2010 Ford Transit Connect

Ford is proud of the Transit Connect's 39-foot turning circle, and the little truck was impressive on a tight figure-eight Ford set up for us. Steering is light, and feedback is more by tire squeal and body roll than through the wheel. This was an unloaded truck. The street drive featured a model outfitted with pots and pans and other accoutrements for a catering service. And the best thing that could be said of that setup is that it's far less cumbersome than driving a traditional, V-8 E-van or worse, a cube van.

It doesn't have the dynamics of the faster, better-handling Chevy HHR, though of course this is a much taller truck; the space created by the higher center of gravity affording more than twice the HHR panel van's cargo space. Most workers ought to appreciate the "normal" driving position, as the driver is at eye-level more with tall cars and crossovers. The seat is reasonably comfortable and firm, and of course with no bolster, making entry and exit many times a day easy.

The underpowered gas four, four-speed automatic with overdrive, and firm, positive brakes work together well, being plenty adequate for stop-and-go deliveries around town. This combo makes it less attractive as a personal people mover, of course, if you're considering one as a windowed HHR or a Mazda5 alternative. Although Ford provided no European-spec Transit Connects for the drive, this powertrain seems a big compromise from the overseas diesel/five-speed manual setup.

In the end, the 2010 Ford Transit Connect is a modern-looking compact truck that will do the style- and efficiency-conscious business owner proud.

If the 2010 Ford Transit Connect's nimble size and relative fuel efficiency make it seem modern, its available technology is positively of-the-moment. In an era when employers read workers' e-mails, monitor their web surfing, and test samples of their bodily fluids, a feature like Ford's optional Crew Chief ($550) seems perfectly in keeping with the times. Crew Chief enables a budding Montgomery Burns to track the van's location, its time spent idling, its speed, and hard braking or accelerating.

Another option, called Tool Link ($1220), is slightly less Orwellian. Two antennae in the back of the truck scan for Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tags that you stick on your tools. That way, a driver can make sure he hasn't left any tools at the job site. He can also create a list of tools for a specific job and make sure he has everything with him before heading out.

The most versatile option is the in-dash computer ($1395). It's controlled via a 6-inch touch screen (and stylus) or a Bluetooth wireless keyboard. (The latter stores in the large overhead shelf when not in use.) Sprint mobile broadband ($50/month for unlimited data) allows for web surfing. Programs include Microsoft Office and a function that allows remote access to your desktop computer. The unit also incorporates a hands-free phone and a Garmin GPS navigation system. A Bluetooth wireless printer is optional.

The engine is smaller than anything you'd find in an American commercial cargo vehicle: a 2.0-liter Duratec four-cylinder that produces an estimated 136 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. It comes mated to a four-speed automatic. The upside of this relatively light-duty powertrain is good fuel economy. Ford expects the Transit Connect to hit 20 city and 24 highway mpg--high for the commercial-vehicle sector. Want even better fuel economy? Wait until next year, when the 100-mile-range battery-powered Transit Connect BEV finds its way into select dealerships.

Clearly, the big news is not under the hood, it's in the back. Ford loves to tout the 2010 Transit Connect's 135 cubic feet of cargo volume, which is more than double the capacity of the Chevrolet HHR panel van. Ford also likes to brag about the Transit Connect's 1600-pound maximum cargo payload, more than the payload of Dodge's full-size Ram 1500 (standard cab, short box with any engine) can carry. How well this I-4-powered front driver will be able to lug such bulk and volume we don't know yet, but Ford assures us the Transit Connect will do just fine--especially with its low 4.20:1 axle ratio.

With dual sliding doors and rear-cargo doors that can open up to 255 degrees (180 degrees standard), accessing the capacious cargo area is easy. So is loading it--the liftover height is less than two feet unladen--and there's a lot of space to work with once inside. The cargo area is 59.1 inches from floor to ceiling, with 47.8 inches between the wheelwells. At 72.6 inches, the load floor is more than six feet long--impressive for a vehicle that's only 180.6 inches long and 70.7 inches wide.

Even more impressive is the 2010 Ford Transit Connect's flexibility. It's available as a regular van, with windows in both sliding doors and at the back, cargo van (no side windows, rear privacy glass), or panel van (no side or rear windows). You can also outfit it with a folding second-row seat (for two or three passengers) for people-moving.

Just because it's small doesn't mean it's not a truck. The 2010 Ford Transit Connect might look dinky in a land where some folks drive F-450 duallys just-well-because they can, but it is a real truck. Although originally aimed primarily at the European market, where small businesses need a compact and nimble yet tough and roomy van to handle crowded roads and eye-watering gas prices, the Transit Connect actually began life at Ford's truck development center in Detroit and was later subjected to all Ford's usual truck-durability testing. This thing was designed from the wheels up to work. Hard.

High durability and low running costs were key elements of the Transit Connect's development brief. It uses high-strength driveshafts and the differential from its big-brother Transit (which may come to the U.S. as the next-generation E-Series). The beam rear axle ensures better load-carrying capacity and reduced tire wear. But in addition to owners and operators, Ford engineers also talked to people who spend their working day behind the wheel. The 2010 Ford Transit Connect therefore features underseat storage for a laptop computer, as well as cupholders and a glovebox big enough for a clipboard.

The 2010 Transit Connect, set to hit Ford dealerships this summer, offers 135 cu. ft. of space and costs $21,475 including the destination charge, a price commercial outfits should find fairly appealing given its mission. To get that much covered cargo space in Ford's lineup, you'd need to step up to the Expedition.

With a 2.0L Duratec four-cylinder delivering an estimated 136 horsepower @ 6300 rpm and 128 lb-ft of torque @ 4750 rpm mated to a four-speed automatic transmission (with overdrive), the Transit Connect takes its time. We imagine buyers might be more interested in maximizing fuel economy -- estimated by Ford to be 20 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. A final-drive ratio of 4.20 to 1 is designed to give 2010 Ford Transit Connect additional pulling power, and it rolls on 15-in. steel rims wrapped in P205/65R-15 rubber.

Like the Ford E-Series commercial vehicle family, Transit Connects will come with the option of various bulkheads, racks, and bins.

The EPA ratings are in for Ford's 2010 Transit Connect cargo hauler, and the numbers -- 22 city, 25 highway mpg -- are relatively impressive for a vehicle with its cargo capacity (135 cubic feet total) and payload (1600 lbs). Of course, those numbers will likely fall some when the Transit Connect is loaded up, but probably not too much.

The 2010 Ford Transit Connect's power comes from Ford's tried-and-true 2.0L Duratec four cylinder rated at 136 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque, mated to a four speed automatic with overdrive. A final drive ratio of 4.20 to 1 reportedly helps aid theTransit Connect's overall pulling power and it rolls on 15-in. wheels.

The 2010 Ford Transit Connect is powered by a 136-horsepower,2.0 Duratec DOHC I-4 engine with 4-speed Automatic transmission with overdrive transmission.

The Transit Connect is a front-drive, four-cylinder model that riffs off Ford's own Transit, a larger, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter competitor. Ford believes the 2010 Transit Connect will resonate with catering services, flower delivery, home maid services, fishmongers, and even kayak, bike, and surf shops.

Its "just-right" size and 22/25-mpg fuel economy are the major selling points. Cargo capacity is more than twice the Chevrolet HHR panel van's, and it can make a delivery entrance back-alley U-turn where a Sprinter, E-van, or cube truck can't. Base price is $21,475 for the 2010 Ford Transit XL model. The $22,535 XLT adds power windows/mirrors and remote locking. Rear-door glass adds $340 to either XL or XLT, and side glass is another $70 on top of that. But the important options are the $1395 in-dash computer (plus Sprint monthly fee) with Bluetooth keyboard, DeWalt's $1220 Tool Link, using Radio Frequency Identification tags to keep track of tools, and $550 Crew Chief, which tracks the truck's location and diagnostics. AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control is a $545 option and 255-degree rear cargo-door opening is $190.

Ford has three suppliers who will fit the interior to meet the cargo area needs of any individual business. One supplier applies logo wraps at the port of entry.

A civilian version comes with full windows and second-row seating for two or three, $21,830 base price for the XL, $23,045 for the XLT. While North America gets a Duratec gas engine and four-speed automatic only, the rest of the world gets a diesel and five-speed manual only. Ford will offer a full-electric cargo van next year in the U.S. with a range of up to 100 miles.