2021 Ford Transit Road Test and Review

Commercial vehicles have come a long way from the stripped-down boxes of decades past. People commonly use heavy-duty trucks as everyday vehicles, and automakers have responded by making them more luxurious and refined every year. Vans haven’t been completely forgotten, but they are certainly behind their pickup truck counterparts on tech, safety, and comfort features. 

Ford bucks that trend, though not to a high degree, with its Transit van. The vehicle is capable of towing and hauling heavy loads and offers a degree of sophistication and comfort that its rivals can’t match. Even the most basic forms of the Transit feature comfortable seats, and Ford is one of few automakers that offers options to upgrade the infotainment system. The Transit also offers great standard features and driver assistance tech. Let’s take a closer look to see how the Transit works in everyday life.

It might seem impossible to mess up styling for a van, but so many automakers have done just that. Thankfully, the Ford Transit looks like a normal utility vehicle with little to remark upon in the way of differentiating style. The Transit is available with a variety of window and door combinations, all of which work well with the van’s smooth shape and imposing size.

Depending on how it’s configured, the Transit’s cabin can be a stripped-down seats-only affair or a comfy passenger-carrier. In either case, the van’s design is simple and usable, with no fuss and no fancy finishes.

The Transit is available with seating for up to 15 people and can be customized with a variety of upfits for different professions, such as plumbers and electricians. The front cabin is in a comfortable spot, with controls and displays that are easily within reach but not particularly intuitively laid out. From the driver’s seat, viewing the screen can be difficult at times due to the Transit’s dash shape, which is relatively flat and not oriented toward the driver. 

In terms of cargo space, the Transit cargo features 126 inches from the back doors to the back of the front seats and 54.8 inches between the wheelhousings inside. Keep in mind, however, that this number will decrease sharply for Transit models equipped with additional seats or with one of the several available cargo area upfits.

Technology is usually an afterthought for vans and commercial vehicles, but Ford has gone the extra mile with the Transit. The standard display is a 4.0-inch unit with a Wi-Fi hotspot, but gaining a touchscreen and features such as Apple CarPlay requires an added-cost options package. The available screen is an 8.0-inch touchscreen with navigation, SiriusXM radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The larger screen runs SYNC 3, which is Ford’s infotainment software. It’s easily one of the most intuitive systems on the market and makes controlling audio functions easier and less distracting while driving. 

Safety tech is another area where vans and commercial vehicles usually stumble, but again, Ford has done the right thing with the Transit. It comes standard with a decent group of advanced driver aids that include forward collision warnings, lane keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warnings.

Ford offers two powertrain options for the 2021 Transit. The base engine is a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 275 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. A turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 is available, which makes 310 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Both engines come paired with a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission. Neither engine feels light on power, but the turbocharged engine’s torque helps pull the Transit off the line with authority. The 10-speed gearbox works well with both engines and never hunts for gears.

The Transit comes in different models that designate its gross vehicle weight rating. Vans with higher weight ratings come with dual rear wheels. Rear-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available. With the turbocharged engine and rear-wheel drive, the Transit can tow up to 6,800 pounds when properly equipped. That number declines slightly to 6,600 pounds with all-wheel drive.

The Ford Transit lacks a diesel engine option and instead makes impressive torque with a turbocharged gas engine. It does, however, offer all-wheel drive, which makes it a great van for people living in places with legitimate winter weather. It’s worth noting that adding all-wheel drive slightly decreases towing and payload numbers due to the weight of additional drivetrain components. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the only other van on the market today with available all-wheel drive.

Ford hasn’t been shy about its goal of an electrified future. As part of its roadmap to get there, the automaker is releasing an electric version of the Transit in 2022. Called the E-Transit, the van will be powered by a single electric motor that makes 266 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. It will feature a 67-kWh battery and should offer a range of around 126 miles. That sounds like an extremely short distance, but it’s ideal for in-town delivery drivers and municipal fleets.

Ride quality varies between different Transit models. Versions of the van equipped with stiffer springs for higher payload capacities tend to feel jittery and unsettled at times, while more pedestrian versions have a relatively compliant ride. The Transit’s ride also shifts as it’s loaded with heavier cargo. An unladen van handles and feels much agile than one carrying even a modest load.

On the road, the Transit is quite noisy inside, thanks to its cavernous interior and relatively lacking sound deadening. This is especially noticeable in Transit Cargo vans because of their bare metal sides and echo-inducing open space.

The base Transit Cutaway starts at just over $33,000. This sounds affordable until you consider that Cutaway models are truly blank canvases with a cab and nothing else, upon which you’ll need to add everything from the ground up. The Transit Cargo Van starts at $36,965, but again, count on added costs to build the van you want. The RV Prep Package adds $3,470 to the price tag, for example. The Transit Crew Van starts at $39,330. Ford offers upfits that include a motorhome package, a delivery van package, taxi packages, and more.

The Ford Transit faces a small but competitive group of rivals that include the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ram ProMaster, the Chevrolet Express, and the GMC Savanna. The Ram falls short on tech and towing, but is available in a wide variety of roof heights and wheelbase lengths, but only one powertrain. It’s also not available with all-wheel drive and does not offer as comfortable a driving experience as the Transit.

The General Motors twins have remained mostly unchanged for several years, but still offer a great deal of customization and capability options. They are also not offered with a touchscreen infotainment system option and their aging platforms don’t deliver the same refinement of the Ford.

The Sprinter is equally as customizable as its American competitors, but is offered with a diesel engine option and four-wheel drive. Only Ford comes close to that, but it does beat Mercedes in terms of equipment. The Transit is less expensive than the Transit and offers standard safety features that Mercedes charges extra for. The Sprinter does at least come with a large touchscreen and desirable entertainment features when buyers opt to upgrade with the safety equipment.

The Ford Transit is the best-selling commercial van in the United States for a good reason: It’s the most refined and comfortable vehicle of its type on the market. Ford offers more technology, better value, and a decent list of standard safety equipment that its competitors don’t. Even commercial vehicles need to offer creature comforts, especially for the people that regularly rely on them for long periods of time. The Transit does that better than any of its rivals.