Ford’s arrived at the Chicago Auto Show this year
with an updated version of its Transit Connect van for the US market, putting a
fresh face on the model that first launched in 2012.
There’s a new 1.5-liter diesel engine
under the hood, along with a 2.0-liter gasoline four. Both come mated to an
eight-speed automatic transmission.
While official specs have not yet been released, the
diesel targets fuel economy of over 30 miles per gallon on the highway. And
with stop-start ignition, the gasoline engine ought to deliver better economy
than the outgoing version as well.
Dearborn has also taken the occasion to pack its
latest little van with all the latest advanced safety equipment. Those include
automatic emergency braking, pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection,
and available adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping
assist systems.
There’s an available 6.5-inch display in the
dashboard, a digital display in the instrument cluster, and optional wireless
inductive charging. The available Sync 3 system offers Amazon’s Alexa digital
assistant, with Waze navigation soon to follow.
In addition to the revised powertrain options,
buyers will be able to choose between XL, XLT, and Titanium trim levels, and
two wheelbase lengths with room for five or seven passengers. So far Ford has
only detailed the Transit Connect Wagon passenger version, but you can expect
similar revisions to make their way into the cargo version as well in due
course.
