FORD TOURNEO CONNECT

Ford turns to PHEV power for its mid-sized, VW-built monocab MPV

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As the fortunes of their opposite numbers from the Fast East have risen, European volume car makers have had it tough. While consolidation of ownership has given some a lifeline, others have simply found new ways to work together to adapt and survive.

The joint venture on commercial vehicles between Ford and Volkswagen, announced in 2019, is an example. Ford engineered the current VW Amarok and manufactures it alongside its own Ranger pick-up in South Africa. In return (as well as giving Ford access to its MEB electric car platform for the Explorer and Capri), VW engineered and produces Ford's mid-sized 'multi-activity vehicle', the Tourneo Connect, alongside its own Caddy in Poznan, Poland.

But does the customer end up with the car they expect? That's a question this road test will address, as the latest Tourneo Connect - complete with a Volkswagen PHEV powertrain - arrives in the UK.

DESIGN & ENGINEERING

★★★☆☆

PROS Just enough electrification for the class; PHEV option doesn’t sacrifice versatility

CONS Doesn't look much like a Ford at all from some angles

Ford's range of boxy MPV models now has three tiers. It opens with the Puma-based Tourneo Courier. The C-segment-sized Tourneo Connect is next and, unlike the Courier, comes in both regularand long-wheelbase forms, with up to seven seats. The Tourneo Custom is the biggest of the trio, ostensibly a nine-seat Transit minibus.

The Courier and Custom can be had as EVs but the Connect has been ICE-only since its 2022 introduction. Until now, that is, thanks to this new plug-in hybrid model, which uses a less powerful version of the 1.5-litre PHEV system also seen in the Golf, Passat, Tiguan and elsewhere.