Anyone have a Ford Transit Connect?

[Fredwina]

Another couple of options that will be coming to the US market are the Fiat Doblo and Ducato. A lot more options for bike haulers

[emily_in_nc]

Another couple of options that will be coming to the US market are the Fiat Doblo and Ducato. A lot more options for bike haulers

When, Fredwina? Any idea?

Thanks!

[snapdragen]

You can get a Transit with seats - it's the "wagon" version. They didn't have any vans, except for one Mercedes at the auto show. I fell in love with a Mercedes station wagon. Comfy!

[OakLeaf]

I just saw a Nissan panel van going down the road and thought of this thread. They're going to be coming out with a compact version later this year, too. http://www.nissancommercialvehicles.com/nv

[emily_in_nc]

I just saw a Nissan panel van going down the road and thought of this thread. They're going to be coming out with a compact version later this year, too. http://www.nissancommercialvehicles.com/nv

I commented on those above. We were actually all gung-ho about the NV2500 until we read about the horrible gas mileage and very poor resale. The latter doesn't bother us as much as the former. Perhaps the compact ones coming out later this year will be an improvement.

[OakLeaf]

Oh, missed that, sorry. Still, the high roof, heavy duty version reviewed by C&D is almost two feet taller and 600# heavier than the 1500. That height especially has to kill the fuel mileage. MotorWeek rates the 4-liter standard roof 2500 at 16.8 mpg - no Prius, but not *so* bad for a truck.

Would a pickup with a tall cap meet your needs?

[emily_in_nc]

Oh, missed that, sorry. Still, the high roof, heavy duty version reviewed by C&D is almost two feet taller and 600# heavier than the 1500. That height especially has to kill the fuel mileage. MotorWeek rates the 4-liter standard roof 2500 at 16.8 mpg - no Prius, but not *so* bad for a truck.

Would a pickup with a tall cap meet your needs?

Not sure about that...when we lived in rural NC, we owned a full-size pickup with a regular-height cap, and it was okay, but the bed was so high up it was difficult to manuever stuff into and out of, hard to get in and out of in general (I'm only 5'2"), and the gas mileage was bad. A high-roof cap would make it worse, I think. I just really like the idea of a van with a lower cargo bed height and easier to get in and out of. Guess I shouldn't rule a pickup out, even though I don't think of myself as a pickup person at all.

If only they made mini-vans without all the extra seats we don't need...I like the cavernous cargo space of them, and the comfort for traveling. For example, the Honda Odyssey, which gets many thumbs up from owners.

Looked up the Chrysler versions of the Fiat vans, and they look promising from a design standpoint, but I have a negative connotation of Fiats ("Fix it again Tony") and Chrysler. I would be scared to buy one the first model year, I think. They're nice looking, though.

[Fredwina]

When, Fredwina? Any idea?

Thanks!

2014 Model year.