Here’s why you can stand up in a full-size Ford Transit van:
You can stand up in the medium and high roof Ford Transit vans even if you’re 6 feet tall. The interior of the medium roof Transit is 6 feet high, while the high roof offers 6’ 9’’ of standing space. However, you’ll have to stoop in the low roof van if you’re 5 feet tall or more.
To help you fully understand which Transit versions you can stand up in, let’s touch on the basics first.
The Ford Transit comes in:
- Three different lengths,
- Two wheelbases, and
- Three roof heights.
Its overall height ranges from 82.2 inches for the regular length low roof version up to 110.4 inches for the extended length high roof van.
The 130’’ wheelbase is what you find in regular length Transits, while the 148” wheelbase goes for the long or extra long vans. These dimensions are all the same whether you’re looking at the passenger, crew, or cargo vans.
Now, how comfortable you can stand up and move about in a full-size Ford Transit really depends on how tall you are. I’m 5’ 8”, and I don’t find trouble standing up in a T-250 medium roof van and moving from the front to the back.
Back when I used to work for a logistics company, two of my towering buddies loved how they’d easily stand straight in the T-250 and T-350 high roof cargo vans. I’d play basketball with one of these guys at our local church’s playground, and you bet he’s over 6’ tall.
But with the low roof T-150s, standing up straight is like trying to rub your tummy while patting your forehead.
In this detailed guide, I’ll break down all the heights and other important dimensions in detail, so you figure out which Transits you can stand up in comfortably. Buckle up, and let’s get going.
You Have to Stoop In the Low Roof Ford Transit
The low roof Transit, what you’ll hear some folks call the H1 Transit, is just 18.5 feet long. It’s about 54’’ wide on the inside, and the height you get from the floor to the roof is 4’ 7’’.
That means you can’t stand straight in it if you’re 5 feet tall or more. And with the van’s roof ribs running across, you have to watch out for your head whenever you move from the cabin to the rear.
If it’s the cargo van version, you really have to bend while handling those boxes.
Since the low roof configuration limits your standing height, it may not be the best option for a camper conversion. And if you decide to use it for hauling tools for your mobile business, choose a racking design that easily allows you to access things from the side and rear doors.
The Medium Roof Transit has a 6’ Standing Height
The medium roof van eases things a bit, so you don’t strain your back. Its exterior height ranges from 82.2’’ to 110.4’’ for the various lengths available. However, the interior standing height is 72 inches, or 6 feet if you like.
You can stand up straight and walk pretty much fine from the front to the back, along the middle portion of the van. Of course, the roof ribs eat up about 3 inches, and you have to watch out for them.
So if you’re 6 feet tall or thereabouts and are in raised shoes, you can stand in the van, albeit with a slightly bent gait. But if the soles of your shoes are considerably thin and flat, your head gets about half an inch clearance from the roof.
In my experience, you have to stoop slightly as you walk across the van towards the sides, as it’s not as perfectly boxy as you may think. About 17 inches from the sides, your standing height reduces considerably.
Most People Can Stand Up in the High Roof Transit
Most folks settle their hearts on the Ford Transit high roof for camper conversions, and it’s with good reasons. This van gives you a whopping 6’ 9’’ (81.5 inches) on the inside from the floor to the roof.
Even if those roof ribs consume 2 to 3 inches, you have ample headroom when standing up inside the van. In fact, a 6’ 6’’ person like Michael Jordan will easily walk from the front to the back without whacking their head.
That’s quite admirable, and you can stand up comfortably near the sides as well, unlike with the medium roof Transit.
One thing to note is that the high roof option is only available in the T-250, T-350, and T-350HD Transit levels.
Here’s a summary of the key dimensions of full-size Ford Transit vans:
(a) Cargo Van
| Length | Regular | Regular | Long | Long | Long | Long-EL |
| Roof Type | Low | Medium | Low | Medium | High | High |
| Wheelbase | 130’’ | 130’’ | 148’’ | 148’’ | 148’’ | 148’’ |
| Exterior Height | 82.2’’ | 99.1’’ | 82.9’’ | 101.3’’ | 109.6’’ | 110.4’’ |
| Interior Height | 56’’ | 72’’ | 56’’ | 72’’ | 81.5’’ | 81.5’’ |
| Overall Length | 219.9’’ | 217.8’’ | 237.6’’ | 235.5’’ | 235.5’’ | 263.9’’ |
(b) Crew Van
| Length | Regular | Regular | Long | Long | Long | Long-EL |
| Roof Type | Low | Medium | Low | Medium | High | High |
| Wheelbase | 130’’ | 130’’ | 148’’ | 148’’ | 148’’ | 148’’ |
| Exterior Height | 82.2’’ | 99.1’’ | 82.6’’ | 100.3’’ | 109.2’’ | 110.2’’ |
| Interior Height | 56’’ | 72’’ | 56’’ | 72’’ | 81.5’’ | 81.5’’ |
| Overall Length | 219.9’’ | 217.8’’ | 237.6’’ | 235.5’’ | 235.5’’ | 263.9’’ |
(c) Passenger Van
| Length | Regular | Regular | Long | Long | Long | Long-EL |
| Roof Type | Low | Medium | Low | Medium | High | High |
| Wheelbase | 130’’ | 130’’ | 148’’ | 148’’ | 148’’ | 148’’ |
| Exterior Height | 82.2’’ | 98.7’’ | 82.4’’ | 99.2’’ | 108.6’’ | 107.7’’ |
| Interior Height | 56’’ | 72’’ | 56’’ | 72’’ | 81.5’’ | 81.5’’ |
| Overall Length | 219.9’’ | 217.8’’ | 237.6’’ | 235.5’’ | 235.5’’ | 263.9’’ |
If you look at these tables keenly, there are only slight variations with the exterior heights of the vans. Everything else is pretty much the same, and the interior height does not change. That’s pretty fine because it’s what we’re interested in.
The Pros of a High Roof Ford Transit Van
Here’s a quick highlight of the advantages of a high roof Transit:
- A tall person can stand up fully vertically in the cargo area
- The extra height increases the cargo volume
- It offers more room for customization options
With a high roof Transit, you effectively throw away your concerns about overhangs and clearance. You can also fix storage compartments on the roof and install a ladder hanging system there if it’s your work van.
A lot of people I interact with wrongly assume it’s hard to drive a high roof Transit, much like a full-size camper. But that’s simply not true.
Interestingly, the Ford Transit actually has options for a remarkable set of driver-assist features and advanced safety features.
There are a couple of challenges, to be honest, but in my opinion, the handling capabilities aren’t that bad. Let’s explore these challenges up next.
Cons of a High Roof Transit
On the flip side, a high roof Transit forces you to consider some routes. For example, if you’re going camping and will have to drive through some woods, your first worry is tall branches. These can potentially hit, dent, and scratch your roof. Such damages take a toll on your van’s resale value.
The extended top also prevents you from accessing most drive-throughs and carwashes. And when it comes to parking, these behemoths won’t easily fit an average basement parking.
Moreover, you part with a couple of extra thousand bucks for the extended length, high roof vans.
Final Thoughts
On average, most people can stand up in the medium and high roof Ford Transits. That means if you’re just about 6’ tall, you won’t have trouble standing straight inside the medium roof van.
The high roof offers more standing room and clearance, and it doesn’t matter that you’re a towering 6’ 6’’. The low roof version is what you go for if you don’t mind stooping a lot while moving inside your van.
To be blunt, however, the difference in interior height between the medium and high roof Transits is just about 10 inches. If you’re not in for that little extra space, you can stick with the medium roof van and save some bucks.
But if you want to upfit the van while allowing adequate headroom for moving about without bending, the high roof van is your best bet. And beyond the standing heights and other van dimensions, you want to look at a broad array of features like the powertrain, driver-assist, and safety features, among others.