In the region, the Transit Connect does not have a direct predecessor; the closest vehicle to its size was the standard-length Ford Aerostar cargo van, which ceased production in 1997.

Ford elected not to develop a direct sedan delivery version of the Focus, instead pursuing a purpose-built design.

[3] Rather than adapting an existing bodystyle into a van, the Transit Connect was designed with sliding side doors.

The Transit Connect was assembled by Otosan in an all-new production facility at Gölcük, near Kocaeli, Turkey.

[7] To build interest and awareness in North America, Transit Connects specifically equipped as "mobile showrooms" were displayed at industrial parks and other venues in 13 U.S. urban areas in May 2009, with the goal of offering 3,000 test drives to small business owners.

[8] With model year 2011, Ford offered the Transit Connect XLT Premium Wagon in the US and Canada, a passenger version of the van — with seating for five, rear windows that opened for ventilation, blind spot awareness, rear view camera, larger alloy wheels, body-colour grille, and front fog lamps.

A major design change is an optional rear liftgate in addition to the double doors preferred by commercial buyers and wheelchair users.

For buyers interested in alternative-fuel vehicles, Ford offers optional hardware allowing for the 2.5-litre engine to be converted to use CNG or LPG/propane instead of gasoline.

[25][26] The third-generation Tourneo Connect for the European market was released in October 2021 as a rebadged and restyled fourth-generation Volkswagen Caddy.

[29] As the Transit Connect is a light truck assembled outside of North America, Ford imports the first and second-generation Transit Connect into the United States as a passenger vehicle, equipping it with rear side windows, rear seats (and rear seat belts) in an effort to circumvent the 25% tariff on imported light trucks,[1] as imported passenger vehicles were subject to a lower 2.5% tariff.

The first-generation vehicles were exported from Turkey to Baltimore on cargo ships owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics.

[1] To streamline the process, Ford only exported the long-wheelbase, high-roof Transit Connect to North America.

While all vehicles are still imported from Spain as passenger vehicles and converted to cargo vans (a process that happens to approximately 85% of Transit Connects imported to North America),[18] the conversion no longer involves the disposal/recycling of the removed parts; instead, the removed rear seats and rear window components are shipped back to Ford in Spain for reuse.

[18] Ford initially planned to release the third-generation Transit Connect in North America as a potential 2024 model.

Though the model line held a significant market share of the small commercial van segment, it followed a significant decline of small van sales overall (coupled with the discontinuation of the Nissan NV200 and Mercedes-Benz Metris), leading Ford to end sales of the Transit Connect in North America after the 2023 model year.

In 2010, Canada Post selected the Ford Transit Connect, purchasing a fleet of 1,175 units to replace a large portion of its Grumman LLV vehicles.

During the 2010s, New York City adopted the Transit Connect as an accessible cab; it also has replaced the Crown Victoria in multiple large American municipalities with organized taxicab services.

At the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, Ford confirmed development of a battery-powered version of the Transit Connect.

[42] Production of the Transit Connect Electric began in December 2010,[43][44] and Azure Dynamics is the official manufacturer of record.

[45] The official US Environmental Protection Agency range is 56 mi (90 km) and has a combined city/highway fuel economy rating of 62 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (3.8 L/100 km equivalent) based on the five-cycle tests using varying driving conditions and climate controls.

[47] Using a short-wheelbase cargo van with a rear liftgate, the X-Press is fitted with the front suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and steering of the Focus RS.

It was put into production to rival the similar models of the Renault Kangoo, Mercedes Citan, Citroën Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Volkswagen Caddy, Fiat Doblò and the Opel/Vauxhall Combo Tour.