Ford Fiesta (why it isn't selling)

[Reigner92]

http://autos.aol.com/article/youth-car-low-sales/

[RangerM]

I'm not sure that the Fiesta has a "target age group", regardless of whether or not it's a youth-oriented car or not. IIRC, Scion wound up selling to 40-somethings.

 

That said the current unemployment rate (by age group) is....

 

Age 16 to 19......21.5 %

Age 20 to 24......9.3 %

Age 25 to 34.....10.4 %

Age 35 to 44......7.7 %

Age 45 to 54......8.1 %

Age 55 and up....7.3 %

 

So, if Fiesta really has a target (the young) perhaps it's no surprise, given they have the highest unemployment rate.

Edited December 10, 2010 by RangerM

[BORG]

The Fiesta hasn't been discovered by the people they aren't marketing it to, but believe me...once the older folks know about the Fiesta, they'll snatch them up just like the Focus.

[silvrsvt]

Overall the Fiesta isn't doing too badly, I believe the Versa sales are skewed by fleet sales and the Senta being so outdated.

[mackinaw]

Remember folks, this is a "B" class vehicle, way too small for most Americans.

[BORG]

I think the new Chevy Sonic is going to be much better suited to the domestic customer so we should see a much more successful example there. Honestly, the biggest hangup I have (and this might be an old person's priority) is the inflexible cargo area. If I want a hatch, I want it to carry things around and if the seats don't tuck away flat then it's not going to win the Costco test.

Edited December 10, 2010 by BORG

[ehaase]

The styling of the Fiesta and next Focus are just too funky for me. I'm getting older, and VW's are the most attractive small cars to me.

[Captainp4]

I think they're jumping the gun a little by saying it isn't selling. The car hasn't been out that long, and from what I've read on here they've had some problems getting production up to speed the the units shipped up here from Mexico - though from what I gather most of the issues are resolved at this point, but I still think it's going to take a little while before sales start to take off. The car seems to be best in class at just about everything except space utilization where the Versa excels, but even so the Versa is significantly bigger IIRC.

[Edstock]

IMHO a lot of potential B-class owners are probably Asian-product owners. The point is, to lots of people, Ford is an = ewww = domestic.

 

Ford's gone a long, long way to changing that around, but it's still a perception that lingers with the average buyer.

 

 

[Hoser768]

Seems like dealers around here have more cash on the hood for the Focus, making the prices identical. You can get "more" car for the same price they way the deals are advertised. This will change with the new Focus next year, but right now, I think the Focus may be stealing some Fiesta buyers.

[Marginal Economist]

#1 Reason - 2011 Ford Focus. Once the inventory of the 2011 Focus is sold down and the 2012's hit the dealerships, look for Fiesta sales to increase.

[Marginal Economist]

Seems like dealers around here have more cash on the hood for the Focus, making the prices identical. You can get "more" car for the same price they way the deals are advertised. This will change with the new Focus next year, but right now, I think the Focus may be stealing some Fiesta buyers.

 

Exactly - average transaction price for Fiesta > Focus.

[ANTAUS]

When the new Focus comes in, I'm sure consumers at the dealership will take a 2nd look at the Fiesta, and I'm sure the sales people will tell them things like "Well, it's almost as big as the old Focus was", etc. I dont think the word is fully out there yet on Fiesta. What were Fords original sales target for the Fiesta?

[suv_guy_19]

I wasn't aware that the Fiesta wasn't selling.

[FordBuyer]

I wasn't aware that the Fiesta wasn't selling.

 

Ford has built over 80,000 Mexican Fiestas so far and only about 15,000 or so have been sold in America. Not sure where all the rest are since Canada and South America are much smaller markets. The inventory is just starting to build. The reasons I would give for slow sales is Ford is not putting much cash on the hood and no big lease deals yet, and Focus with all those incentives is a better deal. With fuel prices creeping up, and better deals on Fiesta coming, Fiesta sales should improve significantly over coming months.

[jpd80]

Ford has built over 80,000 Mexican Fiestas so far and only about 15,000 or so have been sold in America.

 

LINK

The Fiesta has been on sale for a few months with a full inventory on most lots. (There are more than 9,000 in Cars.com's national inventory.) However, the Fiesta isn't setting the sales world on fire, and the rest of the segment isn't, either.

 

By that calculation, Ford has 71 days inventory.

 

I would say quite a few are going to Latin America, Fiesta is very popular there.

[IMSA-XJR9]

Pretty simple (in my opinion), gas is still too cheap to alter buying habits. When gas hits $4/gal the smaller cars will start to gain better traction

[mettech]

My issue with it is the MPG for that size of a car. The new Focus will get = or > MPG and so will the new Elantra.

 

However, it is on my list as a retirement car next year along with the V6 Mustang and Focus.

 

I wish Ford would put a small diesel in it for the USA.

 

A 65 MPG Fiesta would be a strong sale for a lot of consumers.

65 MPG Fiesta

[Ford Jellymoulds]

Made in Mexico

 

Ford would sell shitloads more if it was made in the USA like the Focus.

 

Ford erm are errrrrrrrrrrrrrm are an American company, why shaft Americans by letting Mexicans build your cars for your home market in the USA.

 

USA has 15 millions out of work and still growing despite Tarp, QE1, QE2 & QE3? bailouts , Ford are an American company it should be a perk of the job to let Americans built all Ford vehicles for its USA market surely.

[NickF1011]

#1 Reason - 2011 Ford Focus. Once the inventory of the 2011 Focus is sold down and the 2012's hit the dealerships, look for Fiesta sales to increase.

 

Precisely.

 

Why buy a smaller Fiesta when you can get a cheap 2011 Focus for less? Once the bargain basement priced Focus is gone, the Fiesta ought to pick up some.

[NickF1011]

Made in Mexico

 

Ford would sell shitloads more if it was made in the USA like the Focus.

 

 

You mean like the American-built Fusion which is outselling the Focus? Oh wait.

[mettech]

Made in Mexico

 

Ford would sell shitloads more if it was made in the USA like the Focus.

 

Ford erm are errrrrrrrrrrrrrm are an American company, why shaft Americans by letting Mexicans build your cars for your home market in the USA.

 

USA has 15 millions out of work and still growing despite Tarp, QE1, QE2 & QE3? bailouts , Ford are an American company it should be a perk of the job to let Americans built all Ford vehicles for its USA market surely.

 

How much is a "shitloads more"?

 

The average consumer doesn't care if it's made in Mexico or USA or Canada.

 

Mexico is located in America.

[SVTDarkCobra]

Made in Mexico

 

Ford would sell shitloads more if it was made in the USA like the Focus.

 

Ford erm are errrrrrrrrrrrrrm are an American company, why shaft Americans by letting Mexicans build your cars for your home market in the USA.

 

USA has 15 millions out of work and still growing despite Tarp, QE1, QE2 & QE3? bailouts , Ford are an American company it should be a perk of the job to let Americans built all Ford vehicles for its USA market surely.

 

Now I believe South America and Mexico have a high tax on USA made products? So with that said I thought Ford said that making them in Mexico will make that tax disappear so it could be sold in the States and Latin America.

 

I will not lie, I wish that the Fusion and Fiesta was built in the States too. Maybe we could hope for a smaller plant in the States (Keep dreaming kyle).

[weiweishen]

Overall the Fiesta isn't doing too badly, I believe the Versa sales are skewed by fleet sales and the Senta being so outdated.

Versa actually is at same size as the size of focus with cheaper price. One problem with fiesta is that Fiesta is lack of cargo space.

[weiweishen]

Remember folks, this is a "B" class vehicle, way too small for most Americans.

I agree. Considering 30% of American adult are over-weight and other 70% are actually just sllightly below over-weight level. Squeeze them into a fiesta is really a torturing.