What’s hot?
- Just about everything! The old Transit was beginning to feel a little tired against some of the newer opposition but this new model brings Ford straight to the head of the queue again.
- This may essentially be a truck but it’ll feel like driving a big car. The seats are big and comfortable (that includes the passenger ones) and there are loads of handy cubby holes and spaces to stow items, including a large area under the outer passenger seat so that valuable items can be hidden from prying eyes.
- There’s also a useful stowage space on top of the dash including a 12V take-off, so if you plug in a sat nav you won’t end up with wires dangling everywhere.
- The rear end features a solidly constructed cargo space courtesy of Ingimex and it feels extremely well built. You order this vehicle straight from the Ford dealer and it is warranted as one under Ford’s One-Stop Transit offering. So if there is a problem with the back end, you won’t have to go back to the original maker to get it fixed, unlike some of the opposition.
- Our review model had a 500kg load on board and it certainly ironed out any skittishness – not that we expected such shenanigans in the Transit even with the truck empty.
- The 155bhp is delivered smoothly and surely right up the rev range and even on the steep slopes nothing is going to affect its progress.
- The engine is whisper quiet and gearchanges are the slickest of slick. In fact at one stage we tried buzzing through the box from first to sixth and back using a single index finger – and it worked a treat.
- Some users swear that front wheel drive trucks aren’t up to lugging heavy loads around, so just to keep everyone happy, this one can be specified in front or rear wheel drive.
- Cost of ownership: service intervals are set at 30,000 miles or two years.
What’s not?
- Apart from the odd nitpick, we could find nothing to complain about with this vehicle. We weren’t keen on that great gaping grille but it’s there for a purpose – the Transit is set to go on sale in America for the first time and the Yanks just love this big, brash appearance.
- Also the Transit will only be on sale at 110 special Transit centres across the UK. As there are 200 Ford dealers altogether you might pitch up at your local dealer wanting to buy one, only to be turned away. How daft is that?
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