AM222

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.

The high profit margins of big American SUVs and pickup trucks is because they can only sell them in high volumes in the USA and Canada. Other manufacturers like Toyota for example can sell affordable small cars because they sell them in high volumes around the world. They sell in high volumes in multiple markets to offset lower profit margin per vehicle. They have room to have fun vehicles too like GR performance models.

Rest of the world consumers in general. It's only in the US where small cars are pictured as cheap cars, in Europe and Asia for example, many people buy small cars/ small crossovers/ small MPVs.

During Ford's "One Ford" era, Ford of Europe took care of small car development for Europe and pretty much the Rest of the World. Ford has one of the most incomplete passenger vehicle lineups now and American Ford models are usually niche models when exported to other parts of the world, they're either too expensive or too big. The world still needs models like the Fiesta and EcoSport SUV. Right now, Ford has the subcompact Puma crossover but it doesn't sell it in global markets despite the subcompact B-segment being one of the most popular segments in most markets outside North America.

Yup, been saying this for a long time. Killing off its small (former) global ICE models was definitely not a smart move.

Yes, these low volume cars don't need to go through crash testing like regular production cars. Boreham did upgrade their (modified) reproduction Escort Mk1 bodies to have "enhanced structural bracing" and "improved torsional rigidity". I think Revology does a similar thing with their own modified reproduction Mustang bodies. I'd want these two "Ford-licensed" modified reproduction Fords in my dream garage.

Based on its pricing, it will go directly against the popular £29,495 (Focus-sized) rear-drive MG4 Long Range. Power MG4 Long Range: 200hp, 184 lb-ft Ford Puma Gen-E: 166hp, 214 lb-ft Range MG4 Long Range: 281 miles Ford Puma Gen-E: 233 miles

True. It just happens that Ford killed (or is about to kill) the ICE models that it could sell in its global markets. Ford has the Puma but hasn't marketed it as a global model to take the place of the Fiesta/EcoSport/Focus world cars. For example, if the Puma (which is BEV capable) was built in regional plants outside Europe, Ford could have had an affordable crossover in Asia-Pacific, South Africa, and South America. Will the next Escape be a global model? Right now, Ford exports the Chinese Territory (built on an unrelated JMC-Ford architecture) to Southeast Asia, Middle East, South Africa and South America as Ford's C-segment SUV to go up against models like the Rav4 and Tucson.

Other manufacturers are keeping their ICE/hybrid models longer than originally planned as a response to the slow-down of BEV sales. Ford just got too excited to go all in on EVs that it started killing its popular ICE models prematurely.

Sharing Explorer doors was a mistake because the platform can accommodate a lower car-like body with a lower beltline like the ID.3 The ID.3 has the same wheelbase as the ID.4 and the related Ford twins. Part of me wished Ford partnered with Hyundai instead of VW. Right now, their BEVs seem to be doing better than VW. Hyundai's E-GMP's platform at least allows lower profiles. The Kia EV6 crossover (below) is taller than an Ioniq 6 sedan and lower than an Ioniq 5 SUV. The Capri EV design language on the Hyundai-Kia platform/architecture would have probably looked much better than the actual tall stubby VW MEB-based model.

I think Ford should continue building standard affordable B and C segment models for the rest of the world, then make hot hatch versions of them. The compact Civic Type R, GR Corolla and sub compact GR Yaris (sold outside North America) exist because of the regular models they are based on. The most exclusive of this bunch is the GR Yaris because the regular Yaris is only offered as a 5-door hatch, the 3-door (wide) body is exclusive to the GR Yaris. Ford's hottest hatch now is the new Puma ST with a 168hp 1.0 EcoBoost. Puma is marketed as a crossover but it's just an inch or so taller than the Fiesta it was based on. It is essentially a longer wheelbase Fiesta (which was on the small end of its class). What's really frustrating is the fact that Ford could have at least sold the Puma crossover to global markets that lost the Fiesta and Focus.

Unlike the F150 (which appears to be more of a premium/lifestyle pickup in the few markets it's sold in outside North America), the Ranger Super Duty will literally be a heavy-duty work truck. I just wonder if it will be offered with a regular pickup bed. -drive.com.au

Ford started selling (China-sourced) right-hand drive Ford Territory C-segment SUVs in South Africa earlier this year, this model is rumored to be introduced in India too. *Ford trademarked the "Territory" name in India. If Ford will build a C-segment vehicle in India, it will probably be a BEV which will probably not be as profitable as a subcompact ICE/Hybrid model. Still wish they'd build the shelved next gen EcoSport. Subcompacts make up a large chunk of sales in most global markets.

Both are expensive compacts. The Capri EV looks like a fastback sedan with larger diameter tires and 6 inches added to the bottom of the car. I like some styling details, but the proportions aren't good. If Ford wanted to bring back the Capri and it had to be a 4-door EV, it might have made more sense to revive it as a Tesla Model 3 rival instead of the stubby SUV coupe they created.

In Europe, the current Kuga PHEV is one of the top selling PHEVs in Europe and was the best-selling PHEV in 2023 (In Europe). If Ford updates its styling, they can probably make it last past 2030.

You don't need to do an all-new ICE model; the Kuga and Escape's C2 architecture can last another generation with a reskin and updates like the new S650 Mustang. I think ICE/Hybrid models are still very important, especially if you want your car company to make it to 2030. This is pretty much the case in many of the rest-of-the-world markets. It's either BEV sales are slowing down or not growing as fast as they wanted it to.

About the European Explorer EV and its Capri SUV Coupe twin... they aren't selling well as expected. "German newspaper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger learned from a Ford spokesperson the “rapidly deteriorating market conditions for electric vehicles” are putting the brakes on Explorer and Capri production. Employees will have no other way but to alternate between working one week and taking one week off until the Christmas vacation. It’s a huge blow to the Cologne operations considering Ford invested $2 billion to get the German plant ready for EV production." "Ford’s electric offensive in Europe came at the expense of the Fiesta, its popular supermini that was shockingly retired from the factory in July 2023. To make matters worse, the company doesn’t have many ICE cars left to fall back on since the Mondeo made in Valencia, Spain died in 2022 and the Focus will be retired in 2025 from the Saarlouis site in Germany." Source: Ford Is Already Cutting Production of Its New EVs Ford killing their ICE models one after the other to make way for new BEVs that aren't selling. Ford in North America was smart enough to have the F150 Lightning run alongside the ICE F150. Again, a reminder: For the rest of the world, the mid-size pickup is "The" pickup and small B and C segment cars/SUVs/MPVs are the preferred vehicles. Will Ford discontinue the current Kuga-Escape after it discontinues the C2-based Focus in 2025 or will it survive? Ford really needs an ICE/Hybrid model to fall back on.