Ford Tourneo diesel axed in Australia, replaced by PHEV

The Ford Tourneo people mover range will ditch diesel power for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain as part of an update scheduled to arrive in Australian showrooms between April and June 2027.

The new PHEV will use the same powertrain as the Ford Transit Custom PHEV commercial van upon which the Tourneo is based, and offer up to 51km of electric driving range on the WLTP cycle. The diesel Transit Custom will remain on sale, with Ford Australia not planning on making its commercial van range hybrid and electric only.

Introduced as a 2027.25 model-year update, the Tourneo PHEV will be offered in the same two model grades as the diesel range, and based on slightly lower MY27 pricing for the oil-burners, they will command only a small $2250 price premium.

The MY27.50 Tourneo Active short-wheelbase PHEV will be priced at $73,340 before on-road costs, while the Tourneo Titanium X SWB PHEV will cost $76,840 before on-roads.

Meanwhile, the outgoing MY27 Tourneo Active SWB diesel is priced at $71,090 plus ORCs, while the MY27 Tourneo Titanium X SWB is priced at $74,590 plus ORCs.

Ford Australia has not announced any other changes to the Tourneo’s equipment levels as part of the switch from diesel to PHEV power.

The automaker said the National Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), under which carbon-dioxide limits will tighten from January 1, 2027, influenced its decision.

“The New Vehicle Efficiency Standard was one factor in the decision, with the Tourneo PHEV contributing positively to Ford’s overall emissions position while continuing to offer customers the flexibility and capability they expect from the vehicle,” a Ford Australia spokesperson told CarExpert.

The Australian Tourneo range, introduced in 2024, was previously available exclusively with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 125kW of power and 390Nm of torque, driving the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Tourneo PHEV instead combines a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor, an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT), and an 11.8kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery pack.

Its 51km WLTP electric driving range is 2km less than that of the Transit Custom PHEV commercial van already sold here, reflecting the Tourneo’s greater weight due to its additional seating and higher equipment levels.

The petrol engine produces 86kW and 209Nm, while the electric motor delivers 111kW and 320Nm. The system produces a combined 171kW and drives the front wheels, as does the Transit Custom PHEV.

Ford does not publish a combined torque figure for the powertrain.

In the UK, where the Tourneo PHEV is already on sale, it has an official braked towing capacity of 1850kg. The current diesel-powered Tourneo sold in Australia is rated to tow up to 2500kg.

Ford Australia is yet to confirm full fuel-consumption figures for the Tourneo PHEV. In the UK, the equivalent Active and Titanium X PHEVs claim 1.8L/100km, compared with 8.1-8.2L/100km for diesel versions with the same 125kW engine offered here.

There is no official fuel-consumption figure published by Ford Australia for the current diesel Tourneo.

The decision to drop diesel comes as electrified vehicles accounted for more than half of Australian new-vehicle sales in August 2026.

Battery-electric vehicles recorded 27,089 sales, while conventional hybrids accounted for 18,662 and plug-in hybrids 10,591. Diesel vehicles recorded 23,608 sales.

“We are hopeful the PHEV will attract additional customer interest, but we are not forecasting a fundamentally different sales rate from the Tourneo’s current performance,” Ford Australia said.

Tourneo sales are down 46.3 per cent year-to-date, with Ford selling 280 examples between January and August 2026, compared with 521 over the same period last year.

That compares with the dominant Kia Carnival, which has expanded its range of plugless hybrid variants and currently commands a 91.1 per cent share of the people mover market, with 7970 deliveries year-to-date.

The Hyundai Staria, updated earlier this year, is a distant second behind the Carnival, with the Tourneo a firm third.

The powertrain switch forms part of Ford Australia’s push to expand its model range in Australia and New Zealand, reducing its dependence on the Ranger and Everest, which currently account for almost 90 per cent of its sales.

New models confirmed for Australia include the Transit City electric one-tonne commercial van, due in showrooms from November 2026 and priced from $50,000 drive-away.

On the passenger-vehicle front, Ford has announced plans for the hybrid-powered Bronco Basecamp SUV to join its Australian lineup during the second half of 2027.

MORE: Explore the Ford Tourneo showroom