Ford Transit Connect
The Ford Transit Connect is a compact panel van manufactured and marketed by Ford since 2002. Developed by Ford of Europe, the model line replaced sedan-based vans with a dedicated commercial vehicle platform. The model line is the second-smallest vehicle of the Ford Transit range, slotted between the Ford Transit Courier LAV and the Ford Transit Custom LCV/MPV. In line with other Ford Transit variants, passenger-oriented models are marketed as the Ford Tourneo Connect with side windows and rear seats.
The first and second-generation Transit Connect has been imported to North America from the 2010 model year. To circumvent the 25% "chicken tax" on imported light trucks, all examples have been imported as passenger vans, with cargo vans converted to the intended configuration after their importation. In the region, the Transit Connect does not have a direct predecessor; the closest vehicle to its size was the standard-length Ford Aerostar cargo van, which ceased production in 1997.
The first-generation Transit Connect was assembled by Ford Otosan along with Ford Romania. For the second generation, Ford of Europe shifted production to its Ford Valencia Body and Assembly facility. For 2022, a third generation of the Tourneo Connect was released; based on the Volkswagen Caddy, the model line is assembled by Volkswagen in Poland.
First generation (2002)
The Transit Connect was introduced in Europe in October 2002 as the replacement for car-derived vans based on the Escort and the Fiesta but as it is built on a dedicated commercial vehicle platform it is not a car-derived van itself. Production of the Escort in Europe ceased in 2000, whilst the Fiesta Courier was also planned to be discontinued when the fifth generation Fiesta entered production in 2002. Ford elected not to develop a direct sedan delivery version of the Focus, instead pursuing a purpose-built design.Sharing few components with the much larger Transit, the Transit Connect was built on a dedicated commercial vehicle platform C170 similar to the international Ford Focus, then common with the first generation North American Ford Focus. Rather than adapting an existing bodystyle into a van, the Transit Connect was designed with sliding side doors.
The Escort van and the Fiesta Courier had been assembled at the Halewood and Dagenham plants in England, respectively, but both plants were to cease Ford car production, so a new production facility was needed.
The Transit Connect was assembled by Otosan in an all-new production facility at Gölcük, near Kocaeli, Turkey.
In its first year on the North American market, the Transit Connect was awarded "North American Truck of the Year 2010" at the North American International Auto Show.
2009 update
Since mid-2009, the Transit Connect has been imported to the United States and Canada. First shown in the United States at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, the 2010 production model was introduced at the following year's show on 11 February 2009.The introduction of the North American variant coincided with a mid-cycle facelift which includes a restyled front grille, a deeper front bumper and a new dashboard featuring the switchgear and instrument pod from the C307 Focus.
Initially, only the long-wheelbase version of the van, outfitted with a 2.0L four-cylinder petrol engine and 4 speed 4F27E, was offered in North America; elsewhere, the 1.8L diesel engine and 5 speed manual transmission was the only available powertrain. The 2.0L Duratec DOHC I-4 gasoline engine has 136 hp @6300rpm, and 128 lb.-ft. of torque @4750 rpm. It specifies minimum 87 octane gasoline and fuel economy is 21 mpg city/27 mpg hwy and 23 mpg combined.
An electric version followed in 2011, converted by Azure Dynamics Corporation at a U.S. facility.
To build interest and awareness in North America, Transit Connects specifically equipped as "mobile showrooms" were displayed at industrial parks and other venues in 13 U.S. urban areas in May 2009, with the goal of offering 3,000 test drives to small business owners.
With model year 2011, Ford offered the Transit Connect XLT Premium Wagon in the US and Canada, a passenger version of the van — with seating for five, rear windows that opened for ventilation, blind spot awareness, rear view camera, larger alloy wheels, body-colour grille, and front fog lamps.
The Transit Connect Wagon was the first Ford minivan since the 2007 discontinuation of the Freestar, though it was closer in size to the standard length Ford Aerostar sold from 1986 to 1997.
Trim levels
In the U.S., the Transit Connect was available in two different trim levels, which are XL and XLT. For passenger models, an XLT Premium model was offered.Dimensions
;NotesSecond generation (2012)
The second generation Transit Connect was introduced on 6 September 2012 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In its first redesign since its 2002 introduction, the 2014 Transit Connect adopts many features of the Kinetic Design language. A major design change is an optional rear liftgate in addition to the double doors preferred by commercial buyers and wheelchair users. The Transit Connect will include the optional new feature called MyKey, a personalized key system. MyKey owner controls let the vehicle owner program different keys to restrict different vehicle features, such as top speed and maximum radio volume.Production takes place at Valencia, Spain. As before, to avoid the 25% tariff on imported trucks, all cargo vans sold in the United States are built and shipped as passenger vans, which are then converted to cargo configuration before delivery.
North America
The 2014 Transit Connect is powered by a 2.5-litre inline-4, or a 1.6-litre EcoBoost turbocharged inline-4. The only transmission type available is the 6-speed 6F-35 automatic. For buyers interested in alternative-fuel vehicles, Ford offers optional hardware allowing for the 2.5-litre engine to be converted to use CNG or LPG/propane instead of gasoline.When sold in the United States, the Tourneo Connect bears the "Transit Connect Wagon" moniker, available in two wheelbases, and with a choice of 5 or 7-passenger seating. The latter configuration is the first 7-passenger minivan sold by Ford since the 2007 discontinuation of the Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey.
In 2014, it was available in three models, which are XL, XLT, and Titanium.
2019 facelift
For the 2019 model year, the Transit Connect underwent a mid-life update, receiving updates to the front fascia, with the interior receiving a redesigned dashboard. Retaining the multiple wheelbases and body heights from its 2014 launch, the facelifted model replaces the 2.5L engine with a 2.0L direct-injection I4. At the launch of the model facelift, a 1.5L EcoBlue diesel engine was announced; both engines were paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. In July 2019, after several delays, production of the diesel Transit Connect was abandoned for North America.For 2020 production, Ford ended production of the short-wheelbase Transit Connect passenger van, solely offering the three-row body style.
Cargo capacities
- Short wheelbase: total
- Long wheelbase: total
- Towing: The 2014 Transit Connect is rated to tow.
Max speed and fuel usage
Safety and recall
In 2017, Ford recalled 2013–2015 Transit Connect with 1.6 EcoBoost engines because of a risk of engine fires caused by a “lack of coolant circulation”. The recall partly contributed to a charge of US$300 million by Ford.Third generation (2021)
The third-generation Tourneo Connect for the European market was released in October 2021 as a rebadged fourth-generation Volkswagen Caddy. In 2020, it was planned to launch The Caddy-based Transit Connect to Australasia in the second quarter of 2024.The new Caddy-based Transit Connect has been released in the UK and Europe in late 2024.
Tariff circumvention
As the Transit Connect is a light truck assembled outside of North America, Ford imports the first and second-generation Transit Connect into the United States as a passenger vehicle, equipping it with rear side windows, rear seats in an effort to circumvent the 25% tariff on imported light trucks, as imported passenger vehicles were subject to a lower 2.5% tariff. The first-generation vehicles were exported from Turkey to Baltimore on cargo ships owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. Upon their arrival, cargo examples of the Transit Connect were converted into commercial vehicles at a WWL Vehicle Services Americas Inc. facility. With the exception of Transit Connect Wagons, rear windows on Transit Connects were replaced by metal panels and rear seats/seatbelts were deleted; the removed parts were recycled.The process exploited a perceived loophole in the customs definition of a commercial vehicle. As cargo does not need seats with seat belts or rear windows, presence of those items exempted the vehicle from commercial vehicle status. While the conversion cost Ford hundreds of dollars per vehicle, the company saved thousands of dollars over paying the tariff. To streamline the process, Ford only exported the long-wheelbase, high-roof Transit Connect to North America. With a height of 79 inches, the model line was only an inch lower than the lowest-height E-Series van, precluding its access to lower-height parking garages.
For the second generation of the model line, Ford shifted production of the model line from Turkey to Spain, but continued to rely on imported production as a source for the Transit Connect in North America. In 2013, US Customs told Ford that they must stop this practice of importing vans disguised as passenger cars. As of July 2018, Ford continued to employ the loophole but remained continuously in court over the practice. On 7 June 2019, the United States won its appeal in the Federal Appellate Court. The court determined that the Ford Transit Connect was a vehicle for the transportation of cargo.
Since 2019 production, the conversion process of Transit Connects has undergone major revision. While all vehicles are still imported from Spain as passenger vehicles and converted to cargo vans, the conversion no longer involves the disposal/recycling of the removed parts; instead, the removed rear seats and rear window components are shipped back to Ford in Spain for reuse.