Without question, one of the biggest complaints people have about new vehicles is their cost. As technology continues to play a larger role in the vehicles we drive, the cost of those vehicles subsequently rises. Today, sliding behind the wheel of something like a 2021 Ford F-150 Limited takes upward of an $80,000 commitment, which would have seemed unthinkable just a few short years ago. While there seems to be no ceiling on new vehicle prices, however, it does appear that Ford is going to focus on building more affordable cars very soon.
Jim Farley, Ford President and CEO
This news comes to us directly from new Ford CEO Jim Farley, who today outlined his key goals and organizational changes as he becomes the automaker’s 11th CEO in its 117 year history. Farley, who succeeds Jim Hackett as Ford’s president and CEO, outlined his plans during a virtual town hall meeting with the company’s global team.
Farley said Ford plans to move with urgency to turn around its automotive operations by improving quality, reducing costs, and accelerating the restructuring of underperforming businesses. This plan involves a host of operational changes, but one of the more interesting points is Farley’s plan to add more affordable cars to Ford’s global lineup, including in North America.
That will prove to be music to the ears of the many who have openly complained about ever-rising new vehicle prices in recent years. Currently, Ford offers a total of seven vehicles with a starting price of under $30,000, but only one – the Ford EcoSport – has an MSRP under $20,000. The automaker did make it a point to offer buyers a base model of the 2021 Ford Bronco for less than $30,000, however, and is currently working on the new, compact Ford Maverick pickup, which may well be a sign of things to come.
We’ll have more on Jim Farley’s future plans for Ford very soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford business news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
Comments
And I hope that includes sedans (at least one or two) and stops with the nonsense of not selling sedans and leaving a slice of the market to the competition. Not everyone likes SUV´s or Crossovers or is willing to buy one, no matter what. In Europe Ford continues selling the Focus (as a matter of fact, a brand new generation of the car) and the Fiesta.
I am very pissed they quit making the Fusion and Focus somebody needs there head examined. So I hope somebody wakes up and starts producing cars again especially the Fusion
Focus (and Fiesta) are gone in the USA because of all the bad publicity related the automated-manual transmissions. Ford doesn’t say that, but that’s the real reason. Those are 2 very tainted models. Ford (under Mark Field’s watch) really screwed up by knowingly starting production anyways with a flawed design / engineering defect. Ford eventually corrected the transmission problems around 2014 after the damage was already done. But yes I agree somebody (Jim Hackett?) does need their head examined for discontinuing all cars (except for Mustang and GT supercar). I have heard that the Fusion name will return soon however it will be a propped up station wagon, replacing Fusion sedan and Edge. The newest Escape has a lower roof, and is basically a propped up Focus hatchback with some plastic trim, and EcoSport is a propped up Fiesta.
And apparently the same will happen to the Fusion/Mondeo: a lifted wagon like the Subaru Outback–and the Buick Regal SportX. I hope it sells more like the former than the latter, which was a decent wagon.
The most affordable car Ford build today are NONE. All the models listed above are not cars but SUVs and Trucks
I like my Ford Focus and my Fusion as does most people. Ford really screwed up on killing off these cars. The SUV all wheel drive platform is bad news now with the Power Transfer Unit cooking the gear oil inside because of the heat coming from the converter. What a stupid design. Ford quality isn’t there anymore. What a shame.
Tauras SHO is gone now too. A shame.
Ford needs to have midsize, compact and economy cars in their lineup. They need something to rival the likes of the Nissan Sentra and Toyota Camry. God forbid if we have another energy crisis. Ford is going to be left high and dry with all those pickup trucks and SUVs.
I thought they had a great car with the Fusion and Focus except for the bad tranny’s on the later here.
The Fusion is a great midsize car that handles very well. The Focus gets great gas mileage and handles great for zipping around town.
They should’ve never killed them off like that.
I own a Fusion and Focus and couldn’t be happier with them. Your idea of an all wheel drive SUV is not very smart when you have the converter right next to the PTU. Who’s the idiot who designed this? That’s why I won’t buy a SUV from you.
Other than that your cars like the fusion is spot on for the average consumer. Well built and the quality was top notch.
Nobody can afford your SUV’s as they are now. The Ecosport is nothing but a tin can going down the road.
My wife has 2012 focus with a 5 speed and she really like this vehicle that now has 118.000 miles. This will be her last ford because she does not, and will not buy an SUV.
Whatever happened to this Promise?
I will not buy another SUV. So if Ford wants to keep me as a customer they had better get back to cars.