Ford Transit Connect

With the 2014 redesign, the Transit Connect is sold as a minivan alternative. It has very good ride and agile handling, but remains a rudimentary vehicle at heart. It has an underpowered four-cylinder, low-rent interior, cumbersome folding seats, and a skimpy feature set. Unlike a minivan, you don't get power doors or a rear-seat entertainment system, and even Bluetooth connectivity costs extra. The base four-cylinder managed only 21 mpg, and we see little indication that the up-level 1.6-liter turbo four would do much better. 2019 models were freshened with two new engines: A 2.0-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine and an optional 1.5-liter, four-cylinder diesel that's expected to get 30 mpg in highway driving. Both are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Handling is quite agile, defying the perception of a van, and the ride is steady. The Transit Connect Wagon seats either five or seven. New for 2019 is a 6.5-inch touch screen with Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system, available wireless phone charging, and standard 4G LTE WiFi connectivity with a subscription. The 2019 model also included standard forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, along with optional blind spot warning.

Early versions of the Transit Connect were intended primarily for commercial use, this tall van is based on the Focus and packs an impressive amount of room. With its boxy shape and very tall roof, you'd be challenged to find more passenger space for the money.