2012 Ford Transit Connect Overview

All Ford Transit Connect Wagon models come with a 136-horsepower, 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that's been designed to meet tough commercial-vehicle standards. It's hooked up to a four-speed automatic transmission and is rated an EPA 21 mpg city, 26 highway.

With power rack-and-pinion steering and front-wheel drive, the Transit Connect was designed to ride and drive much more like a car than full-size, truck-based vans. Very compact exterior dimensions of less than 181 inches long and 71 inches wide--about the parking size of a compact sedan--make the Transit Connect very easy to park and maneuver in the city, while the tall roof and large cargo doors make loading passengers or cargo very convenient. The cargo area itself has more than 59 inches of floor-to-ceiling height, and there's up to 78.1 cubic feet of cargo room. All Transit Connect Wagons come with cloth front buckets and a 3-passenger rear bench seat.

For passenger duty, the Ford Transit Connect comes in two different trims: XLT and XLT Premium. And there's not much of an equipment or price difference between the two. XLT models come with air conditioning, keyless entry, cruise control, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and power windows, locks and mirrors. XLT Premium models, which are especially geared toward personal use, add tinted, third-row flip-open windows; rear cargo-door stowage; body-color, flat-folding heated mirrors; four audio speakers; and a few other trim upgrades.

2012 Ford Transit Connect Model Changes

Very little has changed regarding Ford's Transit Connect, which was introduced in a new Passenger Wagon variant last year. The 2012 Ford Transit Connect Wagon is a version of the Transit Connect commercial vehicle that's been configured for passenger duty. Compared to the cargo version it adds seating for five passengers, an improved interior, and a number of other changes geared toward passenger use.

2012 Ford Transit Connect Value

Whether you consider the versions specially configured for passengers or cargo duty, there's really not much else out there competing with the 2012 Ford Transit Connect. Good fuel economy, excellent maneuverability and parking ease are all reasons to consider the Transit Connect Wagon over a used truck-based commercial van, for instance, and it's an excellent pick for urban small-business owners who need to transport a combination of passengers and cargo.

2012 Ford Transit Connect Strengths

Cargo capacity and flexibility; fuel-efficient powertrain; handles like a small car; maneuverability and parking ease