Ford Grand Tourneo Connect: Your Family's New Ally

In the bustling world of family life, finding a vehicle that truly meets all your needs can feel like an endless quest. From the daily school run to weekend adventures, a car needs to be more than just transport; it needs to be a versatile, reliable, and comfortable extension of your home. The all-new Ford Grand Tourneo Connect steps into this arena, promising a compelling blend of practicality, space, and modern features. But for many, a crucial question arises: is this impressive new offering available through the Motability Scheme, and does it truly stand up as a champion for the modern British family?

Motability Scheme: Your Gateway to the Grand Tourneo Connect

For those eligible, the Motability Scheme offers a worry-free way to lease a new car, and the excellent news is that the all-new Ford Grand Tourneo Connect is indeed available. This provides a significant advantage for individuals and families who qualify, offering a comprehensive package designed to simplify car ownership.

When you choose the Grand Tourneo Connect through Motability at participating dealerships like Group 1 Ford, you're not just getting a car; you're securing a complete mobility solution. The package typically includes essential aspects such as insurance, the annual MOT test, and scheduled servicing. This inclusive approach helps to manage the ongoing costs of vehicle ownership, allowing you to focus on enjoying the freedom and flexibility your new Ford provides. Specialists at Group 1 Ford in locations such as Farnborough, Guildford, Wokingham, Basingstoke, and Newbury are readily available to discuss the specifics and guide you through the process, ensuring you understand all the benefits of acquiring the All-New Grand Tourneo Connect on Motability.

Understanding the Ford Tourneo Connect: More Than Just a Car

What exactly is a Ford Tourneo Connect? At its heart, it's a remarkably practical family car, distinguished by a feature that's surprisingly rare in the passenger vehicle market: sliding doors. While traditional car doors can be cumbersome in tight parking spots or when managing small children and child seats, sliding doors offer unparalleled convenience. They allow for effortless access to the cabin, making it significantly easier to fit and remove child seats, load awkward items, or simply get in and out in confined spaces.

These practical family vehicles are typically based on commercial vans, a heritage that bestows several advantages upon the Tourneo Connect. Drivers benefit from a taller driving position, which provides excellent all-around visibility – a significant plus in busy urban environments or during long journeys. While the development and fitting of sliding doors can incur a slight premium in price compared to conventional doors, the added practicality and ease of use they provide often far outweigh this cost for families prioritising functionality.

The Benefits of Sliding Doors: A Practical Choice for Families

The sliding doors of the Grand Tourneo Connect are a game-changer for family life. Imagine trying to buckle a squirming toddler into a child seat in a narrow car park, all while trying not to ding the car next to you. With sliding doors, this becomes a stress-free operation. They open wide without swinging out, meaning you can park closer to other vehicles or walls without concern. This is also incredibly useful when loading large or bulky items into the rear seats, or when multiple passengers are trying to enter or exit the vehicle simultaneously.

Beyond the practicalities of access, the robust nature of a van-based MPV like the Tourneo Connect often translates into a durable and spacious interior designed to withstand the rigours of family life. High ceilings and generous legroom are common, ensuring comfort for passengers of all ages on long trips.

Competitors with Sliding Doors: A Comparative Look

While the Ford Tourneo Connect stands out, it's not the only player in the market offering the convenience of sliding doors. Here's a comparative overview of some notable vehicles that share this practical feature, highlighting how the Tourneo Connect positions itself among its peers:

As the table illustrates, the Ford Tourneo Connect offers a highly competitive starting price, especially when considering its impressive boot capacity and seating versatility. It positions itself as an accessible and capacious option for families who need maximum space without breaking the bank.

Is the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect a Good Family Car? A Deep Dive

The question of whether the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect makes a good family car is met with a resounding "yes" from many angles. This second-generation model, particularly the longer L2 Grand Tourneo Connect variant, offers seven-seat MPV motoring in a compact yet distinctly sophisticated package, benefiting significantly from a strategic partnership with Volkswagen.

A Ten-Second Review

In essence, the Grand Tourneo Connect is a rugged yet cleverly engineered people mover. While its roots lie in commercial vehicles, it has evolved to offer a level of refinement and sophistication that perfectly suits the demands of growing families. It's a car designed to help families embrace life's adventures, providing ample space and practical features without the hefty price tag often associated with larger SUVs or traditional MPVs.

Background: A Collaborative Masterpiece

The lineage of the new Grand Tourneo Connect is fascinating. Ford has forged a partnership with Volkswagen, leading to shared engineering across their commercial vehicle ranges. This means the third-generation Ford Transit Connect shares its underpinnings with the current fifth-generation Volkswagen Caddy. Consequently, the passenger version – the Tourneo Connect – is essentially Ford's interpretation of VW's Caddy MPV, also known as the Caddy Life. Launched in late 2021 and available in the UK from Summer 2022, this collaboration explains its striking similarities to its Wolfsburg counterpart, particularly in profile and beneath the bonnet. This strategic alliance allows Ford to offer a highly competitive and well-engineered vehicle to its family passenger car customers.

Driving Experience: Refined Performance for Family Journeys

Under the bonnet, the Grand Tourneo Connect benefits directly from its shared platform, adopting Volkswagen's highly regarded engines, albeit with Ford's familiar 'EcoBoost' and 'EcoBlue' branding. Customers can choose between a 1.5-litre EcoBoost turbo petrol unit delivering 114PS, or a 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel, available in 112PS or 122PS outputs. All models come with a smooth six-speed manual transmission as standard, with the option of a responsive seven-speed PowerShift dual-clutch automatic gearbox. This automatic option includes steering wheel-mounted paddles for a more engaging drive and a 'Sport' mode for when you need a little extra dynamism. Opting for the auto also opens up advanced driver assistance features such as Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centring, providing assisted driving capabilities for accelerator, braking, and steering, significantly reducing driver stress on motorways or in stop-start traffic.

A notable addition for the Tourneo Connect is the availability of four-wheel drive (4WD) – a first for the model line. This system automatically distributes torque between the wheels, enhancing traction and stability in challenging driving conditions or on rough surfaces. Available with the 2.0-litre 122PS EcoBlue diesel engine and six-speed manual gearbox, the 4WD system ingeniously integrates without compromising interior space or loading height. For those who frequently venture off the beaten path, engine under-shield protection is also available, further cementing its credentials as a robust family vehicle.

Design and Build: Space, Style, and Substance

The Grand Tourneo Connect is available in two body lengths: the short wheelbase L1 and the longer L2 Grand Tourneo Connect variant. While the L1 can be specified with optional third-row seating, the L2 is the definitive choice for seven-seat transport, offering significantly more space. Unlike its predecessor, which had a more distinct 'van with windows' aesthetic, this new design boasts a much more passenger car-like vibe. Its sculpted exterior provides a sportier, more lifestyle-orientated look, especially when you opt for the crossover-style 'Active' version, which adds two-tone 17-inch alloy wheels, a silvered skid plate, a honeycomb-style front grille, and rugged body mouldings around the bumpers, wheel arches, and door sills.

Inside, the cabin largely mirrors the Volkswagen Caddy, though Ford has added its badge to the steering wheel and re-branded the central infotainment screen. This collaboration, however, translates into a substantial leap forward in terms of interior quality and feel compared to previous generations of the Tourneo Connect. There's a tangible sense of solidity and quality that might surprise those familiar with older Ford models. Depending on the trim level, you'll find a 10-inch central infotainment screen, with the range-topping 'Sport' models boasting a configurable 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The dashboard layout is intuitive, with the central monitor flowing seamlessly into the instrument binnacle, viewed through a smart, three-spoke capacitive steering wheel that adjusts widely, as do the supportive seats. Storage is abundant, with generous door bins, a decent-sized glovebox, and practical spaces at the base of the centre stack and between the seats.

In the second row, comfort is assured for two adults, though three might find it a snug fit due to the bench-style seating rather than three individual chairs. Crucially, the third row in the Grand Tourneo Connect (L2 model) offers significantly more knee and headroom than many seven-seater SUVs, making it genuinely usable for adults on shorter journeys, and certainly comfortable for children. When it comes to luggage space, the L2 model truly excels. In five-seat configuration, it offers a cavernous 1,720 litres of space, thanks to an extra 353mm of body length over the standard L1. Fold down the second row seats, and the space becomes truly van-like, expanding to an enormous 3,105 litres – making it ideal for hauling large items, sports equipment, or even assisting with house moves. This immense capacity underscores its credentials as a truly practical family car.

Market and Model: Value and Choice

Pricing for the Grand Tourneo Connect starts from just under the £27,000 mark for the entry-level models, with an approximate £800 premium over the shorter L1 body shape. While the L1 can have optional third-row seating, the L2 Grand Tourneo variant is undoubtedly the more sensible choice for those needing seven seats or maximum luggage capacity, offering superior space for a marginal price increase. There's also an approximate £800 premium to upgrade from the 114PS 1.5-litre petrol engine to the more powerful 122PS 2.0-litre diesel, and both engines can be paired with the 7-speed automatic transmission for around £900 more. The 4WD option is available on the top-tier diesel unit, adding another layer of capability.

One of the Grand Tourneo Connect's most compelling aspects is the useful saving it offers compared to its identically engineered Volkswagen counterpart, even when compared to the more basic Caddy rather than the more MPV-like Caddy Life. Both models, notably, roll down the same Polish VW production line. In a market where combustion-engined, van-based compact MPV competitors are dwindling (especially since the Stellantis Group models have largely gone all-electric), the Grand Tourneo Connect stands out, with only the pricier Mercedes T-Class remaining as a direct contemporary.

Four main trim levels are available: 'Trend', 'Titanium', 'Sport', and 'Active'. The 'Trend' provides a solid foundation with a gloss black grille surround and wheel trims. 'Titanium' adds satin chrome detailing, privacy glass, and 16-inch alloy wheels for a more refined look. The 'Sport' model lives up to its name with bonnet stripes, a dynamic lower front bumper and 17-inch dark alloy wheels. However, the SUV-inspired 'Active' model, which comes with crossover-style metallic-effect skid plates and additional body mouldings around the wheel arches, sills, and bumpers, along with unique 17-inch wheels, is often the most desirable for its robust and adventurous aesthetic.

Cost of Ownership: Efficient and Economical

Despite being a larger vehicle, the Grand Tourneo Connect maintains impressive efficiency. While opting for this heavier L2 body shape might result in about a 5% increase in fuel consumption compared to the L1, the figures remain highly competitive. The EcoBoost petrol and EcoBlue diesel engines are optimised for fuel efficiency. The most economical 2.0 EcoBlue diesel 122PS manual L2 model achieves up to 56.5mpg on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions from 131g/km. The automatic version of this diesel manages 53.3mpg and 139g/km. For the 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol L2 model, you can expect up to 42.8mpg and 150g/km (manual), or 41.5mpg and 155g/km (automatic).

Auto Start-Stop technology is standard across the range, further aiding fuel economy in urban settings. Both diesel engines feature the VW Group's 'twin-dosing' system, which injects AdBlue upstream of two selective catalytic converters to effectively reduce nitrogen oxides. They are also compatible with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Gas to Liquids (GTL) alternative fuels, offering future-proofing for eco-conscious drivers. Ford provides a standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty and a year of roadside assistance. For extended peace of mind, owners can extend this cover to five years/100,000 miles or even eight years/100,000 miles. Many will also find value in the 'Ford Protect Service Plan Plus' programme, which allows for spreading the cost of routine maintenance, making budgeting easier.

Conclusion: The Smart Choice for Modern Families

The second-generation Ford Grand Tourneo Connect is a vehicle that deserves more recognition than it has perhaps received. In a market where genuinely practical, seven-seat family vehicles that don't cost the earth are becoming scarce, the Grand Tourneo Connect emerges as a compelling contender. Full-sized MPVs and seven-seater SUVs often come with a premium price tag, which can be a significant hurdle for families already managing multiple expenses.

Ford has made all the right calls here, balancing sophistication with simplicity, even if it meant borrowing heavily from its Volkswagen partner. This collaboration has resulted in a vehicle that is not only spacious and versatile but also refined to drive and economical to run. Even if you don't consistently need all seven seats, the L2 Grand Tourneo variant offers an unparalleled amount of luggage space when configured for five occupants, making it a superior choice for family holidays, sports equipment, or simply the demands of daily life.

For families seeking maximum space, ease of access, and intelligent design without the exorbitant cost, the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect represents an astute investment. It's truly an inside tip for those looking to get more from their family car.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is the all-new Ford Grand Tourneo Connect available on Motability?

Yes, the all-new Ford Grand Tourneo Connect is available on the Motability Scheme at participating dealerships such as Group 1 Ford. The scheme typically includes insurance, MOT, and servicing, offering a comprehensive and worry-free leasing solution for eligible individuals.

What are the benefits of sliding doors on a car like the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect?

Sliding doors offer significant practical advantages, especially for families. They allow for much easier access in tight parking spaces, simplify the fitting and removal of child seats, and make loading awkward or bulky items into the rear seats far less challenging compared to conventional hinged doors.

Is the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect a good family car?

Absolutely. The Grand Tourneo Connect is designed with families in mind. It offers generous interior space, comfortable seating for up to seven (in the L2 variant), practical sliding doors, and a high driving position for excellent visibility. Its robust build and clever engineering, stemming from its commercial vehicle roots and VW partnership, make it a durable and versatile choice for daily family life and adventures.

What engine options are available in the Grand Tourneo Connect?

The Grand Tourneo Connect is available with a 1.5-litre EcoBoost turbo petrol engine (114PS) and a 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine (112PS or 122PS). Both can be paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, and a seven-speed PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission is also available as an option.

How does the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect compare to the Volkswagen Caddy?

The Ford Grand Tourneo Connect shares its engineering platform with the Volkswagen Caddy, meaning they are very similar mechanically and in terms of interior space. The Grand Tourneo Connect often provides a more cost-effective entry point into this segment while offering comparable levels of practicality, comfort, and engine options. Both are built on the same production line.

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