Today, I have quite possibly the biggest family car on the market to walk through. While I thought I had toured large cars for families before, the Ford Transit 350 XLT just put every other vehicle to shame. As a 12-passenger van designed to be the ultimate hauler, the question (as always) stands: is it family-friendly?

If you’re new here - welcome! I’m Kelly the Car Mom and as a mom four, CPST, and a huge car fan, I can’t wait to walk you through all the features of the 12-passenger Ford Transit 350 XLT to help see if it’s right for your family.

Before you dive in and start car shopping, make sure you’re fully prepared to tackle today’s market with confidence. To learn everything from dealership prep to a complete negotiations strategy, check out my Car Buying Course!

Ford Transit 350 XLT Exterior

If you’re in the market for any sort of transit van, the options for these vehicles are almost endless. I’m talking length, roof height, seat setup, etc… you name it and there’s an option for it in these vans.

With so many choices, it made this car tour difficult because one transit van is not going to be like another. That being said, I do want to give you an idea of what these cars are like by walking you through the specific transit van I have with me today.

This specific Ford Transit 350 is a low-roof option with the original seats in it (yes, you can take seats out and put new ones in). The weirdest thing you’ll notice about the exterior of transit vans is that they only have one functional exterior door. This means the passengers can only enter from the passenger side. In terms of flexibility, this is not the best, but it’s just a part of having a transit van you have to get used to.

When it comes to the exterior - this is definitely a large car. The length of transit vans is often comparable in size and drive to a full-size SUV, but you’re trading cargo space for additional seating. As for the exterior itself, it’s a lot like how I feel about minivans. Transit vans are incredibly functional, so I give them a pass for not being the coolest-looking car you’ll see out on the road.

Ford Transit 350 XLT First Row

Before I go any further into the interior of this Ford Transit, I want to say this car tour is to give you an idea of what transit vans are like, not to encourage you to go out and find this exact one. Since there is so much flexibility with customization in these vans, it’s going to be difficult to purchase this identical car. That being said, you can still get a really solid feel for the amenities and space available before going on a test drive.

My initial thoughts when sitting in the first row are if you like sitting up high, you will like driving a transit van. With a huge vehicle like this, you’re getting great head clearance and honestly some nice breathing room as a driver.

I’m walking through a 2022 model today, so amenities (especially tech) are going to be updated, but one of my favorites I just had to mention is an extra cup holder on the left-hand side next to the wheel. Pair that with an AMAZING driver’s side door panel and storage all up on the dash, I’m happy with what we have available in the first row.

In terms of what the interior looks like, it’s basic. There is a lot of plastic making up the dash, but I am excited about the updated infotainment system and screen.

Infotaintainment System

The screen in the Ford 350 transit van is everything you’d hope for in an updated 2022 model. It’s exactly what you’d see in any new SUV and has great tech on the inside. That being said, the visibility in this vehicle is abysmal. Yes, it’s great that there’s a backup camera, but these are required to be standard in all cars since 2018.

If I had my way with the tech, I’d love a rearview camera in the rearview mirror because if all twelve seats are full, the visibility is going to be even more difficult. You’re not going to get a sunroof or any other crazy bells and whistles, but this car is to drive passengers from point A to point B.

Ford Transit 350 XLT Second Row

Despite having just one sliding door, it’s the biggest I’ve ever seen on a car. It’s just like what you would get on a minivan, but just think much larger. Once you slide the door open, you are met with two steps to get up into the second-row bench with three seats.

The most important thing I want to mention is that none of these seats are on tracks. This means you are not going to be able to give any row additional leg clearance or have extra space when installing a rear-facing car seat.

When looking at the second-row bench seat, you have two sets of lower anchors and three sets of tether anchors. Thinking about this from a mom's perspective with a lot of kids, any rear-facing car seats are going to have to go in the second row because this is the only area you get enough space to install them correctly. The Graco Extend2Fit I originally tried to install in the third row worked great right behind the driver’s seat set at my height.

As for amenities, we have EIGHT ceiling vents spread out between the second, third, and fourth rows. The ventilation in this van is excellent and despite it being summer (and also being nine months pregnant when I initially filmed the tour) I felt great. On the side with the sliding door, you do not get any amenities, but on the other side you get a cupholder and USB-C charging port. For being a vehicle meant to haul, I’m happy with the amenities available.

Ford Transit 350 XLT Third Row

Moving into the third row, there are three seats in the third row of this Ford Transit. What’s unique about this setup is it’s almost like a split bench captain’s chairs sort of setup. This means there is one seat, a space to get into the third row, and then two more seats.

As far as hardware is concerned, the setup is unique with one outboard seat having tether anchors, the middle seat having both lower and tether anchors, and the seat closest to the door having no LATCH setup at all. This door seat is definitely the worse seat in the house with zero legroom or space.

I tried to install one of the slimmest rear-facing car seats I have (the Graco Extend2Fit) in the most upright position it offers, but it still braced heavily on the back of the second-row bench. This makes it unsafe to have any child ride in and confirms my suspicions that only rear-facing car seats can be installed in the second row.

Ford Transit 350 XLT Fourth Row

Yes, this is the first car tour I’ve ever done where we are talking about a fourth row. There are going to be FOUR (yes, you read that right) seats in this final row of the transit van. Sitting in seat two of four at nine months pregnant, I’d say I’m fairly comfortable.

The seats are definitely more narrow back here than in the second or third row, but that is to be expected with a bench of four. The legroom is not great with my legs braced against the back of the third row, but you could move seats if you need more clearance.

As far as hardware is concerned in this final row, there are no lower anchors back here, but we do get tether anchors in all four seats. Forward-facing car seats would fit well back here, but don’t even try rear-facing - it just will not work.

Overall, I like how many seats are available, but the access to get into the third row and then the fourth row is not great. No seats can be folded or tilted for additional space, so it’s going to be a squeeze to get everyone in, buckled, and ready to ride securely.

Ford Transit 350 XLT Trunk

With the twelve-passenger option, you actually get pretty decent trunk space in the Ford Transit. If you need the fifteen-passenger option with five rows, there will be zero trunk space. The doors open in a refrigerator-like way, but without barriers blocking the fourth row, you will get a lot of items falling back here.

Now, you can take out the fourth row, but it’s not going to be nearly as easy as what’s available with Stow and Go or the removable middle seats in some cars. It takes a lot more manpower but it’s possible to do and get even more space back here.

Ford Transit 350 XLT: Wrap-Up

Overall, I would not buy this car unless I absolutely needed it. Yes, it’s great that you have so many seats available, but it’s very difficult to get back into the third and fourth rows without any fold or tilt options for the seats in front.

With only a limited amount of space available as well, rear-facing installation is going to be available in three out of the twelve seats, making your setup a lot more constricted. I do like that there is an option on the market for large families, but it wouldn’t be my first choice unless I had all twelve seats I needed to fill.

Would you ever use a transit van as your family car? Let us know in the comments! And to keep up with all the latest family cars on the market, check out my recent tours:

Featured