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Ford Tourneo Connect

So you think your car's pretty tough... Hard enough to go six rounds with the weekend traffic and still have the energy to propel a family and its luggage across the country. But what happens when the work starts and the vehicle has to turn its hand to business?

By Dieter Rodatz

July 2002

So you think your car's pretty tough... Hard enough to go six rounds with the weekend traffic and still have the energy to propel a family and its luggage across the country. But what happens when the work starts and the vehicle has to turn its hand to business?

If the idea of filling the back seat of your shiny new Ford Mondeo with three bags of cement turns you cold then you might like to take a look at this: the Tourneo Connect, a van-based people carrier created to deal with anything life can throw at it.

Expected to cost around ΂£14,000 and aimed at rivals such as the Renault Kangoo and Mercedes Vaneo, the Connect is powered by a choice of 1.8-litre petrol and diesel engines. With its no-frills cabin and impressive access, it blends affordability with durability, interior versatility and comfort.

Because it was designed as a commercial vehicle, the new Ford bene-fits from upgraded security systems, high-strength steel bodywork and service intervals of up to 15,000 miles. But while the Tourneo looks big from the outside, it's not until you slide behind the wheel that you realise exactly how vast the car is.

Functional rather than stylish, the Connect's cabin offers a huge variety of useful cubbyholes capable of swallowing even the bulkiest of hand luggage, while the array of exposed plastic looks and feels hard-wearing. Meanwhile, the glass area is simply enormous, and the view of the road ahead is virtually uninterrupted by A-pillars.

At the rear, there's a generous and easy-to-load boot, which can be accessed either via the rear or through the sliding doors on the side. Should you need even more room, the seats can be easily folded to liberate a massive 3,410 litres of stowage space. While a tour of the interior is likely to leave you open-mouthed in sheer amazement, though, the real surprise doesn't come until you turn the key. Despite the Connect's commercial origins, our 1.8-litre TDCi-engined test model felt every inch as refined as a car.

There's little in the way of vibration and noise from the 90bhp engine, and the five-speed gearbox is both light and simple to use. Long-distance cruising is made easy thanks to 220Nm of torque.

The steering feels direct and, although the car is equipped with suspension designed to cope with load-lugging, the ride is surprisingly good. It has no real right to, though, as a close inspection of the technical specification reveals a crude leaf spring set-up at the rear and MacPherson strut arrangement at the front. The brakes are powerful, too, and were fitted with ABS on our car. Practicality is further enhanced by the Connect's 167mm ground clearance and 800kg payload potential. It may look expensive compared to its French rivals, but the hard-working Connect will earn its keep.

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FIRST OPINION

    If you want practicality, versatility and affordability, and don't care about convention, you can't ignore the Tourneo Connect. Comfortable, refined and well built, it's one of the most impressive new cars we've tried this year. It won't be a mainstream success, but the Ford is way ahead in this niche.
 

AT A GLANCE

    Ford Tourneo Connect out in August, priced around £14,000
    Seats five and has 3,410-litre load area. Car-like to drive
    Petrol or diesel engines offered
     
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