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Ford Transit dropside review: key conversion for the big new Transit

Like the new Transit van, the dropside is completely new. It's a tough-looking workhorse that at the same time manages to be superb to drive.

Glynn Williams 20 February 2014
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With the arrival of the new Ford Transit, Ford is making a big push on conversions like the dropside sold direct through Ford One-Stop

Ford Transit dropside LWB

What is it?

If you run a building firm, or maybe a garden landscape business, you may well have invested in one of those natty Japanese builder’s trucks such as the Nissan Cabstar or Toyota Dyna. And if you did, you may also have recently visited the dentist to have a few fillings replaced. Those trucks are willing workhorses that will go on almost for ever, but boy, are they unrefined!
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Like the new Transit van, the dropside is new throughout. It’s one of 450 different variants of the basis vehicle
Nowadays, this LCV sector is being severely challenged by the mainstream manufacturers, who are offering a range of dropsides that are more comfortable to drive yet have similar payloads to their more rugged brothers at 3.5 tonnes GVW.
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The cab is full is nice ideas, like this stowage space with 12V supply for charging phones or powering sat navs
And the latest dropside kid on the block is the one on review here – the Ford Transit dropside, which has just been launched and is new from the nuts and bolts upwards. We flew to Barcelona to try out this new contender and after a couple of hours behind the wheel, we were left massively impressed with what’s on offer. The Transit is available in 450 different variants including this chassis-cab and if you are looking at the pictures and thinking that maybe there isn’t enough length for your needs, then let us tell you there is one model which will take a staggering five metres! It’ll be on sale in October, along with double-cab versions. Our Ford Transit dropside review vehicle was the long wheelbase model with the top engine power of 155bhp on tap. You can also specify the dropside at 100bhp and 125bhp (all at 2.2-litres) and to be honest, unless you need to lug around huge loads and maybe tow a concrete mixer or two, we reckon the 125bhp variant will do just as well.