Ford also marketed a similar vehicle derived from the F-Series pickup truck named the panel delivery; both of these served as precursors of the modern-day cargo van.

Marketed exclusively as a two-door vehicle, the Courier was initially designed with a side-hinged rear cargo access door (unique to the model line).

For 1959 and 1960, to lower production costs of the model line, the Courier adopted the body of the two-door Ford Ranch Wagon in its entirety, distinguished only by its rear cargo area.

The two-door sedan delivery bodystyle was made part of the compact Ford Falcon range, offered through the 1964 model year.

For 1972 production, Ford revived the Courier nameplate after a 12-year hiatus, applying it to its first compact pickup truck, a rebranded version of the Mazda B-Series.

The Courier was manufactured by Toyo Kogyo (Mazda) and imported to North America and sold by Ford Motor Company as a response to the unforeseen popularity of the small Toyota and Nissan/Datsun Pickups.

Like the other minipickups of the time, it featured a small (by US standards) four-cylinder engine, a four-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive, an impressive load capability of 1,400 lb (635 kg) considering its size, and a fairly small price tag compared to full-sized pickups of the time.

The Sasquatch was fitted with a Dana Spicer two-speed transfer case and a solid front axle; they were only sold along the west coast of the United States.

In 1972 and 1973, the tailgate read "COURIER" in large raised letters, with a small "FORD" badge on the upper left.

From the 1974 model year, the tailgate read "FORD" in large letters, with a small "COURIER" badge on the lower right.

[1] Beginning in 1977, Ford gave the Courier a fresh look, moving into the more blocky, angular styling that is distinct of 1980s automotive design.

The truck was available with front disc brakes, and a Ford-built 2.3-liter engine option (which was the same as that of the Ford Pinto & Mustang II and Mercury Bobcat & Capri).

In 1998, Mazda released a complete redesign of the B-Series, with Ford adopting the Ranger nameplate for both Mazda-produced and Ford-produced compact trucks.

A Ford Courier B-segment car-derived van was launched in Europe in June 1991 with a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout and 1.3-litre OHV petrol or 1.8-litre OHC Diesel power.

With a capacity of 590 kg, competing products were initially the Fiat Fiorino and the Renault Express, and all units received a five-speed manual gearbox.

However, after 11 years of no direct replacement, a van based on the Fiesta bearing the Transit Courier/Tourneo Courier name was revealed in Yeniköy, Turkey, in 2013 under Ford Otosan (Koc-Ford Motor Company Joint Venture).

The name was also applied to a small coupe utility of similar layout produced by Ford in Brazil and exported to countries such as Mexico.

While its front treatment is the same as the South African-built Fiesta-based Ford Bantam "bakkie" coupe utility, it has a completely different load box.