed to be everywhere delivering flowers, building materials, laundry, bakery and everything in between.

All these vehicles are diminutive in size and have similar features, notably a short front end that provides a spacious cabin, and a large, practical cargo area with a high roofline. These vehicles include the Fiat Fiorino, Renault Kangoo Express, Citroen Berlingo and Ford Transit Connect, to name a few.

Now thanks to Ford Motor Company’s globalizing efforts, the Transit Connect (TC) is stateside, after a few styling tweaks and modifications required for sales in this country. And, for now, there isn’t anything else like it on the market filling a hole between a full size van and a hatchback, and offering more utility and versatility than a minivan. We think it’s a terrific idea and should sell well.

While the TC is new here, it’s been in Europe and elsewhere since 2003; Ford has sold a whopping 600,000 of them worldwide. We can’t help but think it will be a near perfect match for small businesses here in the States.

Transit Connect starts at just $21,475 for the TC Cargo, a four-door that seats two. It has a 1600-pound maximum payload capacity and is available in three different XL trim levels: XL100A has no side- or rear-door glass, the XL200A ($21,560) adds rear-door privacy glass, and the XL300A ($21,630) adds glass to the side door.

The TC Cargo XLT ($22,435) gets power windows, locks, exterior mirrors, remote keyless entry and body-color front and rear bumpers.

The TC Wagon ($21,730) seats four by adding a second-row two-passenger seat, electronic passive anti-theft system, rear defroster, heated mirrors, and tilt/telescopic steering wheel, and has a maximum payload capacity of 1495 pounds. The Wagon XLT ($22,945) seats three in the second row with a split folding 60/40 cloth bench seat.

All Transit Connect versions are front-wheel drive and powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 136 horsepower, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Options are limited and include carpeted floor mats ($50), rear cargo 255-degree hinged opening doors ($190), Nokia Bluetooth ($220), navigation ($1395), remote start ($345) and reverse sensing system ($280).

Ford’s Work SolutionsÔ ($550) enables customers to run a business from inside the vehicle with tech features such as Tool Link, which monitors inventory of the equipment in the vehicle and alerts the driver if they need to re-stock merchandise. Crew Chief allows the vehicle to be monitored for location, speed, idle time, fuel usage and 30 other diagnostic measures.

All interiors are dark gray cloth but there is a choice of five exterior colors including red, white, black, silver and dark blue.

Transit Connect does not have a hybrid or diesel option however Ford’s Duratorq TDCi diesel engine is available in Europe and other markets. Ford would not confirm whether a diesel-powered TC is planned for the U.S. market.

Inside, the TC’s seats are remarkably comfortable. While there’s technically room for three in the back, it will be tight if they’re all adults. Rear barn-style doors swing open and are held with magnets, good for loading from a dock. Rear side doors slide open, affording ample room for ingress and egress and are good for parking in tight spaces with room to open the doors.

There’s a large parcel shelf that stretches across the ceiling just above the driver and passenger. It’s good for small packages, maps, and other equipment. The storage area is just shy of five feet tall with a low floor (less than two foot lift-over height) for ease in loading cargo into the cavernous 135 cubic feet of space.

Aftermarket suppliers already sell a large number of bulkheads, shelving racks, storage bins and other retrofit equipment to customize the cargo area for your particular business needs.

The four-cylinder engine, similar to what powers the Ford Focus compact car, is surprisingly zippy. With the four-speed automatic transmission, it ramped up to highway speeds quickly and without a sense of being underpowered. Because of its size and short turning ratio, Transit Connect is easy to maneuver in urban areas and into tight parking spaces, or for loading and unloading cargo. Rear visibility is virtually non-existent without the optional rear and side window choices selected.

Standard safety gear includes anti-lock brakes and Ford’s Roll Stability Control (optional on van configuration), front and side airbags. The TC has not been crash tested as of this writing.

Overall, we think the compact panel van Transit Connect is a great idea; there’s nothing else like it in the U.S. market. It’s easy to drive and sure to fill any number of commercial uses. Yet, we’re sure at least a few of these will show up with surfboards on top, customized for personal use or some other unintended use as a fun vehicle.