The Kombi version of the Ford Transit Connect provides a practical and super spacious car. Above all, this E85 Flexifuel version reduces the fuel budget, good news at the moment. But you have to be content with a utilitarian atmosphere.
Car tested: Ford Transit Connect L2 Kombi E85 Van Active
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From€30,336
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Ford is continuing to roll out its range of models running on E85. After the Fiesta, Puma, Focus and Kuga E85 already tested, here is the most family-friendly model: the Transit Connect Kombi E85. This long-format van is the utility version of the Tourneo Connect MPV (a kind of elongated Kangoo), and it is equipped with the 100 hp 1.0 EcoBoost Flexifuel engine.
This model achieves the feat of being equally well suited to professionals for the transport of personnel. and families looking for a spacious and economical vehicle to use. In these times of expensive gasoline, E85 biofuel stands out for its price at the pump (on average €0.80 per litre) and its availability at one of the 2,800 stations distributing it.
Generous in size – 4.86 m – in the long L2 version of our test model (the model also exists in a short L1 version), the Ford Transit Connect Kombi offers a vast interior space and a trunk worthy of a cargo with 1,500 l with the bench seat in place and 2,800 l when the vehicle is put in “break”. Of course, it will be necessary to put up with a utilitarian finish, which is characterized by a floor lined with plastic and not carpet, the absence of luggage cover or the presence of a separation grid between the passenger compartment and the huge trunk. This grille, admittedly unattractive, is modular and allows the loading volume to be varied.
Ford Transit Connect Kombi L2 E85 Price
The Transit Connect Kombi 1.0 Ecoboost E85 is offered at €29,016 in the short L1 version and €30,336 in the long L2 version (for pros, the purchase will obviously be made excluding taxes). Only one finish is available, Active, with a satisfactory standard endowment (see equipment on next page). But the options remain numerous to modernize the vehicle. Our test model, richly equipped, was for example priced at €35,952 including tax.
The Flexifuel engine is €600 less expensive than the 100 hp 1.5 Ecoblue petrol version. And if the overconsumption of E85, of around 25%, can put off, it is quickly offset by the price of fuel at the pump, which is more than half the price. During our test, average fuel consumption fluctuated, depending on driving conditions, between 7.3 and 7.8 l/100 km. Note also the fact that the Transit Connect Kombi is a utility version, therefore exempt from malus and TVS for the pros.
Driving
In this L2 variant, the Transit Connect Kombi imposes its size. The long wheelbase leads to a large turning radius which often requires multiple maneuvers in town. To facilitate parking, it is possible to opt for Active Park Assist (which also incorporates a reversing camera). But it will still be necessary to find a sufficiently large place, which is not always obvious! On the road, this great length knows how to be forgotten, and thehe small three-cylinder has a very good will. However, do not hesitate to “shoot” on it to obtain convincing accelerations and raises. The engine then agrees to go up in the towers without flinching, but this is paid for by an increase in the noise level in the cabin.
The curb weight of nearly 1.8 t is obviously no stranger to all this. Fortunately, the six-speed manual gearbox – the only transmission available – has a good selection. But its reports, very long, are clearly there to optimize fuel consumption. They often force you to downshift to try to take advantage of a little engine braking. However, the driving of the Connect Kombi is generally pleasant even if, empty, the rear axle reminds you from time to time by dry lifts when crossing certain irregularities. With passengers or a load, things are back to normal, and the suspension comfort appears correct without however managing to match that of a Renault Kangoo for example.
The driver has a pleasant environment and a good driving position. Despite a certain firmness, the seats, both front and rear, allow you to drive for a long time in satisfactory comfort. The separation grid does not generate parasitic noises, and the rises from the loading space are contained. Finally, remember that if during a trip the E85 is unavailable in a service station, it is always possible to drive with SP95, the engine accepting both fuels without concern.
On board
Competetion
In this Flexifuel version running on ethanol, the Ford Transit Connect Kombi is alone in the world. The only possible alternative is to convert a petrol van using an approved box. The Connect Kombi has the advantage of benefiting from an original transformation, carried out directly on the manufacturer’s production lines, with the guarantees that go with it.
Discover the results of the test, the technical sheet and the prices on the following page.
