If you're a small business owner in need of a delivery or cargo van, this might be the most important vehicle review you'll read all year.
Businesses vary immensely, as do the transportation needs of their owners. Despite this, ‘work vans’ in our market are largely limited to full-sized Ford, Dodge or Chevrolet models with big 6 or 8 cylinder engines. These models have a purpose—but shoppers after something smaller and lighter-duty typically find them as big and clumsy as the swine-flu vaccine roll-out.
There are options, of course. For instance, one could yank the rear seats from a Chrysler minivan-- but this would still be relatively thirsty. Owners could remove everything behind the front seats of a smaller model like a Nissan cube, but that would be wasteful and relatively small.
Factory tuned and purpose-built to work
The logical new solution might just be the Ford Transit Connect. It's definitely not one of the wide-shouldered big-boys when it comes to commercial vans, but it does deliver a more agile and economical package with the attributes of a small car.
Also, in white and black with the raised roof, Transit Connect sort of looks like an anime Panda bear wearing a bellboy hat-- which is adorable.
The tester was a Transit Connect Cargo Van with two front seats and an open rear cargo hold with a raised, rubberized floor. The walls surrounding the cargo area are lined with replaceable wear panels, and a large overhead bin above the windshield is ideal for storing smaller or more delicate items.
Though your scribe’s work-related hauling duties are rarely more challenging than laptop and some camera gear, the Transit Connect should easily accommodate a wide range of owners carrying plenty more than that.
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| Transit Connect starts at $26,799 . |
Businesses vary immensely, as do the transportation needs of their owners. Despite this, ‘work vans’ in our market are largely limited to full-sized Ford, Dodge or Chevrolet models with big 6 or 8 cylinder engines. These models have a purpose—but shoppers after something smaller and lighter-duty typically find them as big and clumsy as the swine-flu vaccine roll-out.
There are options, of course. For instance, one could yank the rear seats from a Chrysler minivan-- but this would still be relatively thirsty. Owners could remove everything behind the front seats of a smaller model like a Nissan cube, but that would be wasteful and relatively small.
Factory tuned and purpose-built to work
The logical new solution might just be the Ford Transit Connect. It's definitely not one of the wide-shouldered big-boys when it comes to commercial vans, but it does deliver a more agile and economical package with the attributes of a small car.
Also, in white and black with the raised roof, Transit Connect sort of looks like an anime Panda bear wearing a bellboy hat-- which is adorable.
The tester was a Transit Connect Cargo Van with two front seats and an open rear cargo hold with a raised, rubberized floor. The walls surrounding the cargo area are lined with replaceable wear panels, and a large overhead bin above the windshield is ideal for storing smaller or more delicate items.
Though your scribe’s work-related hauling duties are rarely more challenging than laptop and some camera gear, the Transit Connect should easily accommodate a wide range of owners carrying plenty more than that.
 |
| The tester was a Transit Connect Cargo Van with two front seats and an open rear cargo hold with a raised, rubberized floor. |