The first baby Transit appeared in Europe in 2002 and the latest is the Transit Courier

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Car Reviewed: Ford Transit Courier Leader

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The USA received the Connect in mid-2009. In 2010, it won the North American Car and Truck of the Year award at the North American Auto Show alongside the Ford Fusion Hybrid. Sadly, it was recently discontinued in North America due to the decline in small van sales.

While there are no plans for a U.S. release, the new Ford Transit Courier van starts at just £21,530 in the UK, making it affordable for smaller businesses.

What’s New?

The Courier’s grown up, and its size isn’t far off the larger Transit Connect. It’s been redesigned and now looks very Ford Explorer-y, although it’s still a van. Like its exterior, the interior has undergone major surgery, meaning it’s now more car-like than ever before.

It’s slightly smaller in height, width and length than a Connect and a Citroen Berlingo, but it still has a 2.9m3 load area.

How Much Can The Courier Take?

Like previous Couriers and Connects, the new one is ideally suited to small businesses that don’t have tonnes of stuff to lug around. Still, it will take a payload between 615kg and 676kg, although Ford offers an option that increases this to 845kg.

I love dogs—we have two, a Siberian Husky and a Shepkita (Akita cross Shepherd). Of course, both are winter breeds, and it’s getting to the time of year when they prefer being outside. This meant searching for a wooden kennel.

Initially, I was set on a larger kennel that could take both dogs at once, but this wasn’t to be as it was 5 inches taller than the Courier’s loading bay. This meant opting for a smaller one, which fit like a glove.

What’s The Courier Like To Drive?

On the road, the Courier feels car-like. My test van was fitted with the 98 bhp 1.5-litre EcoBlue engine and six-speed manual gearbox, although there’s a seven-speed automatic gearbox and more powerful engine options available.

The six-speed box is a pleasure, and the engine has only ever felt underpowered on steeper inclines. On a 68-mile round trip, consisting of town and highway driving, to collect our dog kennel, the Courier returned 54.8 mpg while reaching highs of 58.9 mpg on the single trip computer. These real-world figures aren’t far off Ford’s claimed 55.3 mpg.

What’s The Courier Like Inside?

Gone are the days of analog dials and lifeless interiors. This new van has an 8-inch touchscreen and a digital gauge cluster and Ford has even put effort into adding dynamics to its interior.

There are also a few clicky buttons below the touchscreen, meaning there’s little faff needed to find a menu. Likewise, there’s plenty of storage.

Behind the steering wheel is an open cubby that takes pens or rulers. There’s also a sizeable roof-mounted shelf that runs between the driver and passenger seats, which is ideal for storing notepads or folders.

Despite my test van being the entry-level Leader guise, it still came equipped with automatic lights, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, lane-keep assist, cruise control and traffic sign recognition.

The only downside to its interior is the lack of armrests. I couldn’t spot these under Ford’s optional extras list and it would make long-distance driving that bit more manageable.

Verdict This a superb little van at an excellent price. My test van was just over £23,000 because of some must-have options such as a parking pack (reversing camera), spare wheel, rubber load cover, manual air conditioner, fog lamps, a sliding side door and the striking Cactus Grey paintwork.

Running a business that requires a small van is easier because of its standard equipment levels and its low purchase price.