Ford Crossover Sales Dipped Slightly During Q3 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 0.15 percent to 144,774 units in the United States during Q3 2023.

Sales Numbers - Ford Crossovers - Q3 2023 - USA

The Ford Escape, Ford Bronco Sport, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford Edge were all in the green last quarter; meanwhile, the Ford Explorer and Ford EcoSport posted 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 - Q3 2023 - USA

In doing so, we see Ford Bronco sales increase four percent, selling 32,888 units last quarter, solidly outperforming the Edge. The Ford Expedition experienced a decrease in sales, down nine percent to 17,061 units, enough to outpace the Mustang Mach-E and the discontinued EcoSport.

Combined Ford crossover and SUV sales represent a decrease of 0.29 percent, selling 194,723 units in Q3 2023.

The Ford Authority Take

Ford crossover sales barely slipped last quarter, experiencing a negligible year-over-year decline. It’s an encouraging sign that most of Ford’s offerings in the crossover space were in the green – including the Ford Escape, Ford Bronco Sport, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford Edge – while only the Explorer and EcoSport were in the red.

The segment was headed by the Escape, which rocketed into first place thanks to a 10 percent uptick to 38,774 deliveries last quarter. Production at the Louisville Assembly plant ramped up significantly in August, with the crossover is rolling off the line at a healthy pace to keep up with demand and resulting in a category-leading performance in Q3 2023.

The second-best Explorer, meanwhile, tailed with a sharp 37 percent slide to 33,709 units. This can be attributed to ongoing production issues that have plagued The Blue Oval for quite some time now, mainly related to issues with the 360-degree rearview camera. Parts began to arrive at dealerships to remedy this issue only recently.

Bronco Sport sales slotted in third, up 55 percent, moving 33,232 units last quarter, an indication that the off-road crossover is rolling off the Hermosillo Assembly plant. assembly line at a healthy rate. Moreover, the Bronco Sport was treated to quite a few changes and updates for its 2023 model year, potentially boosting customer interest.

Sales of the Edge swung upward 50 percent last quarter, meaning that 24,217 units found new homes during Q3 2023. Production of the Edge, which will soon be discontinued, has now been extended to March 2024. The hole left by the Edge will not be empty for long, however, as its successor will soon arrive in the form of an electric vehicle.

The Mustang Mach-E came in fourth, up 43 percent to 14,842 units last quarter, despite the fact that demand for EVs is cooling across the board. FoMoCo has been offering generous discounts toward the Mustang Mach-E in order to stimulate interest in the electric crossover, and last quarter’s increase seems to indicate that this practice has been effective.

The EcoSport sold no units last quarter, indicating that supply of the discontinued crossover has finally been depleted.