By the year 2020, you’ll probably forget all about words like “Focus” and “Fusion.”
That’s because Ford, to capitalize on the relentless juggernaut that is the utility vehicle market, plans to add five crossovers or SUVs on the market in three years. Lincoln will see another non-car join its ranks, too.
That’ll bring the Ford brand’s utility lineup up to 12 vehicles, and Lincoln’s to four. The identity of four of the vehicles is well known, but we now have a better grasp of what to expect from the remainder.
Yesterday, Mark LaNeve, Ford vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service, said in a statement the short-term plan is all about giving buyers what they clearly want.
“SUVs are the top-selling segment in the U.S.,” he said.
They certainly are. In January, traditional passenger cars made up 36.2 percent of the U.S. new vehicle market. SUVs and crossovers seized 42.7 percent of the sales pie.
While four of the future Ford-branded utilities are already known — the 2018 Expedition revealed today, an imported EcoSport mini crossover, a 300-mile electric compact in 2019 and a reborn Bronco due out in 2020 — the automaker has yet to reveal the remaining two models.
According to supplier sources who spoke to Reuters, the two mystery Fords are likely near the bottom of the size ladder. One will definitely be based on the next-generation Focus, the sources said, while the other will likely borrow its underpinnings from a next-generation Fiesta. That could give the Ford brand three models slotted below the compact Escape.
The same sources said to expect a new Lincoln entry. That model, internally nicknamed Aviator and MKD, is reportedly based on the next-generation Explorer and will fill a current gap between the Edge-based MKX and the top-flight Navigator. A production-ready redesign for the very long-in-the-tooth Navigator is expected to bow at the 2017 New York Auto Show before arriving at dealers this fall. Additionally, Lincoln will revamp its MKC and MKX in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
Utility vehicles made up 33.9 percent of Ford sales in the U.S. last year, a number that trails GM’s share.
Since the last time Detroit went whole-hog on SUVs and neglected their small and midsize cars went so well they decided they’d do it again?
It’s not remotely comparable because the fuel mileage difference isn’t anything like it was in the early 2000’s. People are going to want utility whether gas is $2 or $4 per gallon and when most of them will be getting 25+ highway MPG, people aren’t rushing back to Focus sedans when gas goes up a bit.
That said, I am very interested how they’re going to fit two more models in where the EcoSport and Escape are already going to be. That seems like too many.
When Ford is pushing 25 mpg, and Kia is pushing 43, guess which one people will buy?
The comparison is not Ford sedan to Ford utility, it’s Ford utility to everything else.
To be fair, when the recession hit, the smallest SUV/CUV Ford has was the Escape. If the economy takes a $hit, and gas goes to $5.00/gallon, people will buy the Escape and three CUVs below it.
In 2005, when Ford bonds hit junk status, the Ford CUV/SUV lineup was Escape, Freestyle (introduced in 2005), Explorer, Expedition, Excursion. That is much different than today.
Pretty much this.
The majority of buyers who switch from a sedan to a crossover go down a segment size – so, a previous Fusion owner swapping the Fusion for an Escape and not an Explorer, and these days, the fuel economy of compact crossovers are not far off that of the typical midsize sedan.
And I’m sure Ford (and other automakers) will offer hybrid, PHEV and/or EV variants of certain crossovers.
If fuel prices skyrocket, well probably see more of a move to smaller crossovers than drivers switching back to sedans.
Except when fuel prices DID skyrocket, people went from Explorers to Escapes, not to Focus sedans. Now, there is a huge variety of small utilities that get decent mileage.
Most people who buy a utility will not be willing to give up the practicality totally for the sake of MPG. They’ll usually just find a more efficient utility that meets their needs.
Are small cars selling?
Do they generate a profit?
Yes, the American automakers should build more Fiestas and less Explorers. That will keep them profits soaring!
But, Toyota can put out half-a§§ Corolla, the dated Yaris, and a rebadged Mazda, but they are okay, it’s only a problem when FCA, Ford and GM do it.
BTW, both GM and Ford have better compact and subcompasts the Nissan or Toyota, even considering DCT woes. But, wait, that doesn’t support your opinons, so we’ll just pretend its not the case.
I wonder that Ford’s DCT isn’t long for this world, because I never hear mention of it, I never see advertising for the direct drive feel and mileage increase of the unit, and when we bought my husband’s Fiesta… every single sales person referred to it as an “automatic transmission”.
That being said, I think the ’16+ DCTs were reworked or reprogrammed or something, because ours works quite well. But I’ve been able to trip it up before, sometimes on purpose, and the way it bogs down from a stop until the revs build a moment later isn’t confidence inspiring for stoplight go-time. I’ve learned how to game quick starts out of it by just holding the revs around 1,500 and “dumping the brake” but I’m sure that’s hard on the clutch so I rarely do it, and it pisses my man off.
Now, he likes his car, and is fine with how it works. For me, personally, in the time I drive it, I find it to be a bit dim-witted even in Sport mode, it’s slow to shift, and can too easily get caught in-between gears at a rolling stop. It’s also the reason why, for as much as I wanted the Elantra Sport, I don’t want the DCT. The manual is too much for me to handle with Bay Area commute traffic, and Titanium in my left foot. Nevermind that Hyundai Tucsons are still having overheating issues with them.
Though really I should be fair and qualify by saying “I don’t want a DRY CLUTCH DCT”. I’ve driven VW’s wet clutch and it’s absolutely amazingly night and day difference.
The market, worldwide, is shifting to SUV’s/CUV’s. Not just the USA or North American market.
Make America Gigantic Again
The coming Ecosport is already based on the Fiesta, isn’t it? Doesn’t seem like they need 12 utility vehicles.
It’s related to the current sixth gen Fiesta. The new CUV will be related to the seventh generation. It should be more upscale and ready for developed countries. The EcoSport looks like an Indian market copy of a Ford CUV.
Well that solves that mystery in my head. It does indeed look as you describe.
They need 12 utilities because they think they can sell 12 utilities.
We, as automotive enthusiasts, seem to be the worst at actually understanding how the auto sales thing works.
Every time a new crossover or SUV gets unveiled, there is wailing and gnashing of teeth from our crowd, spouting off complaints about weight distribution/ring times/driver engagement/etc.
While i love a rwd/manual/brown/wagon as much as the next guy on here, when push comes to shove, there are not enough of us that will actually live up to our word and buy enthusiast vehicles to make a good business case.
Crossovers/SUV’s make the manufacturers tons of money because a lot of people want them.
Look at FRS sales figures if you want to see how tepid the market is for enthusiast cars.
I dont blame manufacturers for leaning heavy on big boring people movers, since tons of paying customers actually buy them. Unlike us enthusiasts who talk a big game trying to encourage manufactures to build a sporty car, then back track and buy some 10 yr old miata when it comes be a man of your word.
Agreed.
I’ll take what I can get, which is quite a lot right now. No reason why I can’t have a great sports car from a $1000 Miata to a $20000 Corvette, lots to choose from.
You are correct, there are so many great cars out there. New and used. Unfortunately my bank account directs me towards the used.
Spot on. Ford is chasing, not making, the market. And Krohde is right, today’s SUV/CUV lags the best cars in fuel economy but they’re worlds better than the SUVs of yesteryear (and more comfortable, better equipped, etc.).
The guy that bought the 10-year-old Miata is the kind of person who buys sporty cars new, apparently. So when you buy his old car, you give him a down payment for his new car. So, in many cases, you are likely subsidizing a sporty new car purchase when you buy a 10-year-old Miata.
OR he uses the funds to buy a 5 year old miata ;)
Somebody gets it. +10
Utilities below the Escape? Around here, we call those things “hatchbacks!” Ain’t marketing grand? Take an unloved/unwanted class of cars, rename them something similar to another popular class of vehicle and boom…sales gold.
Ain’t no hatchbacks 64″+ tall. They’ve all become miserable, squashed fastbacks with an ass flap.
Don’t forget to add AWD/4WD and raise the suspension.
I can foresee the day when the only vehicles available to buy will be self-driving SUVs. God help us all.
Big trucks and an assortment of bulbous, soulless blobs. bu-bu-bu-but perceived cargo capacity! I ride up high now, look at me!
Satan’s amorphous blobs shall be powered by three cylinder engines from hell.
Disturbing in the extreme!
SUV demand has gotten so bad even my fellow college students lust after CRVs, if not owning one or a similar vehicle. I’m convinced it’s some weird straight people way of advertising their fertility.
Aviator will be based on the next generation Explorer which will be RWD. For 2018 the Explorer will have a slight refresh.
RWD?
Yes, RWD. New platform and will be all aluminum.
EcoSport is 64.5″ in height. I approve of Ford’s Encore.
Can I have a new excursion please?
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BUY SH1T BOX CUV’S AND LET THE MUSTANG DWINDLE, THE FLEX DIE ON THE VINE, THE MKT BEST F*CKING DARING PROTOTYPE TO PRODUCTION LINE EVER BE ELUSIVE IN THE PLANT AND THE TAURUS X DIE OF AIDS. YOU DID THIS, CUSTOMER. LOOK UPON MY WORKS, YE MIGHTY, AND DESPAIR!
Ouch…
Preach Brother Tres!
The Wrath of Flint is Upon Us! We are not worthy of the Forgiveness of sweet torque, the beauty of Charles Jordan or Rybicki!
The wrath must have already taken notable members here like Olds88. The end is nigh, brother 28-Cars-Later! We have forsaken the Almighty 3800!
We are witnessing the birth of THE BOOK OF TRES.
3800 came once to nourish our souls in eternal torque, and 3800 will come again!
He shall return to save us. For it is scripture.
Amen
It’s Creflo Tresmonos.
The Church of the 3800 considers Tresmonos to be a prophet. The Church has deemed his word to be scripture.
We also require members to make a pilgrimage from Saginaw Casting to Flint Engine North once in their lifetime. The concrete that covers the ground in Flint, where our Lord and Savior was created, is our version of the Kaaba.
Whatever you guys are drinking and/or smoking, pass it here.
Be gone non-believer!
I’m only high on the word of our Lord and Savior 3800.
I won’t forget about the Fusion, as I’m driving one now and plan to do the same in 2020. If I did get a CUV by chance, it would be an Escape or CRV.
Judging by the current Fusions still healthy sales I would say the Taurus will be gone before 2020 not the Fusion. I would buy a Fusion over a stupid cramped useless Escape any day of the week and laugh all the way to the bank!
That manufacturers will replace sedans, like the Focus and Fusion, with more SUVs and CUVs is the one thing I dread about Trump’s proposed taxes on imports. We like our 2013 5-speed Focus SE. It’s economical, comfortable, quiet and has been reliable. My biggest criticism is that it could use more roll stiffness. A viable alternative is the Mazda3 but that would cease to be an option if Mazda is taxed out of the US market.
Let gasoline hit $3.00 or $4.00 and see how attractive those SUVs are. At least temporarily.
Won’t be a problem for crossovers as people will just downsize crossovers (or get a hybrid/PHEV variant).
We won’t see expensive gasoline or diesel at least for the next several years. Fracking puts a cap on what producers can charge for crude. The technology won’t go away short of a political decision to ban it. Given the results of last fall’s election, that isn’t going to happen.
There is hope, but not for us.
More is not necessarily better. Better is though. They should spend that money making the Escape as good as possible as that’s the volume seller, and lighten the Edge and Explorer. Squeezing 2 more between the Ecosport and Escape makes no sense to me; most people just want the Escape.
At what point do all these Ford CUVs just cannibalize sales from each other?
“One will definitely be based on the next-generation Focus, the sources said, while the other will likely borrow its underpinnings from a next-generation Fiesta.”
If the EcoSport is already Fiesta-based, and the Escape is (arguably) Focus-based, where would these two fit in? I wouldn’t worry about the “electric compact;” that’s a Bolt fighter, but I think this would be the point at which cannibalization starts, like 86er said.
The only way out of this that I can see would be this: The next Explorer gets a bit longer to make up for the discontinued Flex (which it might be doing anyway). The next Edge stays midsize gets a third row a la Acadia/Blazer, Pilot, Highlander, Sorento, etc. The next Escape goes into what I call “big compact” territory, like where the 2018 Equinox/Terrain and Cherokee are now. 106″ish WB, but still only two rows. Then maaaaaybe there’d be enough room for a smaller, more budget-minded compact, like the Compass brushing up against the Cherokee, or to go a little older, the Maverick sedan brushing up against the Grenada in size.
But that still wouldn’t solve the problem of “Fiesta-based subcompact CUV that’s not the EcoSport.”
Could the new crossovers based on the Fiesta and the Focus just turn out to be the Fiesta Active and an eventual Focus Active?
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/97868/more-ford-active-models-will-follow-after-fiesta-debut