Ford's new Tourneo Courier minivan.

Ford has been completely updating its people-mover family – what Americans prefer to call minivans – in recent months, and the latest version of the Tourneo Courier is making its debut at this week’s Geneva Motor Show.

Why does that matter to American motorists? Because it will land in the States bearing the Transit Connect Wagon badge.

“Tourneo stands for smart, do-anything vehicles that are designed for people who live life to the fullest,” boasted Barb Samardzich, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. “However big your personal mission, we have a Tourneo people-mover that will help you squeeze the most out of every moment – whether that’s cycling with friends or a day with the kids.”

Completing the updated Tourneo family and set for a European launch in the mid-2014 model-year, the maker contends the Courier will have a number of advantages over key competitors, including class-leading space, practicality, fuel economy and safety features.

The Ford Tourneo Courier adopts a pair of classic minivan sliding side doors.

The seven-seat Grand Tourneo Courier also makes its European debut in Geneva, displayed alongside the five-seat Tourneo Courier.  A four-seat version will also be offered in select markets such as Turkey.

“Tourneo Courier packs an unbelievable amount of space into a small package, but without losing any of the convenience and nippy handling of a compact car,” Samardzich said.

The all-new Tourneo Courier is based on Ford’s latest global small-car platform, shared with models including the Fiesta and B-MAX, with an overall length of barely 15 feet, nose-to-tail, in its 5-seat package. The Grand Tourneo comes in about 1.5 feet longer.

With its rising shoulder line, slim headlamps and high-mounted signature trapezoidal grille, the preview model displayed in Geneva includes unique exterior details such as chrome accents on the upper and lower grilles, and alloy wheels with a distinctive two-tone finish. Special interior finishes include the leather-trimmed upper instrument panel, part-leather seats, chrome detailing and contrasting red highlights.

The U.S. version of the Tourneo Courier will mark a return to more classic minivan-style features, such as twin rear sliding doors, something the maker consciously moved away from when it abandoned its old Windstar model and later shifted to the Flex “people-mover,” which adopted conventional swing doors.

The Tourneo Courier also will be pitched for storage and flexibility. It includes an adjustable package tray in the luggage area with multiple height positions; a “mega-center” console capable of storing documents and small laptops; overhead stowage; and a storage drawer under the driver’s seat. A unique device dock in the centre of the instrument panel enables occupants to store, mount and charge mobile devices including phones and portable navigation systems.

The Tourneo Courier will also offer Ford SYNC with Emergency Assistance, Ford SYNC AppLink, Rear View Camera, Easy Fuel, and Speed Limiter; and a class-leading range of safety features, including side thorax airbags, curtain airbags, knee airbags and second-row seat belt minders.

The European version will deliver an assortment of diesel and gasoline engines.

Tourneo Connect will be the first in its class to offer Active City Stop, a well-reviewed feature capable of automatically bringing the vehicle to a halt if it spots a pedestrian or vehicle ahead while the driver is distracted.

Americans will see the 7-seat version, renamed the Transit Connect Wagon, and it is expected to offer powertrain variants delivering up to 30 mpg on the highway.

(For more on the Transit Connect Wagon, Click Here.)