Earlier this year, Ford of Europe announced the Transit Custom and Tourneo Custom Active models, alongside new Trail variants of the Transit and Transit Custom vans.
Now it’s time to learn more about the new Tourneo Connect Active people mover and Transit Connect Active van, which bring rough-road capability wrapped in bolder styling.
As with other Active-badged Ford models, the Transit Connect Active and Tourneo Connect Active adopt SUV styling cues including rugged-looking skid plates and body cladding, standard roof rails, as well as a raised ride height (by 24 mm / 0.94 in at the front and 9 mm (0.35 in) at the rear).
See Also: Ford Transit And Tourneo Vans Get SUV-ified With New Trail and Active Models In Europe
Other upgrades include 17-inch Active alloys, a signature Active mesh grille, two new colors (Sedona Orange and Solar Silver), and ‘Active’ badges and decals on the front fenders and tailgate.
Available to order soon across Europe for delivery from the end of this year, the Transit Connect Active and Tourneo Connect Active can be had with an optional mechanical limited-slip differential (mLSD) co-developed with Quaife for improved traction. The models also share a bespoke Traction Control configuration to harmonize the system more effectively with the characteristics of the mLSD.
Inside, the new Active variants also sport signature finishes including exclusive seat trim patterns and stitching, blue contrast detailing, Active branding, and metallic scuff plates on the front door sills. Advanced driver assistance and comfort technologies are also on the menu. Ford says that these upgrades do not impact on the vehicles’ flexible and spacious interiors.
The Tourneo Connect Active continues to offer five- and seven-seat versions, while the Transit Connect Active retains the regular model’s cargo volume of 2.9 cubic meters (102.4 cu ft) for the standard wheelbase or 3.6 cubic meters (127.1 cu ft) for the long wheelbase, as well as the maximum payload of 982 kg (2,165 lbs).
Both vans share Ford’s 1.5-liter EcoBlue turbo diesel engine, available with 100 PS (99 HP) or 120 PS (118 HP) power outputs. Six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions are available, with the mLSD available on the more powerful engine in combination with the manual gearbox.
