Auto News 5

The XLT Premium Wagon is a new addition to the Transit Connect lineup for 2011 that adds a few creature comforts in an effort to turn this compact cargo van into a legitimate people mover. But adding two windows over the rear wheels and trimming out the cargo hold in plastic is hardly enough to put the utilitarian Transit Connect on a plane with family-friendly compact crossovers, mid-size sedans, and minivans. This Transit Connect’s $24,710 price tag doesn’t leave much room for comparison with traditional minivans, which start at about $30,000 these days, but smaller options like the Mazda 5 and the forthcoming Ford C-Max offer reasonable utility in a more comfortable package. Those who are less concerned with moving gear might entertain a Hyundai Sonata, which will deliver a 66-hp boost, 9-mpg highway fuel economy gain, and a significantly more spacious rear seat. A small crossover like a Chevrolet Equinox blends both a spacious backseat and a fairly large cargo hold with a flexible sliding rear seat.

It’s easy to forget the Mazda CX-9, because it’s been out for several years, but every time I get into one I remember that it’s a really nice, very refined family crossover. It’s good-looking, too. The 3.7-liter V-6 works very well with the six-speed automatic, and I don’t think most drivers would ever want for power. The interior is very well turned out, especially in our test car’s taupe and cream two-tone combination. The third-row seats are for children only but that’s fine, because this is a mid-size crossover not full size. The ergonomics are good, the seats are comfortable, and the main instrument binnacle is clear and easy to read. There’s lots to like here for anybody shopping for a 7-passenger family vehicle.

This is not an attractive vehicle. The headlight protrusions that are proud of the sheetmetal are particularly odd. Just because you can design headlights any which way you wish doesn’t mean that you should. I bring up the styling mainly because so many of the Highlander’s competitors are reasonably attractive, from the Chevy Traverse to the Mazda CX-9 to the Kia Sorento.