Ford still sells sedans and a number of passenger cars in various global markets today, but in the U.S., only the Mustang has survived after the automaker opted to discontinue the rest of its passenger car lineup in that country years ago amid falling sales and profits. Many have criticized this decision, particularly now that consumers are clamoring for more affordable new vehicle options – something Ford is currently working on creating more of – and those calls may very well wind up being answered, it seems.
In a recent interview with Autocar, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford revealed that the automaker is now looking at perhaps fixing this particular problem. “On the passenger car side, we realize we’re not as robust as we need to be,” Ford said. “But as Nick [Ford] says, we’re working on our future strategy right now. But I think you’ll be surprised – pleasantly surprised – by what’s coming.”
As Ford Authority previously reported, Ford Germany boss Christoph Herr told dealers earlier this year that The Blue Oval does indeed plan to add new passenger cars to its European lineup, news that came from CEO Jim Farley himself. Such a move would be a big shift for an automaker that has already discontinued the Fiesta, while the Focus is slated to go out of production this November. However, its two best-selling models in Europe are currently the small Puma and Kuga crossovers – its more affordable models – followed by the Focus.
Herr later confirmed that Ford will “invest in several vehicles, some of them together with partners and also with different forms of propulsion, including hybrids and fully electric vehicles,” noting that new models will begin arriving in 2027, though he didn’t disclose what segments these new vehicles will compete in, nor did he discuss details regarding those potential partnerships.
Comments
After over 20 years buying Ford products, I switched brand the day Ford decided not to produce sedans anymore. And besides the mustang and not the abominable Mach-e of course, I will not buy another Ford product until they sell sedans again. Not everybody like SUV´s or crossovers or is willing to buy one no matter what.
I personally don’t want or need a truck, SUV or CUV. My son down my lane has a Ford F150 so that negates my need certainly for the three styles. All my kids are grown so I went back to sedans as I always wanted them I recently bought a 2008 Lincoln Town Car with 73,000 miles
and traded my 2015 Cadillac ATS with 95,000 miles. Went retro as I always wanted a Lincoln. Thrilled to own one! It’s just me as my wife passed away two years ago. Great automobile! May be my last one while I keep it maintained!
Wonderful! You need only 3 cars. One would be a modern Focus with 3 styles, a first car stripper with minimum options. One with some luxury options like heated seats, power seats, etc. The last one would be an ST car with a significant increase in power and a suspension to match. The second model would be an extension of the Bronco Sport. After that, the magic begins. Resurrect the Ford Fusion. Call it what you want, but Fusion was a terrific car IMHO. Again, 3 flavors, the first a simple family car, equipped with a competitive option. The second, an entry into max lux, powered by a 2 L, with competitive options, plus a 4WD option. The last would be a straight-out BMW 5 series competitor, maxing out with the 5L V8 from the Mustang GT. That’s my dream!
Finally! Maybe just import or better yet, share duplicate sheetmetal dues and other components with Ford of Europe, and get them online! As mentioned above, three is all you need.
This way you’ll stop loosing both folks who prefer the above to SUV’s to Asian competitors, plus you’ll re-establish that young, first time buyer relationship
…it took a backseat to the restored Train Station.
I won’t be pleasantly surprised if all or any are EVs.
I wish I could make sense of their decisions anymore. My wife wanted another Fusion, but they got rid of that. She ended up liking the current Escape, which we got, but they’re getting rid of that. Now Bill Ford realizes they have a car problem? With the Edge gone and the Escape on the chopping block, I think they have an SUV problem, too.
Your story is a duplicate of mine. Without a Fusion to buy, I opted for an Edge, but the Ford dealer in 2024 would not take any more orders for an Edge – you had to buy what they could get, no more special orders.
Wound up with an Escape Platinum, and I really like the vehicle; it does what I want and the quality is very, very high. But the irritant is that they so badly misread the customers’ choices with the attitude of Farley saying “Ford customers are buying the wrong vehicles” last year. No, Jim, Ford is producing the wrong vehicles. The customer is still King.
How many customers (past, current, and future) has Ford lost? Hopefully they will have something worth buying before I need to buy my next sedan.
As stated, bring the Fusion back and develop a nice Lincoln sedan to compete with Cadillac and everyone else in that market. And maybe “Americanize” one or more of those popular European offerings.
Its amazing how I read these comments week after week and they echo the same thing.
Ford made a mistake dropping sedans and the Ford Edge.
I’ve yet to read a comment saying “good job Ford ! you got rid of the cars !”
Am I missing something or does this point to a flaw in the master plan?
The current management team is killing the company, and they are too oblivious to realize it
Escape Hybrid is a winner so they axe it to build EVs no one wants. The MKZ gas and Hybrid have loyal fans buying up used ones. A Fusion or MKZ wagon would suit us better than an Outback with a crappy CVT. Lord Farleyroy is too busy playing at racetracks to run Ford or Lincoln.
As several readers commented, “Bring Back The Fusion!” That should be our call to arms! I bought a ’15 with 42K last December and love it. What a nice driving and handling car this really is. I just love it! It looks great and rides like a Lincoln. I hope to keep it forever!
Ford needs something as they are not serving a significant part of the market. There is no vehicle on the Ford website that lists for less than $30K (including the mandatory freight and delivery fee).
No true, the Maverick is under 30K
Let’s hope so
I would love to see them bring back the Thunderbird in either 2 or 4 door, Build it as a stretched Mustang . Would love to see V8 . Turbo V6 would do . AWD would be great. Would be like a sporty Edge replacement.
Also the Fusion needs to return,
Sure would like to see a Hybrid 2 dr Crown Victoria in a hybrid model with covetable options.
Also the new electric model in a Thunderbird as well. Get with it design tech’s.
Fantastic, bring back the gorgeous designed sedans of the past. I stopped buying American vehicles as soon as the SUV sports utility van came out. I now buy european cars, because Bmw and Mercedes still make sedans and they are still rear wheel drive. I would be the first to get back buying a American car, when they become available.
Taurus was the best selling sedan for how many years, and you killed it?
While we are all dreaming, I’ll give a plug for a wagon variant. Ford’s Mondeo wagon was a beautiful automobile and I’m sure that Ford could build something just an nice. Just make sure to market them to dads, because that’s who drives wagons (family hauler when the kids are in the car and sports wagons after you drop them off).
Farley was talking about bringing sedans back three years ago still nothing. Farley is a huge failer why is still employed.
We have had Continentals, Town Cars, and MKS’s. The thought of an SUV is not interesting. Perhaps we will shop Audi, BMW, or Cadillac.
Worse than 1927- having no cars available for years, giving the market to other manufacturers?
I sold a 2013 Fusion to buy a 2024 Escape. Wanted another Fusion, but not available. Wanted an Edge instead; not available. Happy with the Escape so far.
I have a distant relative in North Carolina who is driving a late-model Fusion. She said she will keep it until the wheels fall off – she could easily afford any car she wants, and what she wants is a new Fusion. A young person in her 20s, it’s not just us old guys who miss the Fuze.
But Farley knows better than we do what we want, and Bill Ford is busy playing with trains to worry about cars. Sad, really sad.
People pine for what isn’t available. The most out spoken whiners never intend to buy. When the car they adored and cried for finally shows up at dealer lots. They drive past and find something new to wish for. Human nature, sad really sad.
You are 100% correct. People are living in the past think the older Lincoln and Ford full size cars were better. They couldn’t compete with all the current competition. These are people who drive 10- to 20-year-old cars and would never buy a new car. They love to live in a dreamworld.
I’m about to say a painful truth.
If everyone who mourns the death of the sedan/hatchback had been buying them, they likely wouldn’t have been discontinued. Working at a dealership during the elimination of the Focus (2018), Fiesta and Taurus (2019), and Fusion (2020), I can say those models sat longer without anyone cracking the door open than anything else on the lot. It’s difficult to keep making a vehicle that turns up more in rental fleets than in buyer’s driveways. It’s more difficult to keep building a vehicle that buyers aren’t buying that also has no profit margin for the manufacturer or the dealers.
I bought the very last new Focus my dealership at the time. There was talk then about a Focus Active, kind of a “Crosstrek” version of the Focus hatchback. Same talk happened with the Fusion. Neither came to be, but I’d said that if they couldn’t be better than the Subaru, there was no point. Said the same thing about the Bronco vs Wrangler.
In USA maybe but in Europe market still loving sedans and passenger cars, Fiesta was the European best selling cars for years, Focus was in top 5, Mondeo was top 3 sedan best selling, S-Max seold very good, old Ford good times ..