Ford Kills Transit Connect, Final Survivor of the Compact Van Segment
Photo: Ford
It’s the end of the road for the Ford Transit Connect and the compact cargo van segment as a whole. The automaker told Automotive News that the van would die after the 2023 model year. The Transit Connect now joins the Ram ProMaster City (which is still on sale as a 2022 model year vehicle), Nissan NV200 and Chevrolet City Express at the big dealership in the sky. We reported on this rumor in August of 2022, but now it seems to be confirmed by The Blue Oval itself.
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Ford tells AutoNews that the move was done in an effort to “reduce global manufacturing cost and complexity, alongside decreased demand for the compact van segment.” Alas.
The outlet says the vehicle is currently built in Valencia, Spain and then imported to North America. There was reportedly a plan to build a next-generation van for North America in Mexico, but those plans were eventually scrapped. It would have been built on the same platform as the Maverick and Bronco Sport — two vehicles that are also built in Mexico.
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It’s not all bad news if you’re a Transit Connect lover who happens to live in Europe. Ford confirmed to Automotive News that the little van would live on in European markets.
So with that, the compact van segment is once again dead in the United States. The Transit Connect brought it back into this world all the way back in 2010. Now, just 13 years later, it is dead once again. So long, little friend. So long.
