However, I don't like the way the hardware is installed: the screen is propped up vertically, and its positioning means you sort of have to move your head to see it properly. Ford's SYNC 3 software is a cinch to figure out, and offers further functions such as Australian-tuned voice recognition and a system that can call 000 and send your coordinates when the airbags go off or the fuel pump switches off, provided you're paired up by Bluetooth. The old 6.5-inch screen is replaced by an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, USB, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, digital radio, and the option of satellite navigation for $600. The driver's instruments are simple to configure and include a digital speedo and distance-to-empty readout, and the various audio and phone shortcuts on the wheel take little time to familiarise with. There's lots of storage, as well: to its credit there's a big bin under that two-person bench, plus bottle holders in the doors and next to front occupants' knees, cupholders next to the outer vents, open cubbies atop the dash, and an open glovebox alongside a lidded one. Middle-seat leg room is minimal, and you might be inclined to option your Transit as a two-seater – which you can. Our test van had three seats, but the two-person passenger-side bench isn't much chop, since the gearstick protrudes into the space so much. Both outboard seats are even heated for cold mornings. The cloth-trimmed driver's seat has ample adjustment including a tilting base and a flip-down armrest, and the steering wheel has both height and reach adjustments. The Transit's cabin is for the most part a good workspace, with some ergonomic quirks. It lines up against new or recently updated competitors such as the Volkswagen Crafter 35 TDI 340 ($52,290), Toyota HiAce Super LWB ($52,140), Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 311 CDI MWB ($54,930), and Renault Master Pro MWB/LWB ($49,990/$51,990). It’s far from the only large van to get a touch-up in recent times. Ford Australia charges $53,190 before on-road costs for the version tested here, with the automatic transmission favoured by most buyers. The version we’re looking at here is called 350L, and it’s the entry point to a range that comprises the 350E and 470E Jumbo Vans and 470 cab-chassis. Reflecting growing demand from fleets with OH&S policies (and presumably tradies and logistics workers fed up with being given short shrift), the updates include more safety features to be mentioned a little further down. The Blue Oval brand rolled out a series of updates to its load-carrying staple last last year, a few months after it launched a revised version of the smaller – and increasingly popular – Transit Custom.
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