DRIVEN
FORD TRANSIT CONNECT ACTIVE If you want a cool SUV but life has forced you into driving a panel van, the good news is that Ford has the answer – just so long as you’re sure you’re asking the right question…
FORD’S ACTIVE PACKAGE is its way of giving a dose of SUV attitude to its passenger cars. The Fiesta and Focus have both had the treatment – which might feasibly seem strange to you, given that real SUVs tend to be quite big things for people with families and the company has some big things of its own like the S-Max and Galaxy that would seem ideal for a dose of off-road styling. Most recently, it’s another kind of big Ford that’s gained the Active option. The company’s vans need no introduction, though they might need some explaining as the range includes the Transit Courier, Transit Connect, Transit Custom and Transit. That’s before you consider the Transit Custom Kombi and Transit Minibus people movers, the Tourneo Connect and Tourneo Custom MPVs and the Transit Custom Nugget camper van. Whatever you want, if it’s van-shaped Ford sells it. This includes the aforementioned vans that look like SUVs. The Transit Connect and Transit Custom can both be had in Active form; the latter is also available in Trail trim, which actually has four-wheel drive, and so too is the Transit itself, though these are presented as higher-mobility working vehicles rather than lifestyle motors. So anyway, now we’ve got all that crystal clear, here’s the Transit Connect Active. It’s a small panel van, the sort that you’d imagine being ideal for a tradesman who doesn’t have to carry bulky tools or materials. There’s a choice of two wheelbases and in Active form the standard 1.5-litre, 120bhp
diesel engine can be mated to a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic gearbox. Tested here is the long-wheelbase model with the auto box. And let’s start with that. The engine is quick enough, with plenty of torque to get it moving even when laden, and it feels smooth and very easy to drive. The auto box often feels as if it’s never going to change, however, to the point where general tooling around becomes unsettling. Happily, there’s a shift button on the side of the gearstick. After about five minutes behind the wheel, we found ourselves driving along with one hand permanently sat there as we flicked it up and down. Time it right and the box responds pretty well to this, to the point where it actually becomes quite enjoyable to drive. Trying to get around town in what you’ve just
All Connect Active models get a 1.5-litre diesel engine producing 120bhp. The only option is whether you go for a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic gearbox; our test vehicle had the latter, which adds £1200 to the price
36 | AUGUST 2021
2pp Transit Connect Active.indd 36
4x4 25/06/2021 19:49
