Seeing the shift to more compact vans here in the States has been quite surprising to me, not in a bad way though. The Ford Transit has been around for a LONG time overseas, so much so that it was just known as a standard vehicle there. I never thought I would be driving a 2015 Ford Transit here in the U.S. and especially while not wheeling around Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, CA. That’s exactly what happened last month during the “Truth About Transit” tour stop here in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I attended a small media event to learn about the new vehicle. All opinions are my own.
Ford Transit Overseas & American Introduction
The commercial vehicle segment has been mostly overlooked in this country. Even so, Ford holds 44.9% of that market. So why not bring its most popular model, a huge player on the roads of Europe for decades, to an already loyal fan base.
In addition to the already established reputation and durability, the 2015 Ford Transit will be outfitted with new features, many customizable options, and CUP HOLDERS! Yes, cup holders have been widely known as an “American” thing in other parts of the world for a while.
Companies are going to love how the Transit can be the ideal vehicle for their needs as they can mix any of the following configurations:
- 3 roof heights (83.6″, 100.8″, 110.1″)
- 2 wheel bases (130″, 148″)
- 3 lengths
- 4 body styles
There are also chassis cab and cutaway models, with additional dimensions, available. Custom upfitting is possible for use as an RV, ambulance, shuttle bus, school activity bus, for building services, and more. On top of that, the Transit is the only vehicle in its class that offers a factory-built 15-passenger seating yet still has room for cargo space.
2015 Ford Transit Commercial Vehicle – Features & Performance
As for new technology, the 2015 Ford Transit can come with:
- Lane-Keeping System with Lane-Keeping Alert and Driver Alert
- Rear view camera with Trailer Hitch Assist
- Reverse Sensing System
- Automatic headlamps with wiper activation
- SYNC and SYNC with MyFord Touch
- Crew Chief
Power mirrors and windows come standard. The long wheel base can come with rear doors that open 270° and are held open via a magnet. You’ll notice that there’s an integrated step in the bumper, pre-fab cut-outs so as not to compromise structure during upfitting, and LED interior lighting is available as an upgrade.
When driving such a large vehicle, the rear view camera really comes in handy. Speaking of the handling, the Transit really rides like a much smaller vehicle. I was surprised by the turning radius and the nimble handling. Those 7 million miles of road testing really paid off! I was also impressed with the Safety Canopy System with Rollover Sensor (full-cabin airbag) that spans the length of the vehicle along the roof.
Buyers can visit Transitupfits.com to order their vehicles with a wrap and any necessary racks or specific builds. Many companies offer custom solutions as well and were on-site to demonstrate this.
The 2015 Ford Transit is versatile to accommodate most business needs. Yet, drivers don’t need to be overwhelmed as the Transit is easy to get accustomed to, has an expansive and useful dash, and is much smoother and quieter than one would expect. Built to last and built to handle the toughest job, you can finally have that and comfort rolled into one commercial vehicle.
