The PB team was invited to the Ford Dunton Technical Centre to celebrate all things Transit on the eponymous Transit Day, celebrating the vehicles 59th birthday. We got hands on with the latest Transit variants. Read on to find out more….
Not many vehicle models have the pleasure of staying in the modern Zeitgeist for almost 60 years, but the Ford Transit certainly has. Drive anywhere in the country and you’d be hard pressed not to come across one. In fact, it has previously boasted the title of the UK’s best-selling vehicle in years as recent as 2022. It seems fitting then, that Ford makes it an annual tradition to celebrate the vehicle and all its variants every year around August 9th.
Upon arriving at the Dunton campus on the day, you’re immediately met with the realisation of how diverse the Ford Transit line up can be. As part of the celebrations, Ford had contacted all kinds of owners of the model, from camper vans from 1966 to police vans. Even the catering from the event was served from Transit based businesses. With the scene set, it was time to try out some of the more recent Transit options.
Courier
The first Transit I chose to get behind the wheel of was the Courier Trend. While on the smaller scale as far as vans go, more akin to a large car than anything, the Connect still boasts a very reasonable maximum loadspace of 2.91 cubic metres and max payload of 820kg. A handy optional load through bulkhead is available too, meaning there’s 2.6m of space from the rear doors to under the passenger’s seat.
While this may not be enough for some trades, for those that don’t need to bring masses of materials to site, a smaller option like the Courier works very well. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine version I drove was nippy enough with a 7-speed automatic gearbox, and the small size could certainly be advantageous when on-site parking or access is restricted. There are smart features aplenty too, with key features like: a 8″ Touchscreen Display, Apple Carplay / Android Auto capabilities, Pre-Collision Assist 1.5 with Pedestrian & Cyclist Detection and much more. The display vehicle I drove (which featured a few added bells and whistles) costs just under £22,000 excluding VAT.
Connect
I went slightly bigger with my next test drive and took on the Connect Limited. This looks and feels very much like a slightly bigger brother to the Courier, sporting up to 3.6 cubic metres of load space and up to 913 kg of cargo. There’s also a nifty load-through bulkhead on this one that’ll give you 3.4 metres of total length from the doors to under the passenger seat again. Like the Courier, the medium-sized Connect is available as a manual or an automatic, with both versions host to a beefier 2.0L engine.
There’s an even larger host of tech features and gadgets on display in the Connect as well, the larger 10” infotainment screen, for example, is a plus, especially when paired with the digital cluster just behind the steering wheel. I found this particularly useful when following my sat-nav route as it displays handy, easy to read instructions when needed. This same cluster features Traffic Sign Recognition too, just in case a temporary (or permanent!) sign has caught you out and you’ve missed it.
Custom Limited
Perhaps the most recognisable of the many Transit faces – the Custom Limited, was next up. Once you’re behind the wheel, its accolades as Britain’s best-selling commercial vehicle and winner of International Van of the Year 2024 become clear. It really is just a solid drive all round. The 2.0L EcoBlue diesel engine really lets you give it some welly and you’re sat nice and high up without feeling like you’re driving a wagon.
Like all of the Transit models in the range, there’s features galore here too, like an Intelligent Speed Limiter, Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Aid and parking cameras. The 13” touchscreen is great to use and the digital cluster, like the Connect, works like a charm, keeping you up to date with everything you need and letting you keep an eye on what’s going on with your vehicle on the go. (There’s also an optional folding steering wheel that acts like a mini table which is bags of fun!) The max loadspace is up to 6.8 cubic metres with a gross payload of 1,327KG.
E-Transit Trend
The E-Transit Trend was the last of the vans I got my hands on for Transit Day. (Stay tuned for when we test out the E-Transit Custom!). I must admit that this was a rather surreal experience to start off with. While I didn’t really know what to expect, I was definitely impressed at the helm of this all-electric behemoth. The variant I drove was the L3 H2 – so long wheelbase and medium roof height, making it a bit of a beast.
The driving experience itself is what makes this strange, with the electric nature meaning there’s an almost blissful quiet as you float down the road. With gadgets and gizmos galore, it’s almost like you’re driving some strange spaceship down the road as you zip around, with the electric motor giving instant feedback. There’s even a constant rear-view camera that’s disguised as a conventional rear-view mirror.
It’s impressive on the technical specs, with a maximum load space of 15.1 cubic metres, max gross payload of 1,745 kg and a range of up to 211-249miles with 10%-80% DC fast charging taking approximately 28 mins. While this range may be different when loaded up with tools and materials, Ford has a handy online calculator to work out what your estimated range would be depending on driving conditions, payload weight, vehicle specification and more.
For more information on Ford’s commercial vehicle range visit Ford Vans & Pick-ups – A Commercial Vehicle For Any Job | Ford UK.
