2023 Ford Transit Trail Camper Van

By 2019, around 140,000 Americans already lived in vans full-time, while another substantial chunk of the market choose to customize and upfit vans to be the ultimate adventure vehicle for time away from home. The Ford Transit forms the basis for more motorhome conversions than any other automaker's van platform, but upfit-ready camper-van conversions straight from the factory are a rarity, and buying a van and paying for the conversion can be pricey - which is why the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Sanctuary costs more than $150,000. Sure, there are plenty of choices if you have deep pockets, but Midwest Automotive Design's Daycruiser 144 will set you back over $170,000 - that's Bentley or Maybach money. Earlier this year, a used 2017 Iglhaut Allrad-converted 2WD Mercedes Sprinter failed to meet reserve, even at the highest bid of $152,000.

Suddenly, the starting price of $65,975 for the new 2023 Ford Transit Trail Camper Van looks like a bargain and should provide buyers in the USA with a compelling new choice. There was already an RV Prep Pack for the Transit last year as a precursor of what was to follow, and the Transit Trail is the logical next step - a proper AWD upfit-ready, all-road-capable, high-riding camper van.

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The Ford Transit Trail Camper Van's release date was postponed for a while, and it was finally officially launched in the USA in November 2022. It's been on the market in the UK since the 2020 model year, and there were doubts that it would be coming out here at all; order books have now opened. The Transit Trail is built in Ford's Kansas City factory, and deliveries were reported to start in the fall of 2022.

The price of the 2023 Transit Trail Camper Van is $65,975, excluding the destination fee of $1,795. The Transit Trail is designed to be extremely customizable, and a long list of Ford-approved modifiers and upfitters will be able to tailor your Transit Trail to your specific needs. Relatively basic upfitting can push the total price beyond $100,000, and it only goes up from there.

There is no shortage of rivals for the regular Transit, and various third parties convert vans like the Transit, Ram's ProMaster, and the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter range into anything from campers to fully fledged tiny homes - but none of these automakers currently supply an upfit-ready camper van straight from the factory at close to the Ford's MSRP. Already decked out, the Rangeline Touring Coach, which is based on the Ram ProMaster 3500 chassis, will cost nearly $150,000, but it falls more into the RV segment. It lacks AWD and the ground clearance of the adventure-focused Transit Trail, however.

The Transit Trail is substantially different from the normal Transit on the outside, with an aggressive front end with Raptor-like integrated marker lamps in the grille, a skidplate-styled black front bumper, black-bezel HID headlights, foglights, black plastic lower body-side and wheel-arch cladding, splash guards, and slider-style front-door side steps. The wheels are black 16-inch Transit Trail alloys with 30.5-inch 245/75R16 Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse all-terrain tires. An electrically powered roof vent with a fan is optionally available.

Ford has not confirmed which paint colors the Ford Transit Trail Camper Van will be offered in, and it's reasonable to assume that the entire standard palette may not be available - a big red bus doesn't exactly blend in with nature. We can expect more earthy tones and basic hues, although Ford may surprise us with a bespoke color or two.

The Transit Trail comes in three configurations: Two roof heights, medium- and high-roof are available, with the third option being an extended-length variant that only has a high roof. In all cases, the wheelbase is 148 inches. The Transit Trail rides 3.5 inches higher than the normal AWD Transit, courtesy of the high-profile tires and a suspension lift. The former adds 1.25 inches, and the latter adds 2.25 inches. The total height of the Transit Trail will likely be between 100 and 110 inches for the medium and the high roof models, respectively. This will increase by at least another ten inches in each case with the optional roof vent fitted. We'll know for sure once official figures are released.

In terms of the Ford Transit Trail Camper Van's exterior dimensions, limited information is available. The normal Transit's long body is 235.5 inches long, and the extended body stretches to 263.9 inches; the rear-mounted spare wheel of the Transit Trail is sure to add a couple of inches to that. Considering the increase in track width of 2.75 inches and the plastic wheel-arch moldings, it's fair to assume that the Transit Trail will be wider than the standard 81 inches.

Curb weight will be highly variable as it depends on the upfitting buyers choose, and whether options such as the dual alternators, the extended 31-gallon fuel tank, or the available Upfitter package are specified. Base-spec curb weights for the different derivatives should vary between 5,800 and 6,100 pounds. The van's GVWR is 9,500 pounds.

Ford's twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost gas V6 is the only available engine in the Ford Transit Trail Camper Van. It delivers 310 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, and if that horsepower figure seems low, the emphasis is on plenty of easy-going, low-rev torque, not on 0-60 times. Drive is transmitted by a ten-speed Ford SelectShift automatic transmission to all four wheels via an intelligent AWD system with multiple driving modes. These include Eco, Normal, Slippery, Mud/Ruts, and Tow/Haul, so the mechanical specs are very much tailored to the Transit Trail's role. It's fitted as standard with the Heavy-Duty Trailer Package that enables a maximum trailering weight of 6,500 pounds. A heavy-duty front axle and a limited-slip rear differential with a 3.73:1 ratio are standard, and we expect approach, breakover, and departure angles that are conducive to slightly more challenging terrain, albeit no off-roader.

No official fuel consumption figures are available for large vans and campers, and they are not tested by the EPA. Fuel economy will also be highly dependent on the configuration and eventual weight of the upfitted van. An average figure of between 13 and 17 mpg is typical of this type of application.

The inside of the Ford Transit Trail is a blank canvas to be upfitted to the owner's wishes by their preferred upfitter. The front seats of the Ford Transit Trail Camper Van are upholstered in Dark Palazzo gray cloth, are four-way adjustable, and can swivel to best utilize the interior space. Drillable areas are provided to install shelving, cabinets, or beds, in any of countless configurations. There is an overhead shelf in the front of the cab. Upfit-ready features include an array of power outlets, including 12-volt, 110-volt, and USB ports, as well as a built-in 400-watt AC inverter.

Standard equipment and driver assists include keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, a manually tilting/telescoping steering column, a high-resolution backup camera display, the Sync 4 infotainment system with a 12-inch touchscreen, HD Radio, and SiriusXM with 360L. An Upfitter package is offered for powering auxiliary accessories such as a light bar; the package comes with a larger center console, high-capacity upfitter switches, an upgrade wiring system, dual AGM batteries, and an auxiliary fuse panel with a high-grade interface connector.

The interior of the Ford Transit Trail Camper Van makes cargo space and passenger volume a priority, allowing buyers to add equipment, furniture, and whatever else their hearts desire. The most voluminous configuration is obviously the high-roof extended-body van, and in this guise, the cargo-floor area is a full 14 feet and four inches long, with a total volume of 487 cubic feet, while providing sufficient height for people as tall as 6'5" to stand upright. The long body with the high roof provides a total volume of 404 cubic feet, and the long body with the medium roof has 357 cubes. An optional power-sliding side door is available.