Ford Transit Passenger Van 2021 Review

Whether you're transporting an entire baseball team, hauling around three string quartets, or moving around a dozen bakers, there's nothing more appropriate for the job than a full-size passenger van such as 2021 Ford Transit. It comes in a variety of configurations, can seat as many as 15 passengers, and offers a high-roof option to make it possible for passengers to stand up on the inside.

For 2021, Ford has eliminated the Transit's optional diesel engine. This might be a disappointment to some buyers, but we still think the standard 3.5-liter V6 and Ford's optional turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine are worthy choices. Ford has also added a number of option packages to help preconfigure the Transit for specific purposes.

Overall, the Transit passenger van should easily impress most people shopping commercial and recreational vans. Read our Expert Rating below for all the details on what the Transit offers and it performs as a people mover.

Which Transit Passenger Van does MatoCar recommend?

The 2021 Ford Transit Passenger Van is a full-size passenger van offered in two trims: XL and XLT. There are standard- and long-wheelbase models as well as low-, medium- and high-roof body styles. An extended-length body can be had on the long-wheelbase chassis.

The base Transit Passenger Van is the 150, but there's also the heavy-duty Transit 350 with increased payload capacities. The passenger capacity ranges from five all the way up to 15 depending on the body style and optional seating configurations.

Engines include a 3.5-liter V6 (275 horsepower, 262 lb-ft of torque) and an optional turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 (310 hp, 400 lb-ft). A 10-speed automatic transmission is standard as is rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available as an option.

XL Standard features for the XL passenger van include:

• Sliding passenger-side door
• Vinyl flooring
• Cargo area tie-downs
• Power windows, locks and mirrors
• Keyless entry
• Manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
• Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity
• 4-inch audio display
• Four-speaker stereo
• Two USB ports

Standard driver safety aids are bundled into the Ford Co-Pilot360 package and include:

• Forward collision warning (alerts you of a possible collision with the car in front)
• Automatic emergency braking (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time)
• Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
• Automatic high-beam headlights

XLT The XLT adds to the standard equipment with:

• Foglights
• Full-length carpeting
• Upgraded infotainment system with Ford's Sync 3 software
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and trailer coverage (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
• Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)

Other options can be ordered alone or come as part of packages. Highlights include:

• Upgraded axle ratios
• 60/40-split hinged passenger-side door (low roof)
• 8-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Extended-range 31-gallon fuel tank
• Running boards
• Cruise control
• Remote start
• Integrated trailer brake controller (allows adjustment of a trailer's brakes from the cabin)
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Transit and the car in front)

A few option packages that bundle features for certain van uses were added for 2021. They include:

• Livery package
• Builders Prep package
• Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow package