Ford Transit is perhaps the most massive commercial vehicle in Europe. This car is known to many, and to see it on the streets of the city is by no means uncommon. Such cars have won universal love due to their simplicity and reliability. Ford Transit has a resourceful and high-torque motor, a sturdy gearbox and a reliable suspension. Since 2012, the assembly of these machines has been carried out in Russia. What is a Ford Transit? Technical specifications, reviews and photos - further in our article.
Appearance
The car has changed several times in design, and is now produced in the following form (pictured below).
The appearance of the car is modern and pleasant. The car, by the way, is intended not only for the European and Russian market, but also exported to the United States. The front of the car has a huge chrome grille and large slanted headlights. Below - a simple black bumper, without foglights. But as noted by reviews, Ford Transit has good coverage of head optics from the factory. The windshield is very large in this minibus. Mirrors are black, elongated vertically. The standard Ford Transit (including passenger) comes with stamped 18-inch wheels. However, alloy wheels are also great here.
In general, Ford Transit has a dynamic and rapid silhouette. The car looks no less original than the Mercedes Sprinter. But are there any problems with the body of the Ford Transit minibus? Responses of owners say that metal on a body is rather weak. Four years later, the first “bugs” and chips appeared on the paintwork. But the old Transit models released 20 years ago are especially susceptible to corrosion. So, often the body rusts in the places of the rear arches, doors and sills.
Ford Transit: dimensions, clearance
The standard van has the following dimensions. The length of the body is 4.12 meters, width - 2.25, height - 2.8 meters.
The wheelbase is 3.75 meters. The car is quite maneuverable - say the reviews. The turning radius is only 3 meters. What are the Ford Transit clearance sizes? Ground clearance - 16 centimeters. Not the highest, but suitable for most roads in Russia.
Carrying capacity
The curb weight of the car is 2 tons. At the same time, the transit capacity is 1,600 kilograms. If we talk about the passenger Ford Transit, it is capable of transporting from 9 to 17 people, depending on the length of the wheelbase.
Salon
According to reviews, the car has a fairly comfortable interior. Ford Transit has a spacious cabin, which is designed for two people. The driver and passenger seats have a number of adjustments and are equipped with armrests. Four-spoke steering wheel with a basic set of buttons. The gearshift lever is located in the front panel, which is very convenient and does not hide the free space. The parking brake lever is located under the driver’s right hand, between the seats. Door cards are pretty puffy and you can lean on them on the road. Also, Ford Transit is equipped with power windows and air conditioning. In winter, the stove warms well - reviews say.
Ford Transit has a stylish interior design with a massive center console. She sticks out a little and at the end forms a small shelf. There are small niches for small things, as well as a cup holder. From the passenger side - a deep glove box. There is also a deep pocket where you can put a liter bottle of mineral water. Disadvantages - relatively poor sound insulation and hard plastic in the cabin.
Ford Transit: specifications
This car has always been distinguished by a wide variety of power plants. And versions for Russia were no exception. So, the base for the Ford Transit car is a 2.2-liter diesel engine from the Duratorg series. This is a four-cylinder in-line unit with direct fuel injection and automatic cylinder shut-off function (in order to save fuel). Depending on the modification, this unit can develop from 100 to 155 horsepower. The design of these engines is the same, only firmware and turbines are different. By the way, all Dyuratorg motors have a standard speed limiter of 100 kilometers per hour. But for an additional fee, you can refuse it.
Next on the list is a 2.4 liter engine from the same series. This unit has a similar design to the previous engine and has a capacity of 140 horsepower. Top-end is a 3.2-liter engine that develops 200 horsepower. However, it is quite rare.
All of the above units were developed by the Ford company in conjunction with the Peugeot Citroen concern. The engines have a high resource and comply with the environmental requirements of Euro-5. The average fuel consumption in the city is 10 liters. On the highway - about 7.8 liters per hundred. This is a big plus. Reviews say that even with the weakest engine, the machine easily climbs up a long climb (when loaded), which is also a virtue. Just press the accelerator pedal, then the speedometer needle will change its position and stretch up.
However, Transit diesel engines are picky about fuel quality, and this is a drawback. Otherwise, nozzles get clogged and other fuel problems are observed. The most expensive part is the high-pressure fuel pump. Owners are advised to carry out regular preventive maintenance - cleaning nozzles and replacing filters according to the regulations. Only in this way will the motor last a long time and will delight with its stable operation.
Transmission
European versions are equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. However, only five or six speed mechanics are available in our market. What do the reviews say about this box? "Ford Transit" is moving smoothly and without jerking, gaining speed. The manual works much better than on the GAZelle. Very pleased with the sixth gear.
With it you can go into economy mode at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. The box is quiet and all gears are engaged clearly. Among the advantages is the resource of the gearbox. On the "Transit" it is more than 400 thousand kilometers. However, a fly in the ointment was not complete: it is necessary to regularly change transmission oil. Clutch disc runs about 100 thousand. But it is recommended to change it together with the release bearing. Also, when replacing it is worth inspecting the petals of the basket.
Suspension
The minibus is built on a rear-wheel drive “trolley” with a load-bearing body and a 4 x 2 wheel arrangement. The engine is located longitudinally. Front suspension independent on coil springs and anti-roll bar. On the back is a dependent structure on semi-elliptical longitudinal springs and with telescopic shock absorbers.
Steering - rack. The machine is equipped with hydraulic booster normally. At the ends of the rail, the hinges are cantilevered to the supports, due to which the rods are shortened. The number of revolutions of the steering wheel to the stop is 3.3. This is slightly less than the competition.
The brake system is a disc, double-circuit, with a hydraulic drive. There is also a system of electronic distribution of braking forces and ABS. The brakes of this car are quite enough. The pedal is quite informative and responsive. You can only rejoice.
Driving performance
How does this car behave on the go? According to reviews, the car is driven like a passenger car. The car has a low center of gravity and a well-thought-out suspension configuration. The car confidently holds the course at high speed and does not roll in corners, like the same "GAZelle".
It’s comfortable to be in the car even at 100 kilometers per hour. But when the car is empty, the suspension is still harsh. Only partially loading the body, it begins to work out irregularities. But this drawback, if one can call it that, is common to all commercial vehicles.
To summarize
So, we found out what a Ford Transit car is. The machine has a fairly reliable engine and is perfectly adapted for both urban and inter-regional transportation. The driver does not get tired so much, and the fuel consumption of the minibus is minimal. This makes me happy. Ford Transit, of course, is inferior to Sprinter in the quality of painting, but the price of the latter is slightly higher. Therefore, if you are considering the option of buying a foreign car for little money, you should definitely pay attention to this car. Yes, at the price of Ford Transit will be more expensive than GAZelle. But as operating experience shows, the Ford is more tenacious, even in our conditions. This is a big plus.