Machinery
Farmers Guide put the 4wd Ford Transit Leader van through its paces during a week-long test.
All wheel drive makes the Transit a practical option While double-cab pick-ups are likely to remain popular for the foreseeable future, there are some farm tasks for which the extra load capacity and security of a van makes sense. David Williams tried Ford’s 4wd Transit. More than 55 years after the first Ford Transit vans rolled off the production line, the range now includes a huge range of models, specifications and options. For transporting pallets, boxes and sacks by road they are ideal, and popular with farm shops for collecting supplies and for local deliveries. Agricultural machinery dealers, contractors and tyre suppliers use them too, allowing service teams to travel to farms with all their tools and equipment, and with replacement parts under cover protected from weather and theft.
Off-road capability Most vans are designed primarily for use on hard surfaces, and lack the traction and ground clearance needed for operating off-road. However, Ford’s Transit range is also available with 4wd and Farmers Guide put it through its paces during a week-long test – including long-distance road journeys, as well as travelling across fields and along challenging farm tracks. The version supplied for the test was the Transit Leader 2.0 TDCi, 350 MWB High 130PS AWD with a recommended on-the-road price of £38,740, but extras fitted to the test vehicle increased this to £42,875. The Transit range includes three specification levels, although 4wd is only available in the base Leader spec and the top Trail spec, which also includes leather seats, automatic wipers and lights, plus air conditioning and external styling features. Engine options are both 2.0-litres, and 130hp or 170hp. Manual six-speed transmission is standard. The test vehicle supplied was a medium-wheelbase, high roof version with a maximum 3.5t gross vehicle weight, but a standard height model would be cheaper, and probably the preference for most farm situations. The test week included several long road journeys and the performance from the 130hp engine was good. The manual gearbox had wellspaced ratios with plenty of overlap between the gears and it was easy to keep up with other traffic and overtake safely. The Leader specification was
basic, but the hard-wearing fabric seats were practical and comfortable. Visibility is excellent, helped by a huge windscreen and large external mirrors which include wide angled lower sections for a clear view alongside the van. The seats had plenty of adjustment and were supportive and comfortable. The foot brake pedal is uncomfortably high, which means the driver has to lift his feet and then push down making smooth braking difficult. The ride was firm but comfortable and the van handled very well on all types of road. Fuel consumption on longer journeys averaged 32.5mpg.
Comfort and practicality The test vehicle was equipped with an optional 8in colour touchscreen which displays media including radio stations and links to Apple phones for full CarPlay functionality. The image is clear and bright and settings are easy to adjust and it was
easy to use the screen to display navigation maps from the phone. The main dashboard is well laid out, the instruments are clear and easy to see and it took only a short while to get used to the trip computer menus and functions. Air conditioning isn’t included in the base specification Transit, although the loan vehicle had an optional manual system fitted. Heating and cooling performance were excellent, and it took only a few minutes to achieve a suitable temperature in the small cab. Many tractor manufacturers could learn from the Transit’s creative storage solutions, and little space is wasted. There are handy pockets, trays and compartments of all sizes wherever you look, and the challenge at the end of the test week was ensuring no small items had been left behind as there were so many places to check.
Extremely capable The off-road test drive followed several days of heavy rain, making it ideal for evaluating the 4wd. Standard 2wd is through the rear axle, but a button continued over…
With 4wd selected, the Transit tackled rutted farm tracks with ease.
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