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Great workhorse
Page 43
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FORD TRANSIT CONNECT
Price: £14,500 Engine: 1.6-Litre, 109hp Payload: 833kg Mileage: 17,500 Expenses: none Faults: Loose mechanism inside driver's seat uprght lundiagnosed) Average mpg: 38.6 The Ford Connect has
racked up just over 2,000 miles in the past month thanks to Kevin Swallow, one of CM's dedicated team of specialist writers.
He says: "The ride and handling is the Connect's strong point. It feels composed and comfortable at motorway speeds."' He adds that while the Connect can munch through miles without any fuss, the seating position is still at odds with the vehicle's proportions — and the rest of CM's technical team agrees.
The reason being is that in rivals such as the Citroen Berlingo, you have a commanding view of the road, whereas in the Connect, you always feel like you're driving in a hatchback, and there never seems to be enough travel in the seat to overtook the bonnet.
While we're talking about the seats, a part (we still haven't figured out what it is yet) in the drivers' seat upright has come loose. Every time we brake, we feel the part slide forward and gently tap the small of our back. Needless to say, it's on the Ford mechanic's `to-do' list when we take the Connect in for its first service.
Despite this, there's little to fault the Connect on a day-to-day basis, and we've been impressed by how cost-effective it is to run.
Depending on the fuel price, the 60-litre tank has never cost more than £50 to till, and even with CM's busy schedule, the Connect (on average) only visits the fuel station every fortnight. At present, our trip computer says average fuel consumption is 38.6mpg.
So what's the Connect like as a commercial vehicle? Well, it's extremely versatile, and we particularly like the twin-sliding side doors, which enable you to easily access the load area and to pack the weeks' groceries or oversize plastic cones from the test track.
The protective rubber flooring is also a must-have in any Connect. Not only does it protect the metal body from damage, but it's also non-slip. One item that is absent from our Ford is full load box cladding. The upper parts are still susceptible to dings and scratches, especially around the whee larches.
One aspect that continues to impress us is the Connect's interior, which is tremendously functional, robust and well built. The sat-nay has been a brilliant
addition, and if you do have 000 to spend on the ICE Pack (includes radio/CD, column-mounted controls and sat-nav), go for it. The graphics look a bit dated, but the guidance system hasn't let us down yet. • Ian Tonkin