On The Road
The trouble with large vans normally specced with weak engines is that on the open road they are more susceptible to the elements, most notably; wind. Being battered around as you drive into a slight headwind is not much fun.
They don't suffer as much as the box van mind you - we have all seen one get level with a truck on the motorway in windy conditions and then get pushed back by the wind turbulence.
Ford has finally addressed this by placing a market-friendly ?bigger? engine. Although the weather on our test route wasn't particularly windy, the drag and flow effect from trucks can be enough to change the direction of the van, however slightly. As we passed the fifth foreign truck on the M25 in as many furlongs, the effect of drag was minimal, we believe thanks to the more powerful engine.
The five-speed gearbox seems to have a slight gap between third and fourth, which is always highlighted on the Titsey Hill section of our route. As the steepest part levels off, the journey becomes a steady climb, but as soon as we dropped to third, it was over-revving. Once fourth picked up, it held, and the hill was well within the Transit's capabilities. In contrast, the Sprinter had raced up this incline, using a weaker engine and better-spaced ratios.
It might be worth considering that less time is spent changing gear with a dash-mounted gearstick, as we found in the Sprinter. However, Ford continues with its floor-mounted shifter, and while it's pretty handy, the throw is longer, especially on the tough, unforgiving Titsey Hill.
Perhaps the cost of relocating the gearstick to the dash is prohibitive but surely, with the Transit out-selling the opposition, the feature would pay for itself sooner rather than later? Perhaps Ford is saving it for the next generation.
On the M20 hill climb, the engine was able to keep a constant 70mph well before starting to fall away up the final third, where it dropped to 64mph. This was surprising, as the van had coped reasonably well along the steepest part, keeping the momentum going.
The handling is pretty good for a large van, although the suspension seemed pretty unforgiving, causing some body roll on the motorway as we battled against the truck tracks in the first lane. Over uneven surfaces it rolled a little too.
Perhaps rwd is steadier, as there was a little more stability from the back, but we felt that fwd didn't diminish the overall driving experience. Compared with the Sprinter, it is not as smooth, but it feels more effortless than the Daily.
Cab Comfort
Ford has skimped on the spec here, but we're no stranger to the set-up and we like what the Transit offers. This is arguably an opportunity to drive something an operator or rental company would prefer - high on functionality and low on creature comforts.
There are three seats across the cab, but no bulkhead - saving weight, if looking a little awkward. And of course, the heater tries to warm the entire van rather than the cab alone.
That gearstick takes up a lot of space, though. The right leg of the middle occupant would get in the way of the driver during gear changes - in a two-seater, however, it's not so bad. A holdall will slot behind the gearstick and against the bulkhead, if we had one.
Overall, comfort is acceptable, and the highly adjustable driver's seat is fitted with an armrest that matches the one moulded into the interior door panel. The Sprinter, on the other hand, goes for a bolt-upright position, close to the arm-friendly moulded door, which can become a little claustrophobic on longer journeys.
Storage feels better in the Transit too, even if it's the same size in volume as its peers. It has a good-sized glove box, full-width door bins, a well on top of the dash for papers and a drop-down cup-holder. A driver's air bag is standard, while visibility is impressive, the big door windows combining excellently with large mirrors and dedicated blind-spot lenses.
