2010 Ford Transit Connect

2010 Ford Transit Connect

The 2010 Transit Connect, set to hit Ford dealerships this summer, offers 135 cu. ft. of space and costs $21,475 including the destination charge, a price commercial outfits should find fairly appealing given its mission. To get that much covered cargo space in Ford's lineup, you'd need to step up to the Expedition.

First displayed stateside at last year's Chicago show, the Transit Connect is new to the U.S., but not to Europe, where it won the International Van of the Year award in 2003. Ford says it has sold more than 600,000 Transit Connects to customers in 58 countries.

With a 2.0L Duratec four-cylinder delivering an estimated 136 horsepower @ 6300 rpm and 128 lb-ft of torque @ 4750 rpm mated to a four-speed automatic transmission (with overdrive), the Transit Connect takes its time. We imagine buyers might be more interested in maximizing fuel economy -- estimated by Ford to be 20 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. A final-drive ratio of 4.20 to 1 is designed to give Transit Connect additional pulling power, and it rolls on 15-in. steel rims wrapped in P205/65R-15 rubber.

Like the Ford E-Series commercial vehicle family, Transit Connects will come with the option of various bulkheads, racks, and bins.

If you like the idea of the Transit Connect but want better fuel economy, you'll want to wait for the Transit Connect BEV, a battery electric vehicle with a 100-mile range Ford says it will send to select dealerships in 2010.