  2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon. Click image to enlarge |
| Manufacturer’s Website Ford Canada |
Preview and photos by Grant Yoxon
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2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon
The minivan is dead. Long live the minivan.
Just when you might have thought that no one could ever improve on the minivan’s traditional one-box design, Ford introduces the Transit Connect Wagon, a minivan that drives like a car, has the flexibility of a sport utility vehicle, and can haul the payload of a full-size pickup.
It is no secret that North American’s love affair with the SUV has been deadly for minivans. Ford and GM essentially left the market, abandoning it to the main players in the segment—Chrysler (Grand Caravan, Town & Country), Toyota (Sienna) and Honda (Odyssey). Even the Koreans have struggled, keeping a toe in the market with the Kia Sedona, but discontinuing the Hyundai Entourage. And Nissan has tried, without much success to get in or back in the minivan market with the Quest.
GM (Chevrolet Orlando), Mazda (Mazda5) and Kia (Rondo) have pitched a compact minivan, again with limited success, to buyers who need six- or seven-passenger seating but not the monthly car payments that come with a full-size minivan (now there’s a contradiction).
Now Ford has introduced a family-friendly hauler that lands somewhere in the middle of the pack, a minivan that has the ability to move up to seven passengers, tow up to 907 kg (2000 lb.) and carry at least a 544-kg (1,200-lb.) payload in its more than 2,830 litres (100 cu. ft.) of cargo space.
 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon. Click image to enlarge |
Based on the Transit Connect commercial van, the 2014 Transit Connect Wagon will be available in two wheelbase lengths, in five- and seven-passenger configurations, and in XL, XLT, and Titanium series levels. Expect trim levels to range from basic to opulent, the latter having such options as a full-glass panoramic roof, rearview camera, 6.5-inch touchscreen display with navigation, and SYNC with MyFord Touch communications and entertainment system.
Other available comfort and convenience features include an electric windshield defroster, rain-sensing wipers, dual sliding glass doors with one-touch up/down second row glass, 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels, trailer tow hitch with trailer sway control, child observation mirror and 12-volt power outlet in the cargo area. A range of seating surfaces, from heavy-duty vinyl to comfortable cloth and luxurious leather can be selected.
