It’s a long name for a car, we know… This is the top-of-the-line model in the new Grand Tourneo Connect range that starts off with the Transit van. Remember, however, that the Tourneo Custom is still around and is much larger, especially in height.
The Grand Tourneo is an attractive vehicle for an MPV and boasts dual sliding doors plus a large hatch at the rear. We should point out that these vehicles have only five seats as standard, with the option of adding an extra pair at the rear. If this bothers you, don’t fret. This extra costs only R1 820!
The seating arrangement is cleverly executed and the middle (60:40) and last rows (50:50) can all fold flat, albeit not into recesses in the floor but still offering a handy, even load area or even sleeping space. Loading a mountain bike with wheels on is possible.
Legroom is also more than sufficient thanks to generous fore and aft adjustment. A variety of configurations can be chosen to accommodate a mix of passengers and cargo.
Driver comfort, meanwhile, is tops, with highly supportive seats, a centre armrest for the driver, overhead storage bin, steering wheel controls, climate control, a full complement of airbags, traction and stability control. Also included in the Titanium package is a panoramic glass roof with powered sunshield and a set of roof racks with cross bars. All models get a tyre-pressure monitoring system included as standard.
The electrically powered steering gives good feel and adjusts for both reach and rake. Even better than this is the suspension. It is supple, soaks up bumps and provides a quiet and smooth ride without being sloppy or leaning too much in the corners.
So, what about the engine? This has enough power, but our test car seemed to have a slight “buzz” feel to it, noticeable through the steering wheel.
Its power figure of 110 kW and torque delivered from low down mean that it will cope at high altitude where we drove it. We did expect a bit more spunk, however, and the reason for the slight lack of pace could with lie the gearbox. This is a six-speed automatic and exhibits quite a bit of slip, which in turn dampens acceleration. There is also a high incidence of hunting through the gears. The manual override option is the best solution to prevent this and the best way is through paddle shifters. Unfortunately, Ford has stuck with its small rocker switch on the right hand side of the gear lever, which is not the best spot ergonomically. Otherwise, driving is a fully enjoyable experience. We would prefer a manual gearbox and you can buy one, but only if you choose the 1,6 TDCi model. The diesel should provide a much better fuel consumption as well, as we feel that one might battle to get better than 10,0 litres/ 100 km with the petrol version.
