Ford updated its Transit Connect van for the 2019 model year. We'll take you through the changes in this video.
Transcript
Ford is targeting dual-use shoppers like aging baby boomers, it says, who maybe have an active lifestyle with some grandkids they gotta carry around along with maybe a side business they're going to have to run.
That seems like a lot but, Ford thinks they're going to buy something like the Transit Connect whose passenger version is right behind me it's been updated for the 2019 model year. So all you surfing grandpas with a side business you don't need to leave your glasses on to see this. The new grill on the Transit Connect is definitely what separates it most from previous model years of this generation of the vehicle. It's much taller here spans more of the overall height of the vehicle. Looks similar to both the full size transit utility van as well as the focus for its small car which actually shares the Transit Connects platform. Now the Transit Connect continues to come in two versions there is a cargo version and a passenger version, the latter is called the Transit Connect Wagon. There is a regular length and an extended wheel base as well what we've got behind us is the Transit Connect Wagon extended wheeled base what that gets you is about 35% more maximum cargo room with all the seats down and speaking of seats the regular Transit Connect, regular wheel base, five passenger, this one adds a third row expand seating capacity to six or seven depending if you get a three seat bench or captains chairs in the second row. Now inside the big change has to do with the center controls here there's sorta this tablet like screen up top and mid and up level trims of the Transit Connect Wagon. It's a six and a half inch screen that comes with Apple Car Play and Android Auto. You get a smaller screen if you get base models but a back up camera is standard. Other safety features, automatic emergency breaking, forward collision warning, those are also standard as well impressive for a vehicle that kinda has its fundamentals as a utility van. Speaking of which, certainly cabin materials are pretty basic in this car you kinda get the utilitarian aspect of that and there's not a ton of space here to kinda store things if you're really looking for space that sort of a family vehicle. But you get this, a giant shelf up top you can throw a lot of stuff in there and there's just tons of head room which kinda shows just how tall this vehicle is. Now if you're really expecting something like the Transit Connect to do minivan duty the seats are a little bit small for that, particularly if you have adults in the second and third row. They also kinda sit low to the floor. These seats in the second row here, they don't slide forward and backward but I've got reasonably good room here and again tons and tons of head room. Another thing I didn't mention up front just overall visibility there's just a lot of glass around you no ones going to be feeling claustrophobic in really any seat in this vehicle and up front you've just got lots of visibility around you good sight lines looking forward. Third row kinda similar to the second row kinda low to the floor but lots of head room leftover and reasonable leg room with the second row again in its fixed position here, back here for adults. Now we don't know about pricing yet but Ford says it's going to target the Transit Connect as one of the most affordable seven passenger vehicles on the market there is also a new eight speed automatic transmission, there's a new diesel engine option. So plenty more information, you can get all of that on cars.com closer to the Transit Connect's on sale date in late 2018.
