2016 Ford Transit: A Great Toy Box

"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54) 05/01/2016 at 12:44 • Filed to: ford transit

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The Ford Transit is not, by any stretch, an enthusiast vehicle. But it still has many potential uses by enthusiasts. You can tow your race car to the track or the rally with all of your tools and spare gear inside. You can bring a motorcycle, or two, to the track or the rally, and still have room to sleep inside. So it’s still quite relevant to enthusiast’s interests. Also, I have quite a bit of seat time in the earlier Ford Econoline vans thanks to my past life as a delivery driver, so I was curious to see how the new Transit compared.

( Full disclosure : Ford wanted me to drive the Transit so badly that they emailed me an offer for a $50 Amazon gift card if I test drove one at a local dealer. Jack Crory at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! was kind enough to hook me up.)

Read on Right Foot Down or continue below

Photo credit: Bill Currie Ford

In short, there is absolutely no comparison at all. The Transit might as well have been made by a different manufacturer, it’s so different from the old Econoline. The angular outside looks more like the old Dodge/Mercedes/Freightliner Sprinter than the box on wheels styling of the Econoline. The Transit is available in three lengths (220", 236", and 264") rather than two. It’s also available in three heights (82", 99", and 108") rather than one. I test drove a medium length, medium height cargo van. Those aftermarket raised roofs I’ve seen on conversion and public transit vans won’t be necessary with passenger versions of the Transit thanks to these. They’re also tall enough that you could easily load a motorcycle with a windshield or fairing into the back.

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The interior was unremarkable, but that’s normal for a cargo van. Vast expanses of hard plastic are cheap to build and easy to clean. There was no touchscreen, just a simple AM/FM radio (upgraded units with navigation are available). But the standard unit includes an auxiliary input, eliminating the need for the cassette adapters and FM transmitters I used to bring my own tunes with me. Good music is absolutely critical for long hours on the road, and I covered so much territory that I’d go in and out of range of radio stations all the time. The seat was basic cloth, but had enough manual adjustments for me to find a position I could be comfortable in all day (a power seat is available). The steering wheel was tilted a bit more upward than I prefer, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the nearly horizontal wheel in the Sprinter.

Photo credit: Big Dog Adventures

But my favorite interior feature was the storage. Delivery drivers need space for their stuff - clipboards, paperwork, coffee cups, coolers - and there’s lots of it. The floor between the front bucket seats is flat, so you can put a small cooler there for your drinks. There are plenty of cupholders and bins on the dashboard. There’s even an overhead storage compartment where I’d put my ham radio and extra paperwork. Whoever designed this van knew what delivery drivers want and need.

Photo credit: Truck Trend

I drove the 3.2 five cylinder turbo diesel - an engine you never would’ve found in the Econoline. With the salesman next to me I didn’t push it very hard, but the beauty of diesel is that the two and a half ton van didn’t feel like it was powered by a 185hp motor. It’s the 350lb-ft of torque that makes the big difference, both with acceleration, and with weight capacity. I doubt this van would accelerate much worse fully loaded. And unlike some of the German alternatives, no one has even accused Ford of fudging diesel emissions testing.

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Even the handling feels European. Not BMW handling, by any means, but quite firm without crossing the line into becoming too stiff. We drove through one of my favorite twisty sections in the area, and though I didn’t even try to tackle it as quickly as I did in the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , I was amazed how well the Transit handled compared to what I’m used to in a van. Of the two Econolines I used to drive regularly, the E-150 had a soft, cushy suspension with a fair bit of body roll, while the E-250 was so stiff it would rattle all of my cargo as it bounced across Maine’s uneven roads. Neither gave me very much confidence in their handling capability. I’m not about to go autocross a Transit, but it was quite competent on the curvy back roads. Once again, it felt more like a Sprinter than the previous Ford vans I’ve driven.

Photo credit: IFCAR / Wikipedia

I’ve compared the Transit to the Sprinter a lot. The Sprinter was the first of the European style vans to come to America, thanks to the former DaimlerChrysler company. On the surface, it may look like Ford is ripping off the Mercedes design. But the problem with the Sprinter was that you got Mercedes complexity and expense combined with traditional Chrysler reliability - which is to say, a lack thereof. When Dodge built the Sprinter, they didn’t do it well. Complex parts designed in Germany but built in America would fail frequently, and when they did they were expensive to repair or replace.

Photo credit: Axle Geeks

The Transit, on the other hand, is everything the Sprinter should have been. The suspension tuning is better, and it doesn’t feel like it’s going to get blown off the road by a stiff cross wind. The steering wheel, while not quite at the angle I prefer, still doesn’t make you feel like you’re driving a bus. I need to keep in mind that the Transit I drove had a total of 33 miles on it, as opposed to the Sprinters I drove which had run all day every day for years, but I feel like the Transit will hold up to that kind of heavy use better than the Sprinter did.

I don’t run a business, and I don’t have a race car or bike, so at the moment I have no need for a full size van. But if I did, the Transit would be at the top of my list. It would make a great toy box.

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jimz > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 12:54

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Dodge never built the Sprinter. All of them (whether badged Dodge, Mercedes, or Freightliner) were built in Germany, with the cargo van versions being shipped as CKD (complete, knocked-down) for final assembly in South Carolina to get past the chicken tax.

the biggest problem with the early Sprinter here was that it seemed to be made from compressed rust.

But yeah, the Transit is a goddamned sports car compared to Econoline. Plus you don’t have to deal with that engine doghouse cramping the footwells. Add to that you can get a raised roof without needing to have it butchered by an upfitter.

Urambo Tauro > jimz 05/01/2016 at 13:00

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I’ve never had to deal with those in person, but just seeing them on the road, I was shocked at how soon the rear doors began to rust. They started to show signs within the first... what, two years? Maybe less?

duurtlang > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:02

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Makes you wonder why Ford needed 5 decades (!) to finally offer the Transit in the US.

Even the handling feels European.

That’s because it’s a EU market van, developed primarily in and for Europe.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:02

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Wouldn’t Ford of Europe almost qualify as a completely different manufacturer that the Econoline? With all of the wierdo Fords that have been rolling around Europe for the past 50 years, I’d vote “Yes.”

jimz > Urambo Tauro 05/01/2016 at 13:05

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yis

duurtlang > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/01/2016 at 13:07

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Not very relevant to that discussion, but in Europe a Ford of Europe vehicle isn’t perceived as American. Despite the badge. Examples are the Focus, Fiesta, Mondeo (current Fusion) and the Transit range. Unlike something like a Mustang or Explorer, which is perceived as American.

It’s been way more than 50 years by the way.

Klaus Schmoll > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:09

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But if I did, the Sprinter would be at the top of my list. It would make a great toy box.

You meant the Transit, right?

duurtlang > jimz 05/01/2016 at 13:11

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It’s really weird why Mercedes still hasn’t fixed that issue. In Europe the only recent vehicle you see rusting tends to be a Mercedes van, and not just the Sprinters. Smaller Merc vans included, but excluding the vans Mercedes sourced from Renault.

jimz > duurtlang 05/01/2016 at 13:13

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maybe they’re just not a moneymaker for them, so they skimp on the corrosion protection?

duurtlang > jimz 05/01/2016 at 13:16

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They sell them in huge numbers globally, and every other manufacturer seems to have fixed this issue. My uneducated guess would be that the sight of those rusting vans driving around costs them more in bad PR than normal corrosion protection would cost.

jimz > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/01/2016 at 13:19

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Up until the Mulally era, Ford North America (FNA) and Ford of Europe (FoE) might as well have been two completely independent entities. Occasionally they’d try to do a “world car” (early ‘80s Escort, Mondeo/Contour/Mystique, 2000 Focus) but even those ended up being substantially different in the two markets.

The whole One Ford ideal that he and Mark Fields built is largely about ending that kind of nonsense. There was no reason the FNA Focus was on a completely separate platform (C170) than the FoE Focus (C307.) There was no reason the FNA Fusion was on a completely different architecture (Mazda-derived CD338) than the FoE Mondeo (CD345.) And so on. Eliminating that duplication of effort meant that FNA could offer nicer small cars since developments costs were shared globally, instead of having market-specific penalty boxes like the 2008-2011 Focus.

So Transit coming here was a no-brainer. E-series was old and creaky and not worth re-designing. Plus the variety of roof heights means Ford can get some of the money which used to go to upfitters for chopping up Econolines.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > duurtlang 05/01/2016 at 13:21

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“The Transit might as well have been made by a different manufacturer, it’s so different from the old Econoline,” from your second paragraph, was what got me thinking. I am suggesting that, in fact, it was made by a different manufacturer than the old Econoline.

Top Gear got Sabine Schmidt to wring out a Sprinter or something similar. She almosed caned it to death. On the Nürburgring, possibly.

Svend > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:22

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They aren’t an ‘enthusiast vehicle’ in the U.S. but over the pond we in the U.K. and Europe have had these from the 1960s. Virtually everyone on this side of the pond has been in one or has a story about them and grew up with them.

Justin Hughes > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/01/2016 at 13:25

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Some Transits are now built in the US, but the design is definitely European. It’s all one big happy Ford family, but that does not negate your point.

jimz > duurtlang 05/01/2016 at 13:25

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Makes you wonder why Ford needed 5 decades (!) to finally offer the Transit in the US.

because they weren’t having any trouble selling Econolines (E-Series.) plus, for most of those 50 years it was competing with the GM vans and the Dodge B-series, which were the same style of van.

the other thing to remember is that a ton of van sales are to applications like ambulances, box trucks, etc. The upfitters which make and sell the ambulance bodies and cargo boxes have years of experience and products designed specifically for the E-Series. They can’t tool up stuff for a completely different van overnight, and it’s going to take a while for a good market of upfitter equipment for Transit to develop. it’s why Ford is continuing to sell the E-Series cutaway for a while.

Dusty Ventures > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:26

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I normally work out of a Sprinter, but I was in a transit six days a week in late November/all of December. I should write a review, there are some cool things and some issues that you don’t notice about the van until you’re actually working with it.

duurtlang > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/01/2016 at 13:26

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This video? That’s a 2000-2006 Ford Transit.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > jimz 05/01/2016 at 13:26

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That’s what I was thinking and suspecting. I’m no expert on the American auto industry, but I do consider myself to be a keen observer of their products and when I lived in Europe in the late 80s, I was fascinated by how different and seemingly strange the Ford-badged cars were.

Remember VW’s Eurovan? Have the European vans always been FWD?

Justin Hughes > Klaus Schmoll 05/01/2016 at 13:27

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Bloody hell - that’s what I get for having a laptop act up just as I finished writing. Thanks for the catch!

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > jimz 05/01/2016 at 13:29

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Did someone soak that van in an ocean?

Justin Hughes > Dusty Ventures 05/01/2016 at 13:32

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Definitely. The Econolines were my usual van but I took some long trips in Sprinters too. Only had a quick test drive in the Transit so I’d be curious how it works in the real world, and how well it holds up.

Svend > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:32

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In the U.S. you’ve the Transit Connect and the Transit, erm, Transit, but you haven’t the Transit Courier or the Transit Custom yet.

Dusty Ventures > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:34

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There is one thing in particular that broke on like three of the Transits we were using. And you probably won’t guess what it was.

...Dammit, now I’m definitely going to have to do a writeup. Good thing I thought to take pictures.

Justin Hughes > Svend 05/01/2016 at 13:35

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True! I wonder if we will. Probably not the Fiesta based one, considering how few Focus based Transit Connects I see here.

Chinny Raccoon > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/01/2016 at 13:36

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The Eurovan Sized ones have been mostly FWD for a long time- Renault Trafic etc. Exceptions are the Mercedes Vito but that comes in a FWD version now.

The larger vans are split- Renault (GM) and PSA/FCA have been FWD based for a very long time. You can get a RWD version of the Renault Master now. Ford were tradionally RWD, that changed on the Transit in the early 00's when you could specify which you wanted. Mercedes have always been RWD.

FWD has advantages in Payload and load height. Plus it gives you the advantage that you can build anything you like on the back. You can buy just the cab section from PSA. The Loloader bodies have also become very popular. Anything over a GVW of 3500KGs and you need to do additional licences and run a tacho.

Justin Hughes > Dusty Ventures 05/01/2016 at 13:41

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You even have your clickbait title. “My Ford Transit Broke, And You Won’t Believe How!”

Dusty Ventures > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:46

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I was just going to go with “2016 Ford Transit: The I-Used-This-Shit-For-Work Review”

Chinny Raccoon > duurtlang 05/01/2016 at 13:47

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I’d heard it’s something to do with the paint. With the Ducato the topcoat falls off but they don’t go rusty.

duurtlang > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/01/2016 at 13:50

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Many manufacturers offer both RWD and FWD. And AWD. The Ford Transit also had FWD and RWD options for the 2000-2014 generation. With the current gen the body style has become different for the FWD and RWD versions, with the former not available in the US if I’m not mistaken. Before 2000 the Transit was always RWD.

The bigger Renault van (Renault Master. Rebadged by GM as an Opel, also rebadged by Nissan) is available with RWD and FWD, Fiat has a FWD van (available as a ProMaster in the US) and the Iveco line of RWD vans. VW has a rebadged Sprinter in its lineup, above the Transporter (US: Eurovan/Vanagon/Bus/...).

That’s basically it. Renault, Fiat/PSA and Ford have a full lineup of vans in Europe. Mercedes rebadges small Renaults and VW lacks its own XL van, but both are big players in the commercial market as well.

Svend > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:50

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The Transit Courier is based on the Ford Fiesta and B-Max but there is a Fiesta van also, but not of the Transit family.

The Transit Courier is between the Fiesta van and the Transit Connect.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > duurtlang 05/01/2016 at 13:51

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That would be the one. Schmitz; I had her last name wrong. Dee- light ful. Thanks for sharing that. I guess Schmitz will be part of the Top Gear re-think. I think that’s a wonderful thing.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > duurtlang 05/01/2016 at 13:54

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FWD would be the way to go with the lower deck height for easy entry and exit in the rear, so long as you weren’t carrying lots of mass back there. Seems to me...

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 13:55

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Is there an AWD option?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Chinny Raccoon 05/01/2016 at 13:57

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Tacho? I’ve always understood weight to be the achilles heel of FWD. Those early Mercedes-built FWD vans — Sprinter? — had limited towing capacity.

I think that if you’re not hauling bags of quarters for the Mint, those FWD European-style vans would be great. Or loading pallets of block of carrying 40 sheets of gypsum board.

Chinny Raccoon > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 05/01/2016 at 14:09

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The biggest payload is around 1400KGS for the 3500KG class. I suspect they are designed to carry more as the manufacturers know quite a lot will run overloaded. Iv’e run some close to max weight and they are fine.

I had dealings with a transport company that were running sprinters. They had a lift on the back and were usually overweight, they could fit a lot of photocopiers in the back... You just don’t want to get caught overweight. In the UK there are frequent stops where the DVSA will pull in and weigh commercial vehicles.

If the GVW is over 3500 KGS it’s classed as a Truck, so you have much more regulations to deal with, which makes them more expensive to run. Off the top of my head you need an Operators Licence (Related to the business of operating the truck), the driver needs additional driving qualifications and training. There are rules for how long you can drive, the speeds are limited lower and you have a stricter vehicle testing regime.

Justin Hughes > Svend 05/01/2016 at 14:33

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I want a Transit Courier ST so bad now.

Justin Hughes > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 05/01/2016 at 14:35

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I don’t believe so. I could be wrong - I haven’t checked the extremely long configuration list for that.

Svend > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 14:50

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The van above is the Fiesta version and not the Courier.

I put it on to illustrate there was a Fiesta van, then the Fiesta/B-Max based Transit Courier, then the Transit Connect and so no Fiesta ST van just a Fiesta van with bodykit. Ford have their own range but there are many out there.

Justin Hughes > Svend 05/01/2016 at 14:52

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It’s too bad these wouldn’t catch on here.

Svend > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 15:07

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I think the Transit Custom would do well as it’s right in the sweetspot of the Transit Connect and the Transit in that the Custom comes in different heights and lengths.

Also in the modern age of wanting something that looks good and sporty while also able to do what’s required of it the Custom fits the bill. It looks like a van sure but has the aggressive front of a Fiesta or Focus ST.

cbell04 > Justin Hughes 05/01/2016 at 16:10

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I drive a pro master. Just found out my next vehicle will be a 2016 2500 Chevy Express. Was hoping it would be a Transit but at least it’s a free set of wheels so I don’t complain (much).

KirkyV > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 05/01/2016 at 16:55

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Here in Europe, definitely, but I’m not sure about the US.

Justin Hughes > cbell04 05/02/2016 at 09:11

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The ProMaster is the ugliest of the vans out there today. But at least yours is paid for, so it’s not worth complaining.

Seriously, though, how do you like it? How would you compare it to the alternatives? I got out of the delivery business before the ProMaster came out.

MarcusBrody > Justin Hughes 05/03/2016 at 15:46

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Nice review. I drive a LWB Transit Connect wagon. I really like it outside of problems with the middle folding seats. It works great for hauling tons of things/mini-camper conversion/people moving. If I were rich, though, I’d have a Transit. I’d also have a sportier car, but I love vans and a Transit would make a great adventure mobile.

Mike > Justin Hughes 05/03/2016 at 16:28

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When does the RS version come out?

Justin Hughes > Mike 05/03/2016 at 16:32

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Mid-engine RS!!!

SWITAWI > Mike 05/03/2016 at 18:21

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Call M-Sport in the UK. They’ve already been modifying Transit Customs, sort of a mid-size Transit model we don’t get in North America - http://www.ford.co.uk/CommercialVehi…

And now they do a bang up Transit Connect as well, though I’m sure it’s pretty much limited to cosmetic mods.

http://www.van-sport.co.uk/

You_Wont_believe_the_picture_on_page_18 > Justin Hughes 05/03/2016 at 19:13

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Would this Ford Transit make a good conversion van (ie. camper)? If so, which size is best?

Justin Hughes > You_Wont_believe_the_picture_on_page_18 05/03/2016 at 19:47

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I think it would. You definitely want a medium or high roof, and probably one of the longer versions as well. How long depends on how big you want your RV.

The sales guy actually told me during the ride that one of his customers was into motocross, and used his Transit to bring two bikes to the track. There was enough space behind the front seats and in front of the bikes, tools, etc. for the guy to set up a cot and sleep in the van. Not exactly luxury accommodations but it works!