Ford Crossover Sales Down Six Percent During Q2 2023

Ford crossover sales – comprised of the Ford EcoSport, Ford Escape, Ford Bronco Sport, Ford Edge, Ford Explorer, and the all-electric Mustang Mach-E – decreased six percent to 159,018 units in the United States during Q2 2023.

Sales Numbers - Ford Crossovers - Q2 2023 - USA

The Ford Escape, the Ford Bronco Sport and the Ford Edge were all in the green last quarter; meanwhile, the Ford Explorer, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford EcoSport all experienced declines.

Many buyers may cross-shop body-on-frame SUV equivalents to unibody crossovers, so for the sake of context, we’ve tallied up combined Ford crossover sales and SUV sales below. This includes the Expedition and “regular,” full-size Bronco.

Sales Numbers - Ford Utility Vehicles - Q2 2023 - USA

In doing so, we see Ford Bronco sales dip 16 percent, selling 26,150 units last quarter, barely tailing the Edge. The Ford Expedition followed with a significant increase in sales, up 52 percent to 20,007 units, enough to outpace the Mustang Mach-E and EcoSport.

Combined Ford crossover and SUV sales represent a decrease of four percent, selling 205,175 units in Q2 2023.

The Ford Authority Take

The decline in Ford crossover sales last quarter is the symptom of ongoing supply chain issues that make it difficult for The Blue Oval to build enough units to satisfy demand. However, half of Ford’s offerings saw modest upticks in sales, as the Escape, Bronco Sport and Edge all saw improvements, while the Mustang Mach-E, Explorer and EcoSport dropped off.

However, despite a 23 percent slide, the Explorer dominated the space with 46,362 sales. It’s worth noting that production of the 2023 Ford Explorer, which occurs at the Chicago Assembly plant, was ratcheted back by a significant margin earlier in the 2023 calendar year, thereby negatively affecting supply at the dealer level. Sales during Q2 2023 were likely impacted by a stop-sale and delivery hold order initiated due to ongoing issues with the 360-degree rear view camera as well.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the second-best Ford Escape saw a 28 percent uptick in sales to 43,690 units last quarter. This is likely at least in part due to the refreshed 2023 Escape, which brought a host of updates to the crossover, including a revamped trim level lineup that now consists of Base, Active, PHEV, ST-Line and Platinum levels. As such, it seems that the refreshed 2023 Ford Escape has fixed this vehicle’s woes and has drawn interest back to the sporty crossover.

The Bronco Sport brought up third, selling 33,272 units last quarter, up 13 percent. To keep up with demand, Ford added a third shift in July at the Hermosillo Assembly plant. Moreover, the off-road crossover was treated to quite a few changes and updates for its 2023 model year, potentially boosting customer interest.

The Edge was also in the green last quarter, up five percent to 26,202 sales, although its success may be short-lived, as the model’s future beyond 2024 is murky. Both the Edge its corporate cousin, the Lincoln Nautilus, are expected to cease production at the Oakville Assembly plant in Canada later this year, though Edge production has now been extended into early 2024.

The Mustang Mach-E, meanwhile, saw its sales slide 22 percent to 8,633 units, again indicating that supply chain issues are proving particularly difficult to navigate. However, the Mach-E is now more affordable, as its pricing has also been reduced due to manufacturing changes and the adoption of a lithium iron phosphate battery for standard range models. In turn, this may make it more popular in the segment, potentially boosting its sales.

Finally, the Ford EcoSport saw its sales drop off 91 percent , moving just 859 units last quarter. That’s because the model is discontinued.