Used 2017 Ford Transit 350 XLT for sale 

The cargo version of the Ford Transit is offered in 2 trims, the XL and XLT. Both of which are offered in low, medium, and high roof heights. There is also an option for an extended-length body. So, according to the configuration, the Ford Transit is further classified as the 150, 250, and 350 versions. The base trim starts at $34,365 with a 3.7 V6 engine as a default engine option. Furthur you get an 8 seat option, which can be expanded to 12 or even 15 people.

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Though the Ford Transit Cargo van is equipped with everything you need, one can enhance your experience by adding some optional features like cruise control, dual rear sliding doors, rear parking sensors, and the list goes on. We would advise you to go with the top-end XLT trim as it offers better value for money.

With a starting price of $34,365, the Ford Transit can opt with a 3.7 L V6 engine paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine can crank out 275 horses and 260lb-ft of torque transmitted to the rear wheels of the car. Not sure about this engine? The engineers at Ford have come up with 3 other engines to meet your demands.

The first one is a 3.2L 5-cylinder diesel engine generating 185 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. The next is a turbocharged 3.5L V6 engine that makes 310 hp and 400 lb-ft. Now, the final option is a CNG engine that's available in a 3.7L V6 configuration. These many engine options on offer ensure that the Ford Transit can serve the varying demands made by customers from diverse backgrounds.

Here, the Mercedes Sprinter might seem like a luxurious van with lots of space, it missed the point of power. The Ford Transit easily beats the Sprinter but falls short in front of the Nissan NV Cargo. But at the end of the day, these are workhorses and the amount of load they can carry and how easily it can be done by them comes down to the fact named, “Toque”. With 325 lb-ft of torque, coming in at as early as 1400rpm, which is much earlier than the rest, definitely makes it the better workhorse.

Acceleration

Though boxy vans are more for cargo haulage than sprinting on a boulevard, but still, if you plan out a monster race, the Transit will emerge as the victor. Its 7.6-second acceleration marks it the most athletic hippo in the pond. Further, the Transit took just 15.9 seconds to hit the quarter-mile light, which is better than a lot of vans in the competition.

Compared to the competition, the 2017 Ford transit is much faster. On the other hand, the heavy Nissan NV reaches a speed of 60 mph in 8.7 seconds, while the Mercedes Benz Sprinter's sluggish acceleration took 11.2 seconds to reach the speed of 60 mph. In quarter-mile timing, again Ford stands ahead of its competitors with 15.9 seconds, followed by Nissan’s 16.7 seconds, and at last comes Sprinter taking 18.3 seconds.

Ride and Handling

You will be amazed at the aplomb steering and fine ride quality of the Transit. The steering feel is decent and stable on the highway, giving it maximum road traction. Though it has a humongous body and weight, it maneuvers more like a minivan, so tight places and turns are greeted with ease. At last, the 8, 12, or 15 people sitting in the transit will enjoy a lot of space with no wind whistling or road noise.

Braking

For any vehicle that can gain speed, it is more than important to shed the speed at the right pace. For load bearing vehicles like the Transit, it is more important to have better brakes, as the braking performance is seriously affected as more weight is loaded on to the Van. The van comes equipped with 12.1 inches front and rear brakes.

With the available information, the Nissan has the biggest brakes and that should be more powerful than that of the Ford Transit. Since the dimensions of the brakes of the Sprinter are not available, we can’t use it for comparison. But the significantly lower curb weight of the Transit in comparison to that of the NV, can mean better braking performance for the Transit.

Towing

The Transit's size is not for the show, the V6 musters a lot of torque to drag up 5,000 pounds of weight. There is a heavy-duty trailering package if your business demands more trailering, other boxy vans like the Mercedes Benz Sprinter are a tad less while the Nissan NV Cargo can tow over 6,200 pounds.

When compared to its rivals, the Transit does offer better towing capacity, coming second only to the Nissan NV, which can tow 6,200 pounds. This towing capacity of the Transit can be improved by using a few more of the right accessories. Also, the Transit handles heavy towing pretty decently.

Both on the highway and city, the Transit gives a decent sense of mileage. In the city, the Transit delivers a 14 mpg mileage, while on the highway, it gains an effective sense of balance at 18 mpg mileage. Combined, the Transit gives a 16 mpg of combined efficiency. There are other cars that feature lesser numbers, and Ford's monster stands tall in front of them. MPG is an important factor when it comes to buying a vehicle, especially a commercial vehicle. This is mostly due to the fact that fuel bills are an unavoidable part of a business.

As a commercial vehicle, it takes a lot of money to maneuver and maintain these V6 engines. Comparing the Transit with the buyer's favorite Nissan NV, both in city and highway, the Ford Transit beats the Nissan NV bigtime. Its 16 mpg of combined mileage is way better than the NV's 13 mpg combined mileage. The otherwise well-performing Sprinter might have done well in this department as well, but unfortunately, these details aren’t available.

The Ford Transit Cargo was engineered to ferry people and cargo. However, with the normal length and height, you can comfortably accommodate 8 people max. But with the extended-length version, you can harbor upto 10, 12, or 15 people. The cabin is spacious and can house luggage even in a full van. The seats are comfortable and can be wrapped in cloth or leather. All other features and controls are within the reach of the driver, and it also gets a 10-way power-adjustable seat.

The driver and the co-driver seats receive 40 inches of headroom and 41.3 inches of legroom space in the low roof variant. However, it's the second-row that endures the bulk of space with 41 inches of headroom and 69.5 inches of legroom space. The third-row seats feature 40.6 inches of headroom and 35.6 inches of legroom space.

Amongst the trio, the Mercedes Sprinter delivers a lot of sitting and walk-through space. You get ample headroom and leg space in the Sprinter for the front row as well as the rear row seats. Nissan NV and the Ford Transit features a similarly spacious cabin on all three rows. Having ample interior space is important for comfortably moving people. This also helps in moving more cargo without many hiccups, as well. Few key features include-

• Pewter Cloth Seats W/10-Way Power Adjustable Driver Seat
• High Capacity Front/Rear Air Conditioning
• Charcoal Cloth Seats W/10-Way Power Adjustable Driver Seat
• Cruise Control W/Message Center
• 2 Additional Power Keys
• Vinyl Sun Visors W/Illuminated Vanity Mirrors
• 15-Cargo Seating Configuration

Infotainment

The infotainment system comes with a 6.0-inch touch screen. The control panel sits centrally with all buttons within the vicinity of the driver. The smartphone-like screen comes installed with the previous year's Sync 3 infotainment system with 8-speaker surround sound. You get navigation as a standard feature with the liberty to pinch and zoom as per your needs. After considering all things, the infotainment system on offer ensures the best experience for the passengers as well as the driver. Some features of the infotainment system are:

• 6.0-inch touch screen
• Sync 3 infotainment system
• 8-speaker surround sound
• Navigation
• MP3 Player
• Radio

Cargo Space

When you have cargo in your name, cargo shouldn’t be a problem at all, and that’s what we see with 2017 Ford Transit. The Ford Transit is one of those few cargo vans which can stuff 8 people, and at the same time deliver roughly 100 cubic feet of cargo space. With all the 2nd row and 3rd-row seats removed, you get a gigantic empty space of 224.5 cubic feet.

Where the Mercedes Benz Sprinter converts the bulk of its space as cabin space, the Transit converts it into cargo space. Even with all seats up, you get 94.2 cubic feet of space. The Nissan NV features much less than what the Ford delivers and so does the Sprinter, measuring 18.9 cubic feet and 68.6 cubic feet, respectively.

One good look at the Ford Transit, and you will find yourself looking back in time, the full-fledged vans have evolved from a school bus design to a class of their own. In the Transit, you step on the floor-step to save the bumpers and side sills from the cargo stampede. From the front end, the Transit features an Aston Martin-inspired grill and tinted side glasses. The XL trim qualifies for the exterior upgrade package, which adds wheels covers, a chrome grille, and headlight trim. The car looks business from all the angles, and for a car that’s supposed to be a workhorse, looks don’t really matter. Even if you are worried about the looks, the Ford Transit won’t disappoint you with the curves it has.

The Nissan NV Cargo is too heavy, even for the boxy van standards, followed by the Mercedes Benz Sprinter. The Ford Transit is the lightest van compared to the two. Apart from being the heaviest, the Nissan NV is also the biggest van in the lot. The shorter wheelbase gives it an edge over handling with a shorter turning radius. The lower height would also translate to less body roll during heavy steering inputs. Few key features include-

• Rear Window Defogger
• Long Arm Non-Telescoping, Power Adjustable Exterior Mirrors
• Privacy Glass W/Rear Window Defogger
• Trailer Wiring Provisions
• Manual Door Locks And Windows

The 2017 Ford Transit comes with a lot of standard active safety features. Some of these features include road stability control, traction control, crosswind assist, and roll stability. You also get a standard rearview camera for parking endeavors. The NHTSA has given an overall 4-star rating in their third-party crash testing, ensuring the safety offered by Ford Transit. Within its class, these ratings are too good and give a very good competitive edge to Ford Transit, over its competitors. 

This van comes loaded to the teeth with safety features, which are capable of eliminating human errors to the highest levels possible. This van ensures the highest possible safety for its passengers, by having a large list of active as well as passive safety features. Some of the standard safety features are:

• Ford Co-Pilot360 w/Side Wind Stabilization Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Roll Stability Control (RSC)
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Side Impact Beams
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Emergency Sos
• Ford Co-Pilot360 - Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
• Ford Co-Pilot360 - Lane-Keeping Assist Lane Departure Warning

2017 Ford Transit Cargo Van vs Mercedes Benz Sprinter

In the list of available vans, the Sprinter adds a little spice of luxury and quality, this clearly comes at a hefty price. Both the vans come with a 6 cylinder engine. The Sprinter might feature a lot of space but the Transit beats it in power, whereas the Sprinter feels underpowered on long routes and shares a sluggish start. The Sprinter's cabin utility is commendable and infotainment features are easy to use. Though you need to pay more for the extra seats and cabin space, the Ford Transit is still the better deal.

2017 Ford Transit Cargo Van vs Nissan NV Cargo 3500 S

The Nissan NV is the simplest van on the market. You get just the essentials and nothing else. Just like the Transit, the NV features a V6 engine and offers a bit more power. Also, the NV features more trailering capacity than the other two. However, Ford wins the battle of the economy. But there is a limit to its utility, the NV can harbor just 12 people, while the Transit can be customized for 15. The interior on the Nissan NV is hard plastic, which feels inferior. After considering everything, going with the Ford Transit is the better choice. You will have a decent van, at an economical price with a bigger list of options to personalize.

Ford is well-known for its legacy of commercial vehicles, and the tradition continues with the Transit. You get a lot of options to customize the Transit as per your needs. With the economical price and balanced drivability, the Transit does nothing but win the commercial users' hearts. Even on the longer rides, the decent fuel economy numbers make it efficient for longer rides. However, the lack of a V8 engine may discourage traditional van users.