Jalopnik Drives the 2010 Ford Transit Connect, Comes Away Impressed

Those wacky guys over at Jalopnik, Gawker Media’s car blog, took a 2010 Ford Transit Connect for a spin around Manhattan and pronounced themselves impressed. For starters, Jalopnik contributor Andrew Didorosi wrote that Ford’s new cargo van is quite maneuverable.

“In and around Manhattan’s crowded streets, the Transit Connect drives as easy as a comparable front-wheel drive hatch,” Didorosi says. “Sure, in comparison to the European Focus on which this Transit is based, the ride is firmer and you can feel the height in a smidge of bodyroll, but it’s still a more capable and easier-to-drive vehicle than the American psyche has been trained to expect from cheap compact cars.”

Didorosi lauded the Transit Connect for more than just its handling. He also liked the van’s brakes and its rearward visibility. Finally, he complemented the little runabout’s power delivery from the 2.0-liter in-line 4-cylinder.

There were demerits: Didorosi lamented the lack of a manual transmission, and he notes that the cargo bay is too small to accommodate certain items, such as large lumber sheets or long pipes. He says that could be a problem for small business owners who haul large items.

We’re still waiting for our first drive in a Transit Connect, which goes on sale this summer. Once we get behind the wheel, we’ll let you know if we agree with the Jalopnik guys.

[Sourc: Jalopnik]