Ford is in the process of completely overhauling its light commercial vehicle range in Europe. The new Transit Custom lineup debuted last year and now also includes a fully electric version, while the Tourneo Connect brought Volkswagen technologies and platform to the Blue oval back in 2021. Now, Ford is working on the new Tourneo Courier, which will slot somewhere between the two models mentioned above.
In January this year, we shared the first paparazzi photos with the cargo version of that vehicle, which will wear the Transit Courier name. What you see in the gallery below is its passenger derivative, known as the Tourneo Courier. The prototype is fully camouflaged but already shows some of its basic design characteristics. From these early shots, the van doesn’t look particularly impressive but seeing how good the new Transit Custom looks, we bet we won’t be disappointed.
We know this is just a light commercial van but even those basic working horses are starting to offer a vehicle-like experience these days. We expect this new product to feel like a mix between a mainstream hatchback and a small crossover in terms of road behavior. The cabin, however, will be roomier and that boxy overall shape hints Ford has been prioritizing functionality over beauty. And that’s not really a surprise in this segment.
What will be under the hood? Early suggestions claim the vehicle will be based on a modified version of the Puma’s platform, which, in turn, is based on the Fiesta. We expect the company’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged engine to be the core offering in most of the markets around Europe. A 1.5-liter diesel isn’t necessarily happening but we still see some potential for the compression ignition mill in certain countries on the continent. Both types of fuel are possibly going to receive some form of electric support.
If you’d rather buy a fully electric van, Ford will have you covered. The Transit Courier EV and Tourneo Courier EV will join the range at a later date, though we don’t know much about its mechanicals. What we do know, however, is that the LCV duo will be manufactured at Ford’s Craiova plant in Romania where the Puma crossover is also currently being assembled.
