Ford Transit Courier - Mini minivan

Does anyone else know about these and think they are awesome? These are fiesta-based vans available since 2014... overseas only of course. Can be had with a 1.0 ecoboost 3 cyl or a couple of different small diesels AND a manual trans. They are 163" length, 2500-2700 lbs, so its about the size and weight of a fiesta hatchback, with sliding doors on both sides.

My imagination says one of these would be awesome...

My work provides me one to drive. It is supposed to serve as a service van (I'm an electrician). It's easy to park compared to a full sized van.

Super cool. So of course we don't get them. Why don't we ever get the cool little stuff? Oh ya.............because most Americans think bigger is better.

I'd drive something like this. Small, decent utility, should be economical.
http://humster3d.com/360-view/?id=141770

Feedyurhed wrote: Super cool. So of course we don't get them. Why don't we ever get the cool little stuff? Oh ya.............because most Americans think bigger is better.

huh?

The Transit Connect is available in the US- http://www.ford.com/trucks/transitconnect/?gnav=header-trucks

Just not with the 1.0l EB- you can get either a 2.5l NA or 1.6 turbo.

They have been here for a while now.

In reply to alfadriver:

The Transit connect is focus based, and available here. We are talking about the transit courier, which is fiesta based, and not available here.

Courier, not Connect

In reply to Elsmere:

Oh.

Still, not sure what an even smaller van would solve here. It's not as if city space is as limited as many European older cities are. The connect is pretty darned small as it is.

In reply to alfadriver:

Agreed, there is most likely no business case for a smaller van here, which is why we will probably never see it. It would be perfect for me since I have a small parking spot and sometimes need to haul large items. So they would sell one. Or at least they had better so i could buy it in 5 years as a used car. I still thought it was a cool van that maybe people didnt even know existed.

Its adorable but beyond a couple pizzas what could you put in it.

Diaper service! (IE my wife is starting one of these and will eventually retire the Saab for something else)

We get the C-Max hybrid, which is a Fiesta based tall wagon, but with 4 doors.

We use an HHR panel for our maintenance work. It has been awesome. Loaded to the tits it still gets 30 mpg.

We had Transit Connects in the rental fleet I worked with. They transferred them out within 45 days. They were not as popular as the Town and Country minivans. Don't know what the specific complaint was, but I didn't see too many happy faces driving them.

I wonder what a Honda Fit with rear sliding doors would be like? I guess somewhat similar to a transit Courier.

Interesting, but agree that there is no reason to try to sell it here because I don't think it would be a big seller. The thing looks like a useful little vehicle though.

To put the size in perspective, that's a Transit Connect second from the left...you know, the one that makes the Courier look small.

pinchvalve wrote: We get the C-Max hybrid, which is a Fiesta based tall wagon, but with 4 doors.

Nope. C-Max is for C Segment, that's the Focus platform. In Europe and other places there is the B-max which is Fiesta based. They also get the S-max which is CD sized

Elsmere wrote: In reply to alfadriver: Agreed, there is most likely no business case for a smaller van here, which is why we will probably never see it. It would be perfect for me since I have a small parking spot and sometimes need to haul large items. So they would sell one. Or at least they had better so i could buy it in 5 years as a used car. I still thought it was a cool van that maybe people didnt even know existed.

Yep that is true. I still like it though. If it was here, I could buy one and sell it to you in 5 years and we would both be happy. I like the Japanese Kei vans too. Now they are really small.

Feedyurhed wrote:

Elsmere wrote: In reply to alfadriver: Agreed, there is most likely no business case for a smaller van here, which is why we will probably never see it. It would be perfect for me since I have a small parking spot and sometimes need to haul large items. So they would sell one. Or at least they had better so i could buy it in 5 years as a used car. I still thought it was a cool van that maybe people didnt even know existed.

Yep that is true. I still like it though. If it was here, I could buy one and sell it to you in 5 years and we would both be happy. I like the Japanese Kei vans too. Now they are really small.

It's like Japanese Kei vans except they are death traps and this is small cool and handles great being based on the Fiesta. We tend to get misty eyed over what we can't get here, but I drove lots of those crappy Kei vans before I moved here. Mostly Bedford Rascals (rebadged Suzuki Carry's) There was absolutely nothing endearing or redeeming about the experience. I got one up on two wheels taking a corner once and I honestly wasn't hustling, just keeping up with traffic in the town center. My then girlfriend (now long ex-wife) went ape E36 M3 at me as she was in the van with me as it was her father’s business van.

Gosh that's small. Living in an urban area, I really appreciate compact, no nonsense haulers. The Transit Connect may someday replace my Element, but it's notably longer. The key to me is to be able to fit in a Civic-sized space.

Kreb wrote: Gosh that's small. Living in an urban area, I really appreciate compact, no nonsense haulers. The Transit Connect may someday replace my Element, but it's notably longer. The key to me is to be able to fit in a Civic-sized space.

There are 2 wheelbases available in the Transit Connect. I don't have the numbers right now but I think the SWB(short wheelbase) version is shorter than your Element.