![]() ![]() 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. 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 also available). 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. 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. There was no touchscreen, just a simple AM/FM radio (upgraded units with navigation are available). Vast expanses of hard plastic are cheap to build and easy to clean. The interior was unremarkable, but that’s normal for a cargo van. They’re also tall enough that you could easily load a motorcycle with a windshield or fairing into the back. 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. I test drove a medium length, medium height cargo van. It’s also available in three heights (82″, 99″, and 108″) rather than one. ![]() The Transit is available in three lengths (220″, 236″, and 264″) rather than two. The angular outside looks more like the old Dodge/Mercedes/Freightliner Sprinter than the box on wheels styling of the Econoline. The Transit might as well have been made by a different manufacturer, it’s so different from the old Econoline. In short, there is absolutely no comparison at all. Jack Crory at Townsend Ford was kind enough to hook me up.) Photo credit: Bill Currie Ford ( 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. 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. You can bring a motorcycle, or two, to the track or the rally, and still have room to sleep inside. You can tow your race car to the track or the rally with all of your tools and spare gear inside. But it still has many potential uses by enthusiasts. The Ford Transit is not, by any stretch, an enthusiast vehicle. ![]()
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