At last year’s Chicago Auto Show, Ford announced that the Transit Connect van would be getting a diesel engine in the US, but now it’s being reported that Ford has canceled those plans.
The 2019 Transit Connect was slated to receive a 1.5L diesel engine, but according to Car and Driver, Ford will not offer it. Ford spokesperson Elizabeth Kraft blamed a “lack of market demand” for the reason that Ford decided to cancel the diesel-powered Transit Connect.
When Ford announced the diesel for the Transit Connect, it stated that it would get around 30 mpg on the highway. Car and Driver also wonders if the increased scrutiny from the EPA could have also played a role in the decision. Ever since VW’s Dieselgate scandal, the EPA has cracked down on diesel-powered vehicles in the US.
Ford has also revealed that it’s dropped the five passenger, short-wheelbase version of the Transit Connect.
