As time marches on, the truck and SUV segments seem to be garnering more and more of automakers’ attention – and for good reason. The Ford F-Series has been the best-selling truck in the US for 41 straight years, and the best-selling vehicle for 36, while the SUV/crossover segment is exploding; one projection puts the segment at about 50 percent of all new US retail sales by 2020.
With all of this, there’s some fear among car lovers that cars could all but disappear from Ford’s product portfolio. Already, it’s been confirmed that the new, seventh-generation Ford Fiesta won’t be sold in the United States, and rumor has it that the Taurus could soon face the axe here, as well. What’s more, in January, news broke that Ford had canceled its redesign program for the Ford Fusion, fueling rumors that the Blue Oval’s mid-size sedan might also be on borrowed time.
But we rather believe that Ford isn’t foolish enough to exit the mid-size car segment. Yesterday, the automaker unveiled a new iteration of the Fusion, with just enough new technology and aesthetic tweaks to keep the mid-size sedan humming for a few more years. Automakers don’t only cancel redesign programs when the product in question is destined for the trash heap; sometimes, they pull the plug when they decide they simply don’t have the right product or design for the market.
In other words, Ford might only have canceled the Ford Fusion redesign because they thought the direction in which it was headed wasn’t right for American buyers, prompting them to start over with a clean sheet while the new(ish) 2019 Fusion buys the automaker some time.
Ultimately, although truck and crossover sales are growing all the while, the mid-size car segment is still an important one to play in. Ford Car Group Marketing Manager Corey Holter told journalists yesterday that the segment is the fourth-largest in the United States, and that incidentally, Fusion is the automaker’s fourth-best-selling nameplate. Sales slid more than 21 percent last year to 209k units, but that kind of sales volume is still nothing to sneeze at; the Ford Fusion, overlooked though it may be, outsold the Focus by more than 30 percent in 2017, outsold the Edge by nearly 50 percent, and came within 14 percent of the Explorer’s sales.
“Fusion remains an important part of the Ford lineup for years to come,” said Ford spokesperson Mike Levine after news broke of the Fusion’s canceled redesign program. The numbers back him up on that, and for that reason, we don’t believe that Ford is in any danger of exiting the mid-size car segment.
The Taurus, on the other hand… Yeah, it’s probably not long for this world.
Comments
Ford ford to not make a sedan would be dumb but for ford to kill the fusion wouldn’t be dumb at all. Here’s why. If ford were to drop the fiesta the focus the eco sport the mkz and the contintal they’d save a ton of money not wasted on different chassis and cars that don’t sell. Take the mustang put it on the upcoming s650 chassis and stretch the new chassis to make a sedan give it three engine selections (350hp/350tq 2.3l a high torque v6 hybrid and a 5.0l v8 make it rwd with an awd option magnetic ride Brembo brAkes active exhaust etc all optional and call it the falcon ford would have a great sedan. They’re already making a hybrid mustang which is ok as long as they don’t kill of the v8 so your Car lineup is complete the new explorer is coming as well as the bronco and the “baby Bronco” and you have the expedition on top of that. Lincoln had the navigator and the new aviator and the nautilus so even if they continued the seagoing names they need something exciting in their lineup such as a mustang based sedan and coupe. Honestly Lincoln needs to seriously step it up because this is the lineup that should have been axed and Mercury should have lived on as they would have been better cars to face off with the new cadillacs with names like the cougar the cyclone the marauder, etc
Ford should take the bold step of eliminating all cars and focus on the pickup, and suv and van market. Think of the billions of dollars this would free up to develop news suv’s, trucks and people haulers and commercial trucks like the Transit. A second bold move is to shut down Lincoln. Lincolns are nothing more than gussied up Fords at 10 grand more just like Cadillacs are gussied up Chevies. I don’t think the dealers would care much as their are enough used sedans on the market for them to sell used cars for a profit. I am not convinced this has not been talked about at their hdqtrs.
If anyone has learned the vehicle market runs in cycles. Better keep making cars or when trucks etc. lose their volume Ford won’t have anything to combat the competitors. PS: love my 2017 Ford Fusion Sport, best sedan Ford has ever made.
Michael, Can’t disagree with you but I do know that when a relative or a friend buy their first SUV, they all tell me they will never buy a car again. Reasons: easier to get in and out, fold the seats(s) down and you get loads of cargo space, better command of the road when driving and a lot of them say they ride better than a car. I think cars are a dying breed. The Continental was just cancelled. Specialty cars like the Mustang and Camaro and those 300,000 dollar cars will always be around as they appeal to people and young folks that want them and can afford them.
As I said cycles. I remember when economy cars were going to be all that was left according to geniuses, and pick-up truck and suv’s were dead. Witness GM stupidly ending the Hummer division. I could go on with so much about ending real cars, then trucks. We shall see.
The Continental was not canceled…
ARE YOU KIDDING
MY LAST THREE CARS WERE FUSIONS. BEST CAR I EVER OWNED. MAYBE NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO OWN AN OVER PRICED SUV.
WHILE I THINK IT CAN USE SOME EXTERIOR DESIGN CHANGES, I THINK IT’S A GREAT FAMILY CAR AND A GREAT VALUE FOR THE MONEY.