2026 Ford Transit 350 Cargo Van

What makes a great full-size van? We’d argue it’s a balance of usable cargo or passenger space and a front cabin that’s all-day comfortable, because a van is so often a workplace. Ford has mastered both spaces with the 2026 Transit. A comfortable driver’s position with newly updated technology and remarkable visibility meets the second need. A spacious rear section with huge access doors and, in passenger configurations, plenty of climate control meet the first.

Buyers have two powertrains to choose from — a simple and reliable V6 or a turbocharged EcoBoost V6 with more power and torque, giving buyers options. Ford doesn’t build a V8-powered Transit — look to the Chevrolet Express or GMC Savana as the last vans available with V8s — but does offer an all-electric E-Transit.

Three lengths, three heights, and nearly endless passenger and cargo configurations, rear-wheel (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), many weight ratings, three axle ratios, and more choices mean you can configure the Transit to meet nearly any business or family need.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of full-size vans, including the 2026 Ford Transit.

The 2026 Transit is unchanged on the outside, but a tech refresh remakes the inside. An 8-inch screen takes over for gauges in the driver’s view, and a 12-inch central touchscreen runs all information and entertainment functions. A 5G modem that can power up to 10 devices at once is now standard. Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 suite of digital assists is also standard, which means automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and rear cross-traffic alert are at the ready. Co-Pilot 360 2.0 is optional, and adds traffic sign recognition and an intelligent cruise control that can handle stop-and-go traffic.

Before buying a  Transit, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. It holds its value better than most rivals, though the wide variety of configurations and uses makes resale value for vans tricky. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The Transit is available with a choice of two engines — a 275-horsepower V6 or a 310-hp turbocharged V6. The days when fleet managers needed to prefer mechanically simpler V6 engines are mostly behind us — today’s turbochargers are more reliable than those of earlier generations. But we still find the V6 more than powerful enough, and the 10-speed automatic transmission is balanced well. It’s surprisingly easy to close holes in traffic with the V6.

If you think a van needs a V8, go to GM. We find the base engine in the Transit plenty powerful and more fuel efficient.

Handling is a pleasant surprise. It’s hard to tune the suspension of a full-size van — configure it to be comfortable with an empty cargo area, and it will be sluggish when you fill it; build it to carry a few thousand extra pounds in the back, and it’s tail-happy and rough when empty. Ford, however, has found a happy medium that means the Transit offers a surprisingly smooth ride, empty or full.

The Transit comes in RWD or AWD, and while fleet managers might like the mechanical simplicity of RWD, AWD offers meaningful advantages in the snow belt, particularly when riding empty.

Wheels pushed out to the far corners make parking-lot maneuvering about as easy as you’re going to find in something this size. No, it doesn’t handle like a compact car. But its turning radius is tighter than you might expect.

Brakes are predictable and firm.

Fuel Economy

Full-size vans are exempt from the fuel economy regulations that apply to passenger cars, so the EPA doesn’t publish fuel economy numbers for the Transit. In a week of driving a high-roof XLT — the biggest model — with the standard V6, we averaged about 14 mpg in the city.

The driver’s seat of the 2026 Ford Transit is a surprisingly pleasant place to be over a long day. Accommodations in full-size vans haven’t caught up to those of passenger cars or SUVs — cloth is your only option. But even base models get heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

The dashboard is very upright, with lots of storage cubbies and six cupholders for two people (what does Ford think we’re doing behind the wheel?). A high hip point, huge windshield, and large side windows that go almost down to your hips give Transit drivers what might be the best view of the world around them of any driver.

The 12-inch central touchscreen has a little of a tablet-glued-to-the-dash feel, but that means modular parts easy to replace, which is music to a fleet manager’s ears.

Our tester was a 15-passenger model. Rear seat accommodations were unexpectedly comfortable. There are more roof-mounted air conditioning vents than rows of seating. Each row gets one USB-C port — 18 people can’t charge devices at the same time, but any provision for charging in a fourth row is pleasant.

America uses Transits for everything from airport shuttles to transporting kayakers back from the launch, and in this one, they can plug in.

Some adults can stand in the back of a high-roof Transit. Not those much over five-foot-10, but some of us.

We won’t bother extolling the beauty of one particular van — they’re all built for a purpose, and it’s not to inspire. But Ford offers the Transit in a full slate of colors, including a new green available only for fleets.

V6 Engines with Plenty of Power
With gas prices where they are in 2026, Ford’s decision not to offer a V8 in the full-size van class looks smart. The EcoBoost V6, with 400 lb-ft of torque, nearly matches what GM’s V8 vans put out.

Available all-wheel drive
Neither Ram nor Chevrolet/GMC offers an AWD full-size van today.

Generous wide-opening doors
Loading cargo into the Transit is relatively easy with two barn-door-like openings providing access to much of the cabin.

Climate Control Powerful Enough for 18 People
More rows of roof vents than rows of seating mean you can keep a group of adults fairly comfortable in the back of the Transit.

Standard 5G Wireless
You can connect up to 10 devices in a Transit.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Ford Transit warranty coverage lasts three years or 36,000 miles, with the powertrain protected for five years or 60,000 miles.