2017 Bikesales Bike of the Year support vehicle: Ford Transit 350L

A major motorcycle comparison test requires some major backup, so we called on Ford's recently updated Transit 350L to lend a hand…

With eight bikes on the recent Bikesales Bike of the Year mega-test and a packed four-day schedule of riding, photography and filming, we couldn't leave anything to chance – and that meant we needed a thoroughly dependable support vehicle.

Ford Australia answered the call with its Transit 350L, the two-tonne big brother of the medium-size Transit Custom, and a van eminently capable of shouldering all our gear and even a few bikes if need be.

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This particular model, a front-drive 350L, has been recently updated and for the first time comes with a six-speed automatic transmission, which delivers the urge from a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder EcoBlue engine. The Euro 6-compliant unit produces up to 125kW/405Nm, compared to the Euro 5-compliant 2.2-litre engine's 114kW/385Nm – the latter is still found in rear-drive Transit variants.

In meeting those stricter Euro 6 emissions standards, the Transit has moved to a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, and so has an AdBlue tank in addition to its regular diesel tank. The technology has been around in heavier commercial trucks for several years now, and is now steadily spreading throughout the lighter commercial classes.

Other changes include increased service intervals (now 30,000km, up from 15,000km, or every 12 months – whatever comes first) and an increased warranty (now three years and 200,000km, up from three years and 100,000km).

Meanwhile, inside the cab, the updated Transit features a larger 6.0-inch multimedia touchscreen and Ford's SYNC3 infotainment system, with voice commands and smartphone interfaces spanning Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Meanwhile, on the safety front, Ford has added Side Wind Stabilisation to a comprehensive suite of safety features.

Dimensions and payload
Our long wheelbase (3750mm) model came with a mid roof and a generous 2125mm ceiling height. With a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3550kg and a gross combination mass (GCM) of 4250kg, this particular van has a healthy payload of 1203kg and a maximum braked towing capacity of 1800kg.

The load bay is a cavernous area that's tailor made for shifting a load. The load floor height is low and our test vehicle's sturdy plastic floor liner is complemented by full-height plywood protection, while there's a chunky grab rail by the nearside sliding door and 10 tough tie-down anchor points.

Rounding out the space is a full steel bulkhead with a small observation window, a 12-volt auxiliary power socket and four overhead lights. Our test vehicle came with 50/50 barn-style doors that swing out and around to nearly 270 degrees, where they're then held in place by large magnets. The rear glass wasn't fitted with wipers, but then vision out the back through the small bulkhead observation window isn't that great anyway.

Even with luggage for 11 people plus toolkits, first-aid kit, jerry cans and more, the load barely scratched the surface of the Transit's potential. Thankfully this situation didn't change, as we never needed to call on the van for bike-carrying duties over the course of the test.

Easy driving
The addition of the automatic transmission has made an already easy-to-drive vehicle even more accessible, and with a sub-4.5-tonne GVM this sizeable workhorse can still be legally driven on a standard car licence.

The six-speed auto shifts cleanly through its pragmatic ratios, our only complaint concerning the pattern of the shifter. It has a manual mode found at the bottom of the pattern, which means that unless you're totally familiar with it, or you take your eyes off the road and actually look at the shifter while shifting, it's all too easy to accidentally select manual and then have to move the shifter up a notch to engage auto. It's a minor irritation, not a deal breaker.

As for performance, the new 2.0-litre EcoBlue engine is a great little unit. Acceleration from a standing start is brisk, especially once you hit 2000rpm, with plenty of urge on tap to 4000rpm and beyond. Redline is indicated at 4500rpm, while at 100km/h in sixth gear the engine is quietly ticking over at 2000rpm.

Speaking of noise, when underway the cabin is pleasantly quiet in the Transit, only a bit of engine noise intruding upon the solitude when the pedal's down. This is helped no end by the substantial steel bulkhead, which was pleasingly devoid of any creaks and groans.

The fabric-upholstered driver's seat is large and comfortable and the perch provides a good view over the cars ahead. There's an inboard adjustable driver's armrest and general vision through the windscreen and to the rear via the sizeable standard and spot mirrors is good.

Reverse psychology
Our test van was fitted with a reversing camera and this is a big step up from the older unit. Now displayed on the crisp and large 6.5-inch touchscreen, it also features predictive guides to make easing the big Transit into tighter spots a fraught-free affair.

The reversing camera (with trailer hitch assistant) is a part of Ford's $2100 City Nav Pack Auto, the package also comprising the 6.5-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation, front and rear parking sensors, and front fog lamps.

Cab storage is reasonable thanks to a massive area under the passenger seats, twin outboard parcel shelves and a generous glovebox, plus a concealed dash-top bin and generous door side pockets.

There's a cup/bottle holder right where the driver would want it, high on the dash by the quarter window, plus another for the passenger and a two more cup holders on the fold-out centre section of the middle seat, which also has a small workspace and an elastic strap to secure a clip board.

Composed road manners
Rest assured the new and improved Transit covers all bases when it comes to features, functions and pure utility, but it's the drive that will immediately impress anyone considering a purchase. Even with our minimal load the Transit's ride was supple and compliant, without any of the harshness that usually afflicts commercial vehicle built to handle a hefty load.

And while we didn't push near its payload limit on this test, previous tests with decent payloads have proven to us in no uncertain terms that the two-tonne transit can handle some hard work.

Despite its easy ride, the Transit still handles well enough through the bends, where it displays a negligible degree of body roll given its height and weight. Its four-wheel disc-brake setup also answers the call, hauling the van down from speed with surety and confidence.

The steering is secure yet not overly heavy. The leather-wrap wheel with integrated controls for audio, cruise control and more adds a real touch of class, while the 13.3-metre turning circle is par for the course for a van of this length.

And did we mention the fuel economy? Over this entire four-day run, which spanned fairly enthusiastic runs up and over the Snowy Mountains and chasing the heels of some high-performance bikes, the Transit returned an average of 9.7lt/100km.

Granted, the load was light, but that's good going in a large vehicle like this, although we should point out this EcoBlue model only scores a 72-litre tank as opposed to 2.2-litre models' 100 litres. Even so, based on that economy we're talking a safe working range of over 700 kilometres.

As for negatives, the heating and cooling controls are a bit of a stretch away and there are no A-pillar grab handles, which would make entering the cab that little bit easier.

Summing up
If you're in the market for a large van, Ford's modern Transit platform really does deserve close consideration. These days it's packed with most of the modern amenities you'd find in your average passenger car, and indeed with the auto transmission and easy steering it's no harder than a car to manage on the road.

The Transit 350L EcoBlue accomplished all we asked of it on this frenetic four-day test. Add in the larger multimedia screen and the arrival of side wind stabilisation, and from $51,380 plus on-roads the new Transit 350L EcoBlue represents good value in this hotly contested commercial category.

2017 Ford Transit 350L EcoBlue specifications:
Price: $53,480 plus ORC (as tested)
Engine: 2.0-litre EcoBlue in-line four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Power: 125kW (170hp) at 3500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1750-2500rpm
Emissions: Euro 6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Configuration: 4x2
Front suspension: Independent MacPherson strut
Rear suspension: Single leaf spring
GVM: 3550kg
Fuel capacity: 72lt
Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS and electronic brake force distribution
Safety: Dynamic Stability Control with ABS, traction control, Roll Over Mitigation, Load Adaptive Control; six airbags, Side Wind Stabilisation and more
Warranty: Three years/100,000 kilometres
www.ford.com.au

2017 Bikesales Bike of the Year support vehicle: Ford Transit 350L

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