Ford Transit vs Great Wall Steed

What's the difference?

Meet Ford’s electric pioneer for Australia - the E-Transit.

It may not be as exciting as a Tesla Model S, Porsche Taycan or Audi e-tron, but this electric version of the Blue Oval’s large van will help create a new market for zero-emissions commercial vehicles. 

This is seen as a major opportunity by Ford to provide an electric alternative to typically diesel-powered vans, which will no doubt prove popular with fleet operators looking to cut fuel costs and corporate emissions. While unlikely to suit all van buyers, thanks to its limited range and recharging restrictions, for those companies with shorter delivery routes it will certainly have appeal.

Ford’s research (performed by YouGov) suggests up to 58 per cent of business “can see EVs becoming part of their vehicle fleet in the future".

But it’s just Ford’s first step into the larger world of electric vehicles. We’ve already had confirmation the smaller E-Transit Custom is headed our way and there are good odds the Mustang Mach-E will eventually find its way to Australian showrooms, so there’s plenty of exciting models in store for Ford.

In the meantime, though, the E-Transit isn’t due in Australia until sometime in the first half of 2023, but CarsGuide was able to take one for a test drive near Ford’s Detroit headquarters recently to get a taste of what’s to come. 

Some people just want to save money.

They might know they could spend a little extra to get a brand that has a different reputation, or something that has been reviewed more favourably. Just think about the last time you thought about going to a restaurant for the first time - did you check its reviews? See what people thought? Roll the dice and head there anyway?

That’s the sort of equation you might be considering if you’re thinking about a Great Wall Steed. There are better utes from bigger brands that are available, but none come as cheap as this one if you just want something brand new and with lots of features.

The question is - should you consider it? Should you roll the dice? We’ll have to leave that call to you.