2023 Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon Performance

Ford's small passenger van is not a great performer, but it does get the job done. The standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine only develops 162 hp and 144 lb-ft of torque and the larger 2.5-liter engine 169 hp and 171 lb-ft available last year has been dropped, so its the 2.0-liter or nothing. There is enough torque there to give the illusion of some agility when keeping to low speeds around town, but try to accelerate up to 60 mph too rapidly, though, and you'll find the engine quickly running out of breath, especially with a couple of people in the van. Overtaking takes planning and you have to cane the engine hard.

When properly equipped, the Transit Connect can tow up to 2,000 lbs. This is on par with rivals like the Ram ProMaster City Passenger Wagon, and should be enough for the Ford to handle luggage trailers when hauling a full complement of seven passengers. Front-wheel drive is the only option when it comes to small passenger vans, so it's not surprising that the Transit doesn't offer an alternative.

As standard under the hood of every Transit Connect is a 2.0-liter GDI inline-four-cylinder engine, delivering 162 hp and 144 lb-ft to the front wheels only. The engine comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and offers an Eco mode. Even on a smaller van like the Connect, the powertrain doesn't supply enough power to pull it around quickly. There is enough low-end torque to get you and your passengers around town, but try to pass even slower vehicles on the highway, and the engine will run out of steam quickly.

Large, unwieldy vehicles like vans are not known for their impressive fuel economy, but the Transit Connect manages to be quite economical. Equipped with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the 2023 Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon is able to get 24/28/26 mpg across the city/highway/combined cycles. From this year, Ford no longer offers the option to run the van on E85 or CNG. The fuel tank can hold up to 15.8-gallons of regular gasoline, enough to carry the 2.0-liter version of the Transit Connect across 411 miles before needing to refuel.