2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon: Seven Passengers, 30 MPG

Perhaps the most important thing to know about the new 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon is that—despite appearances—it’s most definitely not a minivan. And it’s not a sport utility vehicle or a crossover, either. But it does provide key ingredients of each, in a Euro-stylish package that is expected to debut as the least-expensive and most fuel-efficient seven-seat vehicle in the country. That will be late next year, although the vehicle also is slated to make its public debut at this month’s 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, where more details will be revealed.

For now, the numbers to note are “7” and “30,” as the former represents the amount of folks that will fit into the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon, while Ford says the vehicle will achieve at least the latter figure when it comes to highway fuel economy.

Now, it’s true that similar entries ranging from the Kia Rondo to the Mazda5 have tried to stake out this territory in the past, without much in the way of success, but the Blue Oval believes that the accelerating trend toward smaller cars and crossovers, complemented by increasing demand for high-value, high-efficiency transportation, means the time is right for the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon—especially since it will be offered in two different wheelbases, with two different engines (including Ford’s 1.6-liter EcoBoost I4) to attract a wider range of buyers.

2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon: What We Know

In the roughly three decades since they were introduced, the modern-day minivans have stopped being so mini. The Dodge competitor, for one, has grown by nearly 30 inches and 1,500 lbs. during that time, although it’s EPA ratings have gone in the opposite direction—from 20 mpg city/26 mpg highway/22 mpg combined to 17/25/20. What Ford wants to do with the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon is to fill the market slot vacated by today’s minivans, but in a way that better meets the current automotive landscape (and with a vehicle that isn’t called a minivan). Consider the following tale of the tape between the Transit Connect Wagon and the 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan, with the Dodge Journey also tossed into the mix as an example of a three-row crossover:

Vehicle

Length

Wheelbase

Max Cargo Vol.

Hwy. EPA Grade

TC Wagon

189.7”

120.6”

+100 cubic feet

+30 mpg

Grand Caravan

202.8”

121.2”

143.8 cubic feet

25 mpg

Journey

192.4”

113.8”

67.6 cubic feet

26 mpg

It’s true that the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon gives away a significant amount of cargo volume to the Grand Caravan, but the Ford’s nimbler dimensions are supposed to provide it with a notably more engaging driving experience that’s enhanced by a turning radius smaller than that of a Honda Accord. You’ll also notice that although the Dodge is much longer than the Ford, the difference between their wheelbases is under an inch, with the Transit Connect Wagon’s relatively long wheelbase delivering proportionally better ride and handling. And the Blue Oval product also supplies a fuel-economy advantage of 5 mpg on the highway.

Making a comparison to the Journey showcases just how little “utility” is offered—or not—by crossovers and sport utilities; and the bigger Dodge Durango, stretching almost 200 inches in length, has a maximum cargo capacity of 84.5 cubic feet—some 15 cubic feet less than in the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon.

Keep in mind as well, that I’m not picking on the domestics here. The new Blue Oval people mover has the same kind of advantages against all of the mainstream minivans.

2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon: Price Points and More

But frankly—and as might have been mentioned before—the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon isn’t meant to compete with the latest batch of minivans but provide a better alternative to them. It’s a commitment that extends to the vehicle’s MSRP, too. If the Transit Connect Wagon is, in fact, the least-expensive seven-seat vehicle in the U.S. when it launches, it will have to wear an MSRP of below $19,995; that’s the starting point for the Grand Caravan in its low-cost American Value Package configuration, and the Dodge is going to remain worth a look against the Ford in that trim.

However, to move up to the higher-volume Grand Caravan SE will cost owners $23,490, providing an advantage of roughly $3,500 for the Ford. And that price for the Dodge is—by far—the lowest of any mainstream minivan on the market today. Here’s another handy little table showing the starting sticker prices of the rest of the top players in the segment, as well as the price premiums as compared to the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon:

Vehicle

MSRP

VS. Ford

Transit Connect Wagon

$19,995

n/a

Nissan Quest

$25,990

+$5,995

Toyota Sienna

$26,435

+$6,440

Honda Odyssey

$28,575

+$8,580

Chrysler Town & Country

$29,995

+$10,000

Needless to say, those kind of pricing benefits can make up for a lot of potential shortcomings in other areas—and it must be said, the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon does have a few: It won’t be available with all-wheel drive, and that can be a difference-maker for some buyers, and it won’t offer a factory-integrated DVD entertainment system for rear-seat occupants—although a dealer-installed setup will be on the options list. Also, while the rear seats in the Ford do fold to create a flat load floor, they don’t come out entirely as they do in traditional minivans.

Oh, and if you’re curious about that Mazda5, it starts at $19,625, puts up an EPA line of 22/28/24 and is a significantly smaller vehicle that holds just six.