Photo: Ford
Ford Motor Co. is currently importing the Transit Connect van from Spain, and they had made plans to manufacture the next-generation model in Mexico. Private internal sources have shared that Ford has canceled this plan and will discontinue the model in the U.S., stopping sales starting late next year.
According to Automotive News, the initial plan was to produce the next-generation model, code-named V758, at the Hermosillo Assembly Plant from 2023 onward. The new Transit Connect would have had the same platform as the Maverick compact pickup and the Bronco Sport, also assembled in Hermosillo.
These internal decisions have not yet been made public, so the sources wanted to remain anonymous. They say the automaker canceled the plan earlier this year. Ford will also stop the importation of the Transit Connect for the U.S. market, keeping it only in the European market. Citing a policy of not speculating about future products, a Ford spokesperson has declined to comment on the matter.
Ford currently offers the Transit Connect model in two configurations, cargo, and passenger. Both offer lots of space and utility, with the passenger version carrying up to seven passengers. Its size makes it ideal for city use, with various configurations available. The model is relatively inexpensive and will continue to be in the following year, with the price beginning at around $25,000 for the cargo configuration and $29,000 for the passenger one. The Transit Connect hasn’t undergone many changes since it was first revealed in 2014.
The minivan segment is experiencing a downward sales trend, with Nissan ending production for its NV200 and other commercial vehicles, and General Motors discontinuing its Chevrolet City Express vans. Transit Connect sales fell about 25% in the U.S. last year, followed by a 15% drop through July this year.
Ford is instead focusing on the lineup of full-size Transit vans, introducing the E-Transit EV, and planning to add an off-road focused Transit Trail. Commercial vehicle sales are still a key driver for the business.
These internal decisions have not yet been made public, so the sources wanted to remain anonymous. They say the automaker canceled the plan earlier this year. Ford will also stop the importation of the Transit Connect for the U.S. market, keeping it only in the European market. Citing a policy of not speculating about future products, a Ford spokesperson has declined to comment on the matter.
Ford currently offers the Transit Connect model in two configurations, cargo, and passenger. Both offer lots of space and utility, with the passenger version carrying up to seven passengers. Its size makes it ideal for city use, with various configurations available. The model is relatively inexpensive and will continue to be in the following year, with the price beginning at around $25,000 for the cargo configuration and $29,000 for the passenger one. The Transit Connect hasn’t undergone many changes since it was first revealed in 2014.
The minivan segment is experiencing a downward sales trend, with Nissan ending production for its NV200 and other commercial vehicles, and General Motors discontinuing its Chevrolet City Express vans. Transit Connect sales fell about 25% in the U.S. last year, followed by a 15% drop through July this year.
Ford is instead focusing on the lineup of full-size Transit vans, introducing the E-Transit EV, and planning to add an off-road focused Transit Trail. Commercial vehicle sales are still a key driver for the business.
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