2020 Ford Transit Gets New Engines, Crew Van

You wouldn’t know it from looking at it, but there’s a lot going on with the Ford Transit for 2020. While the exterior styling hasn’t changed much – three slightly different grille choices and available HID headlights with LED surrounds are pretty much the extent of the changes – interior styling includes a new dash design, more durable seat fabrics and optional swivelling front seats for RV customers. There’s also a new crew van configuration that offers a power sliding side door and can accommodate five passengers across two rows of seating.

The big news happens under the hood as two all-new engines and a 10-speed transmission will be available for 2020. Gas models will also be available with all-wheel drive capability. 

The new engines include a bi-turbo 2.0 L diesel, with a new 3.5 L naturally-aspirated V6 replacing the outgoing 3.7 L model. The 3.5 L EcoBoost turbo returns to the fold for 2020. Expect power figures closer to launch, but Ford has said that for 2020 the diesel engine will make more torque than the outgoing 3.2 L option. Payload also increases as the GVWR for the cutaway vans goes from just under 4,700 kg to just under 5,000 kg. The diesel also comes with an auto start/stop feature.

Driving aid-wise, Ford is calling the 2020 model the “smartest Transit ever”, as it gets pre-collision assist, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, post-collision braking, lane-keep assist and auto high beams as standard equipment. Adaptive cruise control front/rear camera and adjustable speed limiter are also available. Transit passenger vans, meanwhile, get blind spot assist with trailer coverage and cross-traffic alert as standard, while Advanced Park assist self-parking is also available.

It seems that even vans can’t get away from connected tech and infotainment these days, so the 2020 Transit gets a 4G LTE hotspot with connectivity up to 10 devices, as well as SYNC 3 tech featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Fleet managers will benefit from various Ford data and telematics services for GPS tracking, performance indicators and maintenance alerts.

Watch for more details on power, chassis configuration and pricing closer to the 2020 Ford Transit’s release date in fall.