2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon: She Said, She Said

The 2014 Transit Connect Wagon is not a minivan, according to Ford, but this people mover certainly has many of the features of one: a low step-in height, sliding doors and seating for seven in the long-wheelbase version.

While at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, Cars.com Family writers Carrie Kim, a mom of one, and BreAnn Ahara, a mom of three, checked out the Transit Connect Wagon and came away with differing opinions on whether it will work well for families.

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Carrie Kim: I know I'm definitely in the minority of most moms, but I'd rock a Ford Transit Connect Wagon. Seriously, I would. I'm not asking for one for Christmas or anything, but if I needed to transport people with a lot of stuff, I think it would work. And by work, I mean not only well, but comfortably and efficiently, too.

BreAnn Ahara: Yes, Carrie, you are definitely in the minority. I don't understand where Ford is going with this wagon. As a minivan-loving mom who favors function over form, you couldn't pay me to drive around in that thing. Wait. Scratch that, you probably could pay me ... and considering that the only people up to this point that I've seen driving around in the Transit Connect are the local ADT reps, apparently that's true for most.

2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon: Up Close

It ain't pretty, but the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon may be able to fill a void in the passenger-car marketplace with its spacious interior, room for seven and promising 30-plus mpg estimates with an optional engine. Most widely known as a commercial workhorse van, this second-generation people-carrying Transit Connect Wagon is far from just a commercial van with extra seating.

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Inside, the cabin feels like a modern Ford passenger vehicle, with the looks and features you’d expect to find in a family hauler. There's overhead storage up front and available overhead storage in the rear rows, flat-folding second and third rows in seven-passenger models, and a liftgate – dual side-hinged cargo doors are available. MyFord Touch and voice-activated Sync are available features, as well as a panoramic roof, leather seating and heated seats.

2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon Video

Ford introduced an all-new cargo van for 2014, and Cars.com reviewer Joe Bruzek takes a look at the passenger variant of the Ford Transit Connect. Available in short- or long-wheelbase form, the Transit Connect Wagon seats up to seven and gets a class-leading 30 mpg thanks to an optional EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. This isn’t just a commercial van with seats in it; the Transit Connect Wagon offers plenty of storage — a generous 100 cubic feet of cargo volume with the seats folded flat — and luxury features like heated leather seats, a panoramic roof and MyFord Touch.

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The 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon is set to go on sale in late 2013. Check out the video below.

2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon: First Look

• Competes with: Minivans and larger vans like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Nissan NV passenger van
• Looks like: Minivans may be out, but Ford’s all-in with another seven-passenger people mover
• Drivetrain: 2.5-liter four-cylinder and an optional turbocharged 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder
• Hits dealerships: Late 2013 

Ford may have gotten out of the minivan segment years ago, but it's still solidly in the people-mover market. Its Transit Connect van lineup is growing to include a new seven-passenger version.

Ford's Cargo Van Gets an Extreme Makeover

You see them at convention centers, airports, hotels, resorts and spas. Your mechanic, cable guy and even your favorite band will probably pull up in one. Even America's celebrities get carted around in them on movie sets; and, if you're unfortunate enough, it'll be your police wagon on your way to jail.

Of course, we're talking about the Ford E-Series (formerly called the Econoline/Club Wagon). The E-Series, which is by far the best-selling full-size cargo van, is due for a complete overhaul. When the new model goes on sale here later this year, it will adopt a much more international look and get a new name: behold the 2014 Ford Transit.

Ford's Transit Connect Gets a New Look

After more than a decade, an all-new Ford Transit Connect is coming to Europe and the U.S., according to PickupTrucks.com.

The Transit Connect was one of the first globally sourced Ford vehicles announced under CEO Alan Mulally's "One Ford" strategy. The small van, which is manufactured in Turkey, was already pretty old by the time it reached U.S. shores in 2009; it was originally conceived in 2002.

The new model looks more aerodynamic compared with the slab-sided version we have now. Ford says the Transit Connect will get a more carlike interior, too, though pictures weren’t available.

Ford says the North American market will get a range of gasoline powertrains with the Transit Connect. Right now, it is powered by a sole 2.0-liter inline-four. No word yet if the Ford Transit Connect Electric will make it here when the model is redesigned.

The new Transit Connect is expected to hit the U.S. by the end of 2013.

Related
New Ford Transit and Transit Connect Debut (PickupTrucks.com)
2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric at 2010 Chicago Auto Show
More Ford Transit Connect News

Recall Alert: 2011 and 2012 Ford Transit Connect

Ford is recalling 16,330 model-year 2011-12 Transit Connects because the wiper arms might not be correctly riveted, which could cause inconsistent clearing of the windshield or possible detachment of the wiper arm, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

If the wiper arm detaches, the windshield wiper will fail and the driver’s visibility could be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.

Ford will notify owners of the safety recall by Monday. For more info, owners can call Ford at 866-436-7332 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

PickupTrucks.com Tests the 2012 Ford Transit Connect Electric

Ford plans on selling an electric version of its Focus compact car, but the automaker’s first gas-free offering is the Transit Connect Electric. Based on the van that was launched in the U.S. for 2010, the Transit Connect Electric trades the traditional version’s 136-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine for a 74-hp electric motor and a 28-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. But are more robust acceleration and a smaller carbon footprint enough to justify the 2012 Transit Connect Electric’s $35,000 price premium over the base version? According to Cars.com Editor Mike Hanley, Transit Connect Electric’s high cost will be a significant hurdle to its success.

2012 Ford Transit Connect Electric Review

Why the New Ford Ranger Isn't Coming to the U.S.

As Ford prepares to take the wraps off its next-generation Ford Ranger on Oct. 15 in Australia, we finally know for sure it will not replace the current Ranger in the U.S.

Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of global product development, says there are no plans for the new Ranger in the U.S. or Canada at this time. According to Ford, the reasoning is fairly rational: The model would overlap too much with the popular Ford F-Series in America. The F-150 will get a new array of engines for 2011.

The new Ranger will be about 90 percent the size of the F-150, and the new compact pickup could cannibalize sales from the full-size model, according to Kuzak. Kuzak also said the Ranger was mainly used as a cheap means of transportation in this country — the 2011 Ranger starts at $17,935 and gets 22/27 mpg city/highway. Models like the Ford Transit Connect, upcoming seven-passenger Ford C-Max and Ford F-150 with EcoBoost will fill those shopper needs, he said.

The new Ranger — codenamed T6 — is expected to be equipped with a 2.5-liter gasoline-powered four-cylinder and 2.2- and 3.2-liter diesel powetrains, with the possibility of a EcoBoost engine as well, according to our friends at PickupTrucks.com.

For more information on the new Ranger, check out PickupTrucks.com for comprehensive coverage.

Ford Previews All-New Global Ranger, but It's Not Coming to North America (PickupTrucks.com)

2011|Ford|Ranger

Recall Alert: 2010 Ford Transit Connect

Ford has issued a recall for more than 30,000 Transit Connect vans, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

The recall affects models built between Dec. 5, 2008, and May 31, 2010. The pushpins that hold the van’s headliner (the vehicle’s ceiling fabric) do not meet a federal safety standard and may not provide enough head protection in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. You can find out if your car is included in the recall by checking the driver-side doorjamb, where a sticker lists the date of assembly.

Ford will notify the affected owners, and dealerships will repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall is expected to begin around July 19. Owners can contact Ford at 866-436-7332 or NHTSA’s hot line at 888-327-4236.

2010|Ford|Transit Connect