A Review of the new Transit T280 as a hire vehicle.

Date: 08.01.2008

We had seen a number of new model transits on the road since October 2006 and liked what we saw. So, we anxiously awaited the delivery of our batch of new model transits.

On paper there was not really much in it, dimensions were pretty much the same and equipment levels were comparable. The new model has a much touted 100 bhp 2.4 engine, same capacity as the old but a useful extra 10 bhp. There was a 115bhp 6 speed option to choose from and the cost was not too much over the 100bhp, we decided against these as for the van rental industry they probably did not make much sense.

The first of the new models turned up in artic white, it’s a far lighter shade of white than the previous generation, our new connect units actually are the same colour. On the Transit, it works very well contrasting strongly against the trim and bumpers.

Visually, the transit has has a bit of a facelift. The front bumper now extends up towards the bonnet, headlamps are now Perspex covered one piece units. The rear light clusters have been dressed up and elongated a bit and the passenger side rear do has a stop light built into it a the top. It may just be me but I think Ford have widened the track a bit. The tyre width has gr

own by 1cm, which in no bad thing as I always though the 185mm width on the older generation to be a bit weedy.

Internally the changes are myriad. The dash looks like it came out of a focus and the steering wheel is smaller and nicely contoured for grip. The older style steering wheel was not great and was made of solid plastic, which tended to be freezin

g in the morning and was not something to be holding with greasy hands. The seating has really improved, the seats offer far more support and also a couple of more adjustments to find a nice driving position.

Control stalks around the steering column have also been redesigned, they are a little shorter and seem to be pretty robust. Ford have seen fit to do away with the ashtray, which is great since we used to take them out anyway. The centre console comes with a fold-down drinks holder tray, it’s a nice idea but does take up a fair bit of dash.

There is a new drivers compartment above the instrument cluster, this also sports a 12v outlet, very handy for GPS units or just charging your phone and not worrying about it sliding around the cab.

Although the first thing we noticed about the interior was the position of the gear lever, no longer is there a 3 ft stalk jutting out of the floor, ford had been so kind to dash mount it. The new levers position is excellent and feels just right. One thing that hire customers will really appreciate is how easy it is to see the position of gears on the lever without the need to look down.

It was time to take one out for a run. Upon starting the engine it became apparent how refined this new diesel unit is. Where the older generation needed a little coaxing and love from glow plugs, the new unit pre-heats quickly and purrs into life with no drama. The 100bhp unit could not be more different than its predecessor, it climbs through the rev range quickly and gathers speed in a way the previous generation could not. The new engine is obviously using a much faster spooling turbocharger as the engine suffers very little lag. The steering is also a revelation, it actually provides a good deal of feedback from the road, something the older generation could never muster. The suspension tweaks also have paid dividends, the new model feels far more alert on the road and handles changes in direction and road surfaces with far more agility. I remember turning to my passenger and remarking that this van is the most car like that I have ever driven.

As for fuel economy, I do not know, but the new generation has a trip computer so it should be easy enough for us to figure out by asking customers how much fuel they used vs. distance travelled. But from my initial drive I would expect economy to be slightly better, since the unit does not need to be driven as hard as the previous model.

So all is perfect then?
Well, actually, no. Ford have scrapped the older generation key with separate remote and moved to a new design which recharges from the ignition. My key failed within a week , which resulted in having to get a warranty replacement from Ford. This key issue does not look like it is an isolated case and I reckon they will cause us serious problems in the future unless Ford bring out a new version.

Another feature we dislike is the automatic central locking, once you exceed around 10 miles per hour, the rear cargo bay auto locks itself. This is a bit annoying, and I can see couriers disliking this feature, I’m not sure if ford have a method for disabling it.

All in all a very good van, but with some niggles that Ford will have to iron out.