Used 2018 Ford Transit Connect XLT for sale 

The 2018 Transit Connect gets climate control, an LCD display with steering controls, and LED lighting in the higher trim. The 2018 Ford Transit Connect Cargo comes in two trims. Both these trims are powered by a 2.5-liter I4 engine that generates about 169 hp at 6,000 RPM and 171 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 RPM.

Buying Advice

The Ford Transit Connect Cargo XLT offers the balance between price and available features boasting amenities like the steering controls and climate control. We recommend you go for the XLT. For us, the top-end XLT trim has adequate specs for this day and age and it comes out to be the better value for money option between the two.

The 2018 Ford Transit Connect Cargo is powered by a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission as standard and produces about 169 horses of power at 6000 RPM and 171 pound-feet of torque at 4500 RPM. This engine is capable of pushing the van on highways even when it is fully loaded. The transmission is not that efficient but it gets the job done. However, according to Ford, the Transit Connect is going to get a refresh in the engine department in the coming year. 

The Mercedes-Benz Metris is the most powerful as well as the costliest cargo van in this competition and sits on the top of the table. Behind it is the RAM ProMaster City with 178 horses, followed by the Ford Transit Connect with 169 horses. At the last place is the Nissan NV200 with the least engine outputs. All these vans offer an automatic transmission type except for the Nissan NV200, which has a CVT automatic transmission.

How quick is the 2018 Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van?

There’s no chance that a cargo van can boost like a sports car. It was essentially designed to haul cargo, and that is its basic and only function. Nothing can be said of the Ford Transit in terms of 0-60 mph pickup time taken and quarter-mile, as the data is not available. However, 0 to 60 mph time is one of the last things a person will ask about a van. The top speed of the Transit Connect is limited to 108 mph. 

Taking advantage of its light curb weight, the Nissan NV200 takes 10 seconds to sprint to 60 mph from a standstill. Since Ford Transit Connect and the RAM ProMaster City’s curb weight is almost 300 pounds more than Nissan, they may take a bit more to complete the performance tests. The 4,222 lbs Mercedes-Benz Metris will probably be the last competitor in this section.

How does the 2018 Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van handle?

The easier maneuverability and handling are the two reasons why one should buy the Ford Transit. With its unibody chassis and front-wheel-drive capability, this feels like a comfortable sedan rather than a cargo van. The driving dynamics of the Transit Connect reflects the style of other Ford sedan models. 

On the contrary, the Nissan NV200 is still a body-on-frame design; it suffers from that choice. The steering effort is low in the Transit and is the best in terms of handling in this segment. Plenty of sound-deadening dampens the engine noise to a pleasant level. Make sure to keep away from rough pavement because the whole van shakes when it encounters a broken pavement. Around the corners, there is minimal body roll which is fine. 

How are the brakes on the 2018 Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van?

We cannot say much about the braking behavior of the 2018 Ford Transit Connect Cargo as its braking distance is not yet known. But the brakes are surprisingly responsive for a cargo van. The friction developed is strong enough to halt this heavy van. Also, the pedal travel distance is less compared to its rivals. However, one can assume that to complement its impressive ride quality. 

What we get to know from this data is that the Nissan NV 200 is the lightest of the lot, taking a braking distance of 137 feet, while the Mercedes-Benz Metris is the heaviest. The Ford Transit Connect and the RAM ProMaster are of almost the same weight and are slotted somewhere in between.

What’s the towing capacity of the 2018 Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van?

Towing capacity is something that should not be looked at in a cargo van. But still, the Ford Transit Connect does offer a decent towing capacity when looked at its rivals. It offers a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds. If you wish for more towing capacity, then a cargo van is not the one you should be looking for.

Here again, the Mercedes Benz leads the way with a class defining 5,000 pounds towing capacity. Ford Transit Connect and the RAM ProMaster City come second with 2,000 pounds. The capacity of the Nissan NV200 is not known yet.

In this area, Transit Connect does a pretty decent job. The 2018 Ford Transit Connect Cargo gives a fuel economy of 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. These figures are at par with its rivals, considering the Ford Transit is not the lightest car. Owing to its 15.8-gallon fuel tank, the Transit Connect delivers a decent range of 371 miles. 

Here, again the RAM ProMaster City is the closest with a combined economy of 24 mpg. The Nissan NV200 is the star of the show here with a combined mpg of 25 despite housing the smallest tank in this competition. On the other hand, the Mercedes-Benz Metris has the worst fuel estimates due to its powerful and thirsty engine.

The interior of the Transit Connect is pretty nice for a commercial van. The wide-opening of the front doors makes it easy to get in and out of the van. The dashboard of the Transit is more like Ford's Escape SUV. This would feel more car-ish than most minivans do. Many hard plastics can be seen everywhere in the cabin. The cargo type has two seats up front. The base XL model gets the choice of cloth and vinyl upholstery, while the top-spec XLT trim gets the option of leather seats. The seats of the Transit Connect are decent enough for those long highways. The legroom and headroom are decent with a capacious glove box for those work documents.

In terms of head and legroom, the Nissan NV200 and the RAM Promaster City offer similar measurements like the Transit Connect. Mercedes-Benz Metris has the lowest head and legroom in its class but its material quality is far better than the other three rivals. Some of the interior features include-

• 12-volt powerpoints 
• Cargo area tie-down hooks (floor-mounted)
• Driver's seatback map pocket
• Dual front map lights and rear overhead courtesy light
• Front center closeable console with 2 cupholders
• Front inner door bins with bottle recesses and illuminated window switches
• Overhead storage shelf with grab handles
• Power door locks with central locking
• Power front windows with one-touch-down on driver's side
• Rear cargo area light
• Remote Keyless Entry System with 2 key fobs
• Speedometer with tachometer and trip computer
• Tilt/telescoping steering column

How intuitive is the 2018 Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van’s infotainment system?

As part of the infotainment system, a 6-inch touchscreen display is used to interact with various vehicle systems. The SYNC 3 interface is user-friendly, and the touch is responsive too. All the menus are logically placed and easy to understand. Except for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, there are no special features available on the XL trim. The XLT trim adds some additional features like a CD player, Applink, etc. The Transit Connect offers 4G LTE as standard. Also, it does have basic features like:

• AM/FM stereo with single-CD player
• Audio input jack 
• HD Radio 
• Four speakers
• SiriusXM Radio with a 6-month trial subscription
• Voice-activated Navigation System1 with pinch-to-zoom capability
• Integrated SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link with a 5-year subscription

How much cargo capacity does the 2018 Ford Transit Connect offer?

The 2018 Ford Transit Connect does have a decent-sized cargo space, which may not be the best in class, but still does the job of a cargo van. It offers a cargo capacity of 103.9 cubic feet. Two cup holders are available for the front passengers. A small storage bin in the front can store your wallets or other small items.

Here again, the Mercedes-Benz Metris leads the pack with a storage space of about 183 cubic feet, followed by the RAM ProMaster City with 131.7 cubic feet. The Nissan NV200 comes third with a storage capacity of 122.7 cubic feet, while the Ford Transit Connect is nowhere close and offers the least cargo capacity in this segment. 

Now in the second generation, the Ford Transit Connect has gained a bit of style from the previous version. Although the minivan still looks boxy from the sides, it has acquired the front grille similar to most Ford Passenger cars. With its sleek design, the Ford transit has to be the best looking Minivan currently available in the market. The sliding side doors make loading the cargo easier, and the wide opening rear doors can swallow large items easily. More important is the exterior dimension; it is one of the smallest cargo vans available in the market. This, of course, means it will carry less than its rivals, but if you are in search of a tiny maneuverable van that can fit into a small garage and tight parking spaces, this is it.

The Mercedes-Benz Metris pops up again since it is the longest cargo van in this segment with an overall length of 202.4 inches. Its wheelbase is also the best with 126 inches. Comparatively, the exterior dimensions of the Transit Connect are the lowest against its rivals. Some of the exterior features include:

• Dual sliding side doors
• Gray grille and upper grille bar, gray body side moldings, and black door handles and headlamp bezels
• Easy Fuel capless fuel filler
• Halogen headlamps
• Mirrors -Side view with integrated blind spot mirrors
• Rear cargo doors, 180-degree swing-out Rear gate with fixed glass and rear-window defroster
• Variable- intermittent windshield wipers and rear wiper with wash feature

The 2018 Ford Transit Connect in its cargo van disguise has not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS. In its passenger van form, the Transit Connect scored an overall five out of five stars for its safety from NHTSA. As part of the safety aspect, the Transit Connect comes with dual front and side airbags to protect the front passengers from serious injuries. Besides that, the van also comes loaded with enough safety systems to prevent any kind of serious accidents. They include:

• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
• Torque Vectoring Control
• Rearview Camera
• Electronic Emergency Brake Assist
• Power front/rear disc brakes with Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
• Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS)
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Front and Rear Parking Sensors
• Lane-Keep Assistance

Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van vs Mercedes Benz Metris Worker Cargo

The 2018 Mercedes-Benz Metris offers more power and torque compared to the Ford Transit Connect. It has an almost equal figure of fuel economy but boasts of the largest cargo space. And while its more comfortable interior is the icing on the cake, the higher asking price makes things difficult for Mercedes.

Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van vs Nissan NV 200 Cargo

The Nissan NV200, again like Mercedes offers a 2.0-liter engine. But this one comes with a CVT transmission. It is also priced at almost $3,000 less than the Ford Transit Connect, and although the NV200 boasts a larger cargo capacity, the Transit Connect is more maneuverable and manageable due to its small size.

Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van vs RAM ProMaster City Tradesman Cargo

The RAM ProMaster City offers a similar 2.4-liter engine with 9-speed automatic transmission. The price is also quite close in this comparison. Like in the case with the other two, the fuel economy is almost the same. Here again, the ProMaster City offers more cargo capacity while the Transit Connect offers more maneuverability.

The Ford Transit Connect is a rebel of sorts, as in a segment, where cargo spaces and how to increase the space is of utmost importance, here comes a minivan with its sleek and stylish looks, look like a Ford Fusion and Fiesta fitted into one in the shape of a minivan. And while the Mercedes-Benz Metris offers larger cargo space and the Nissan NV200 saves money, the Ford Transit Connect comes in a diminutive size. So if moderate cargo capacity is sufficient for you, you will be delighted about how easily you can find a parking space for your van.