Car Reviews
Looking at the 2015 Ford Transit Commercial Van
[hightlightp]People who know me or took a look at my hunting picture in my bio card, know that I am a hunting fanatic. If I could hunt and drive cars for a living, I WOULD! However, since this isn’t my reality {yet!}, I have to settle with dreaming. And for me that’s where this 2015 Ford Transit (Monster) Van left me…dreaming. Not in such a bad way but this power hauler made me really want to turn this beast into the ultimate hunter’s dream traveling machine. Let me explain why I feel this was the Van for me and hope you see all the perks to this basic yet versatile driving machine.[/hightlightp]
Exterior: Let’s talk about the sheer monstrosity of an appearance that this thing has. The one we were provided was a 148-inch long wheelbase, which meant we could pretty much haul anything we could fit in there. This power hauler comes in 3 different wheel base and height options ranging from 246.7 cu. ft. all the way to 487.3 cu. ft. in the Long Wheel base with extended body. Ours was medium height and we were able to accommodate a 6ft 1in person comfortably standing. This Van came with your typical driver and passenger doors but the back doors vary depending on what wheelbase you get. For the shorter 130 in. wheelbase you get 180 degree swing-out doors and on the longer wheelbase you get 270 degree swing-out… this to me doesn’t make much sense and I am sure there is a good reason for it but since we didn’t have a 130 in. wheelbase to compare it to we, at txGarage, won’t know why. But that doesn’t really bother us because either way you look at this Van, it is a powerhouse and it’s up to handle the tasks at hand.
Under the Hood: Now we get to talk about efficiency under the hood that powers this beast. It was hard for me to believe we got as much power as we did from the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine. But it’s low-end power all the way to the torque available even at higher demands put this ride as one that I know could power my hunter’s dream traveling machine. The only other Van experiences I can compare this to are the old E-Series Vans, which turns out this engine is rated better than the old E-Series 6.8L V10 at fuel economy. Speaking of which; I was consistently averaging 17 MPG, both City and Highway because let’s face it, I wanted to feel how much power this thing had. I am sure that if you took it a little easier than I did or were more cost-conscious you would get what the EPA estimates, which is 14 City and 19 HWY. There are other fuel options available but we had the gas engine, which delivered more power than expected so I know this engine will hold up for the hard working. This big machine has a payload of 3,060, which should be more than enough for what I would use it for but if you needed more you can get an extra 1500 lbs with a dual rear axle. This Van came equipped with a towing package that can handle close to 9,000 lbs., so between the towing and payload this is the machine that could handle pretty much anything you asked of it.
Interior: As plain as it may sound when reading from Ford’s website, it’s actually a pretty beefy upgrade for the interior of any Van especially from the E-Series. When you climb in this cockpit you notice theres a HUGE windshield that allows you to almost see the ground beneath your feet (not really but really close). We got the base model that didn’t have the nice big display but nonetheless it was a decent experience getting my bluetooth hooked up. But if I were you, I’d get the one with upgraded display. This comes with typical SYNC just as Ford’s do but the bigger display allows for easier connectivity to your device and less headache overall. Not to mention the smaller display doesn’t offer much of a view when you’re trying to back this thing up using the backup camera. It is important to note, that it’s a little difficult backing this one up because it didn’t have any side windows to check your surroundings. Which is another small reason to get the upgraded display. But other than that this EcoBoost Van will surely suffice to fit your needs and everything your might ask of it to do in typical everyday use.
One picture that is on their website for a use of this van is a Welder. I will say most welders I know, will choose a flatbed pickup truck over this but once they see the safety features and think of security they might like this Van a little more. I can say after my time with it, it was up to the task. The exterior massiveness combined with the engine cost-consciousness along with all the things you’re capable of customizing on the interior, really makes this a vehicle that I would love to have as a vehicle I travel to and from hunting destinations comfortably. This is just what I would use this for but just know this Van is up to the challenge!