AM222

The upcoming Slate pickup/SUV is like an EV version of a pre-2000s entry-level model. The base model is an actual base model. If this were an ICE model its $25K-$27K estimated base price would probably be under $20K, the base price of the Maverick a few years ago. Traditional pickups are just getting too expensive everywhere in general.

The original American Ford Ranger actually had squircle wheel arches.

A case of creating new problems instead of solving existing ones.

Wouldn't that put the Ranger at a disadvantage against other US-made pickups like the Colorado or Frontier for example if Ford raises prices.

What happens to affordable models like the compact Maverick for example? Will it end up costing as much as an equivalent trim Ranger.

I was expecting Mustang sales to increase after the Camaro and popular Challenger were discontinued, I guess that wasn't the case. Poor sales of an iconic model, and (as expected) more recalls for the blue oval! The situation at Ford isn't improving.

First reaction when I saw the current gen Escape, it looked like a bloated Focus. Lol I know many Ford fans dislike Toyotas but I was more impressed by the 5th gen Rav4's styling than the Escape's. (2019MY Rav4) Despite the Rav4 being revealed a year earlier than the current gen Escape, it has aged better without the need of a major refresh. (2020MY Escape) (2024MY Escape) Not only did Ford sacrifice global C-segment sales by killing the Focus, its Escape hasn't performed as well as they wanted. Here's something interesting, the slightly older Rav4 outsells the Escape, Maverick, and Bronco Sport combined. This probably explains why Ford has to make sacrifices to stay alive. Bad decisions and lack of flexibility. Toyota Rav4 2024 US sales figures: 475,193 units Ford Escape 2024 US sales figures: 157,331 units Ford Bronco Sport 2024 US sales figures: 124,701 units Ford Maverick 2024 US sales figures: 157,345 units Escape + Maverick + Bronco Sport combined 2024 US sales figures: 439,377 units

In 2024, the Escape was outsold by both its car and crossover/SUV rivals in the US. Ford's rivals still build both cars and SUVs that sell well.

The next issue to address was the tight (by 2010s standards) rear passenger space. Ford developed a solution, the Focus Mk4 but decided not to sell it in most global markets where it would have now matched the size of the Corolla and Civic. This is the refreshed (final?) version of the Focus Mk4. -Motor1

This is the POV of most North American consumers, the Fiesta and Focus hot hatches were not cheap crappy economy cars, what was crappy was the PowerShift transmission that the regular models were available with (and this was at a period when they went global with their small cars). These models, particularly the Fiesta did well globally until the PowerShift problems surfaced a few years after. In Europe they reskinned the Fiesta in 2017 and replaced the PowerShift transmission. Since it was just a reskin of a 2000s model, it wasn't as competitive when compared to fresher rivals. If you're company has had close calls several times in the past 17 years, they're always on survival mode. Again, companies like Toyota for example have the extra $$$ to build both core models like Ford but still build fun hot hatches that Ford is killing off one by one. Even the Puma ST (the face of Ford in the rally championship) has been downgraded to a smaller 168hp 1.0 EcoBoost instead of the 197hp 1.5 EcoBoost it originally had. The AWD rally-inspired GR Yaris & GR Corolla, some markets get one of them, some get both depending on the market preference. Ford's way of thinking, small cars and small crossovers are popular in Asia, and we have the subcompact Puma... let's not sell it there. When Ford killed the Fiesta and EcoSport, they just left the hole empty. Remember these subcompact models were more important for the rest-of-the-world-markets.

Speaking of profits. between Ford and Toyota, Ford in the past decade is the one making big sacrifices to stay somewhat healthy. Toyota makes enough profit I guess to continue making models like cars and hot hatches that belong in segments Ford had to abandon. Yes, Rav4 has to be sold in more markets to have the same profits as the F150, but Toyota's broader range also makes the brand stronger in more markets than Ford. The direction Ford is going now only makes it strong in its home market/ region. Ford in Europe is an example of what happens when you kill the models that people buy. Sales dive.

In the US, there are 3 cars in the top 10 best-selling vehicles of 2024, the Camry (6th place), Corolla (7th place), and Civic (9th place). In Europe, 6 of the top 10 best-selling vehicles of 2024 are cars, the other 4 are crossovers. The top 3 are small hatchbacks. Even if the US is not the main market for hot hatchbacks, it's interesting to see them compete in the space Ford left.

I remember when Ford discontinued the Fiesta in Europe, there was a report showing that the subcompact segment didn't shrink, Ford just lost sales to rival brands who didn't abandon the popular segment in Europe. In 2024, the RAV4 (475,193 units) outsold the F150 (460,915 units) in the US, the full-size truck's primary market. It's also interesting to point out that there are 3 sedans in the top 10. Half the vehicles are compact (C-segment) models. -Forbes Mr. Farley is great when it comes to Iconic models like the Mustang, Bronco, & F150, not so good when it comes to keeping mainstream models competitive. Many discontinued models used to be global models. So far, it's been a case of "the competition is beating us, let's just quit, abandon the segment and tell people the segment is dead".

It's interesting to note that in 2024, the Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic outsold every Ford SUV in the US. Even Chevrolet's current more car-like Trax crossover (which is essentially a lifted Cruze successor) outsold every Ford SUV.

It makes you wonder why in the 2000s suddenly a lot of people "needed" large trucks or SUVs (at least in the USA and Canada). When you go further back, even small cars like the Ford Escort were very popular in the US. It's funny how modern subcompacts (that are as big or bigger than the 90s Escort) are considered by many to be too small for the US market.