Overview & Specs

The van

2021 Ford Transit, high roof, 148” wheelbase (non-extended), AWD. Colour: Carbonized Grey Metallic — which was a distinctive choice until Amazon deployed their entire fleet in the same shade.

We bought it deep in the pandemic, which means we didn’t really buy it so much as inherit someone else’s custom order. Another buyer had walked away from a piece of paper in the Ford build queue. We couldn’t change a thing about it — we just got what we got.

As it turned out, what we got was pretty good.

What we got right (lucky)

High roof — non-negotiable. Standing up is not a luxury. If you’re genuinely 5’6 you can get away with a medium roof and gain some fuel economy, but for most people the high roof is the right choice.

148” wheelbase, non-extended. The extended version (“big booty edition”) adds usable cargo length but costs you in maneuverability and parking. The non-extended 148 fits in a standard F-150 parking spot, which matters more than you’d think in practice. It also fits on BC Ferries without the oversize surcharge.

Not white. We thought all white vans looked like delivery vans and wanted something different, which was distinctive until Amazon used this color for their fleet. Arguably, “white with graphics or decals” is actually a fine option, especially if you’re going to hot places where a white (or light) paint job reduces heat absorbtion.

Upfitter wiring package and switches. Ford’s upfitter package runs pre-wired circuits to a switch bank in the dash — clean, fused, and ready for accessories. Highly recommend specifying this if you’re ordering new and you’re sure you want certain high-power accessories wired into the main van circuit (light bar, winch, air-suspension, that kind of thing)

4.11 axle ratio. More torque to the wheels at the expense of fuel economy at highway speeds. Worth it for mountain driving. Our Transit never feels underpowered and I think that’s partly the ratio.

GVWR

We have the 9,050 lb GVWR package, slightly above the base spec. You probably don’t need to go above 10,000 lbs on this spec — that’s a very heavy van — but the bottom-of-the-line 8500 might be too little. Either way we wouldn’t recommend building a van that’s going to push past 9,000 lbs loaded.

Ours hits that limit fully loaded: two people, a dog, full water tanks, and a complete Dempster-ready recovery kit. It’s fine — the van is rated for it — but there’s no headroom left.

The weight concern also comes up with brakes, which we get into more on the exterior page.

What we didn’t get

No EcoBoost (turbo). We have the base 3.5L V6, which has been completely fine — but we’d probably spec EcoBoost if we were ordering fresh. More power, arguably better highway fuel economy.

No tow hitch. If you think you’ll ever want one, spec it from the factory — adding a hitch after the fact is expensive annoying. A lot of van builders now use a rear ‘platform’ for bikes, a cargo box, or a spare tire that doesn’t need a traditional hitch receiver, so skipping it is a legitimate call. Just make it consciously.

No CarPlay. We have the most basic Ford infotainment system. It works, and the audio is surprisingly decent, but the screen is tiny. Van number 2 will have CarPlay from the factory.

No adaptive cruise, blind spot alert, or parking assist. These exist on higher trim Transits. Our van doesn’t have them and I think we’d like them on van number two.

Transit vs. Sprinter

We’re in Canada, which narrows it down fast: if you want 4x4 or AWD in a full-size van, your options are essentially the Ford Transit AWD or the Mercedes Sprinter 4x4. We test drove both.

The Transit drives like a big minivan. The Sprinter drives like a large van. If you’ve driven both you know what that means; if you haven’t, the Ford is just noticeably more car-like in feel.

Ford dealers are everywhere; Sprinter servicing is more specialized and sometimes pricier. Sprinter diesel owners occasionally deal with diesel exhaust fluid issues that can trigger limp mode — less common now, and plenty of people run them without trouble, but it was in our thinking. The Ford also came in cheaper. We’re also just Ford people, which is its own kind of reason.

One real Sprinter advantage worth knowing: the 144” Sprinter 4x4 has significantly better factory approach and departure angles than the Transit. If serious off-pavement capability is your priority, that’s a real difference. The Transit can be improved — we did improve it — but the Sprinter starts from a better place geometrically.

What about bigger vans?

The Transit 148 extended or Sprinter 170 would give you more living space. We think about this occasionally, especially as the appeal of a slightly more comfortable bedroom grows. But the mid-size wheelbase fits on ferries without surcharge, parks in normal spots, handles backcountry roads without constant anxiety, and doesn’t feel like you’re driving a bus.

We’d reconsider for van number 2. But we haven’t yet.

Cabin upgrades

On the CarPlay front: we ended up solving it cheaply rather than properly. You can buy a dedicated CarPlay screen — roughly 10 inches diagonal, wide letterbox format, about three inches tall — that just sticks on the dash. Ours was around $100. It handles maps and navigation while audio still runs through Bluetooth to the factory speakers. It works well enough that we’ve stopped thinking about it.

Replacing the head unit in the Transit is the other option, but it’s not as simple as it sounds. The factory stereo is wired into the steering wheel controls, so you need about $500 worth of integration hardware before you’ve even bought a new unit. For a base-spec stereo that’s only mediocre, that math didn’t work for us.

The real lesson is the same one that keeps coming up: if you want a decent screen, spec it from the factory. Paying Ford’s upgrade price at order time is almost certainly cheaper and cleaner than any aftermarket fix.

Further reading

If you’re still in the van selection phase, these are worth your time:

• FarOutRide — How to choose your van — thorough breakdown of all the major options
• OurKaravan — Why we chose the Sprinter — a well-reasoned case for the other side
• Gear Junkie — Transit vs. Sprinter vs. ProMaster — good quick comparison if you want a third opinion