New Ford Tourneo Connect Active joins growing rugged range

Priced from £21,285 excluding VAT (or £21,675 excluding VAT if you want the Transit Connect van version), with deliveries pegged for the end of the year, the Tourneo Connect joins the Active and Trail versions of the Transit Custom and Tourneo Custom that were revealed last month.

Like those vans, the changes for the Active are largely cosmetic but are designed to be purposeful in aiding off-road ability. Front and rear skidplates feature along with plastic cladding on the body sides, mirror caps, wheel arches and rear bumper, plus the ride height is raised by 24mm.

The vehicles can also be specified with a mechanical limited-slip differential, developed with driveline specialists Quaife, which transfers engine torque to the wheel with the most traction in low-grip scenarios.

The traction control system has also been revised to reap the benefits of the differential, which is similar to that used on Ford Performance models such as the Focus RS.

Active models also receive bespoke trim, including 17in alloy wheels in polished metal, a signature mesh front grille and new seat patterns with contrasting blue detailing. A host of driver assistance features are also thrown in.

The Tourneo and Transit Connect Active are powered by a 1.5-litre diesel engine making 99bhp or 118bhp and offered with either a six-speed manual gearbox or eight-speed automatic. The differential is available only with the more powerful manual option.