Photo courtesy of Ford.

Photo courtesy of Ford.

Ford debuted the 2019 Transit Connect Wagon with new gasoline and diesel powertrains, a new eight-speed transmission, and a suite of safety technology as standard equipment at the Chicago Auto Show.

The passenger-hauling compact van is available in two wheelbases that can accommodate five or seven passengers and is offered in three trim levels — XL, XLT, and Titanium. The third-generation 2019 Transit Connect will go on sale in the fall of 2018.

On the exterior, the 2019 Transit Connect has a new front-end design incorporating the Ford-themed grille, which offers HID headlamps with LED lighting and LED fog lamps. Transit Connect Wagon offers dual sliding side doors and is available with roof rails that allow a number of accessories to be fitted to roof.

The 2019 Transit Connect Wagon can be powered by either a gasoline and diesel engine. The standard engine is a new 2.0L GDI four-cylinder gasoline engine with direct injection that comes with Auto Start-Stop. The engine is mated to a new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Also new for the 2019 Transit Connect Wagon is a class-exclusive diesel engine. The 1.5L EcoBlue diesel engine is targeted for an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of at least 30 mpg on the highway. The diesel engine is also paired with the new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Photo courtesy of Ford.

Photo courtesy of Ford.

The short wheelbase version of the Transit Connect Wagon has a turning radius of 38.3 feet to facilitate maneuvering in congested urban fleet applications. The long wheelbase version offers increased interior cargo volume. The 2019 Transit Connect Wagon will have a segment-exclusive third-row seating. The second and third row seats can fold flat to provide cargo-carrying capability. There are 12-volt power ports for passenger use in the second and third row seats.

The Transit Connect Wagon will offer a towing capability of 2,000 pounds when paired with the available trailer tow package.

There are seven new standard driver-assist technologies including standard Automatic Emergency Braking, which is included with the Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. Also available is Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert, and a Lane Keeping System.

On the interior, there is a redesigned dashboard with available 6.5-inch touchscreen, a digital driver information center in the cluster, and available wireless charging for a mobile device. There is an embedded 4G LTE modem as standard equipment.

About the author
Mike Antich

Mike Antich

Former Editor and Associate Publisher

Mike Antich covered fleet management and remarketing for more than 20 years and was inducted into the Fleet Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Global Fleet of Hal in 2022. He also won the Industry Icon Award, presented jointly by the IARA and NAAA industry associations.

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