Within the still-growing compact van category, Ford Motor Co. dominates, selling more than 24,000 Transit Connect models in the first half of this year. That’s nearly three times more than its closest rival, Nissan, according to PickupTrucks.com. General Motors is a major player in full-size vans with its Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana, but it recently turned to Nissan to supply a new compact variant that it calls the 2015 Chevrolet City Express.
Essentially, this small van is a Nissan NV200 with a bow tie on the grille, and it is every bit as versatile. When New York City sought to replace the existing taxi fleet with a “Taxi of Tomorrow,” it chose the NV200. That’s a strong endorsement for a vehicle that arguably faces just as much daily torture—if not more—than a contractor’s rolling office.