Does Ford have any plans for $4, possible $6/gal fuel?

[jasonj80]

On 3/8/2022 at 9:36 PM, ExplorerDude said:

This situation has triggered a lot of concern in the glass house. This gas crisis caught them way off guard because it happened overnight and hasn’t been building for a long time. If this gets really really bad with gas prices I am a certain they will revisit Fusion/Mondeo and/or Focus for another run in NA. Both sets of vehicles were designed to meet US federal crash requirements. I’ve been told that there already is discussion about some sort of affordable sedan program but not sure the specifics.

Another group I’m in someone posted three new Focus sedans and a new Fusion in a parking lot at the Cuautitlan assembly plant this past week. 

[akirby]

1 hour ago, jasonj80 said:

Another group I’m in someone posted three new Focus sedans and a new Fusion in a parking lot at the Cuautitlan assembly plant this past week. 

With Maverick getting 37 mpg starting around $22K and Escape hybrid getting 40-ish I don’t see the need for focus or fusion in response to high gas prices.

[jcartwright99]

45 minutes ago, jasonj80 said:

Another group I’m in someone posted three new Focus sedans and a new Fusion in a parking lot at the Cuautitlan assembly plant this past week. 

 

I don't buy that they are thinking about bringing those back to US market. The fuel economy difference isn't really that big between CUV and sedan. Are these cars going to not have chips? Are they going to be profitable? 

 

The biggest hurdle for Ford is chips and batteries. They have the vehicles

 

 

 

[FordBuyer]

32 minutes ago, jcartwright99 said:

 

I don't buy that they are thinking about bringing those back to US market. The fuel economy difference isn't really that big between CUV and sedan. Are these cars going to not have chips? Are they going to be profitable? 

 

The biggest hurdle for Ford is chips and batteries. They have the vehicles

 

 

 

 

It's also about price also. With the Ecosport now dead, that only leaves a small pickup in $20,000 segment. Not everyone wants or needs a pickup. The Escape SE is a $30,000+ vehicle. So Ford could use another vehicle in the $20,000 price range. Since sedans are cheaper than CUVs, having one sedan priced for consumers of all income levels is not a bad thing. 

[akirby]

1 hour ago, FordBuyer said:

 

It's also about price also. With the Ecosport now dead, that only leaves a small pickup in $20,000 segment. Not everyone wants or needs a pickup. The Escape SE is a $30,000+ vehicle. So Ford could use another vehicle in the $20,000 price range. Since sedans are cheaper than CUVs, having one sedan priced for consumers of all income levels is not a bad thing. 

Not a bad thing for consumers but you’re wrong about Maverick.  The biggest conquest vehicle for Mavericks are former civic owners.

 

Think about it - add a tonneau cover and Maverick is every bit as useful as a focus sedan for people but with a HUGE trunk that can also haul way more cargo including mulch and can tow up to $4K.  
 

And the question wasn’t what consumers want, it’s whether Ford needs to change anything because of high gas prices and the answer is no.  They just need to build more Mavericks and more hybrids.

[silvrsvt]

1 hour ago, akirby said:

Not a bad thing for consumers but you’re wrong about Maverick.  The biggest conquest vehicle for Mavericks are former civic owners.

 

Think about it - add a tonneau cover and Maverick is every bit as useful as a focus sedan for people but with a HUGE trunk that can also haul way more cargo including mulch and can tow up to $4K. 

 

Exactly-given the pricing and how long vehicles last these days, people are buying more swiss army knife style vehicles then sedans like they did 40-50 years ago when the average new car turned around in 5 years or so for a new one. 

 

The market is much different these days.  

[2005Explorer]

8 hours ago, akirby said:

With Maverick getting 37 mpg starting around $22K and Escape hybrid getting 40-ish I don’t see the need for focus or fusion in response to high gas prices.

Maybe, but then again if only high MPG vehicles are selling maybe Ford wants to offer a couple more. I am sure they are tossing around the idea if things stay bad. The only problem is how long would it take them to produce the models again for the North American market?

[silvrsvt]

2 hours ago, 2005Explorer said:

Maybe, but then again if only high MPG vehicles are selling maybe Ford wants to offer a couple more. I am sure they are tossing around the idea if things stay bad. The only problem is how long would it take them to produce the models again for the North American market?

 

Not really, because they don't make money on them. There no demand for a sedan type vehicle that gets good MPG without throwing money on the hood. Your alternatives are the Maverick Hybrid and Escape Hybrid. Plus Introducing new product like that would take away from current product that is already constrained.  

[akirby]

People buying $50k-$80k trucks and SUVs won’t flinch at an extra $100/month in gas.

[tbone]

4 hours ago, akirby said:

People buying $50k-$80k trucks and SUVs won’t flinch at an extra $100/month in gas.

i don’t disagree, but it’s probably closer to $200 per month. 

[jpd80]

5 hours ago, akirby said:

People buying $50k-$80k trucks and SUVs won’t flinch at an extra $100/month in gas.

Correct, it’s not like the old days when larger lifestyle 4x4 vehicles would struggle to get better than 14-16 mpg on the highway. Modern vehicles that get up to 40-50% better highway gas mileage really makes that much difference in monthly fuel bills, easing the shock of higher gas prices…

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by jpd80

[silvrsvt]

5 hours ago, tbone said:

i don’t disagree, but it’s probably closer to $200 per month. 

 

How much do you drive?!

I did the math the other day at 18 MPG and if you drove about 12K a year, it was roughly $600 bucks a year for every dollar gas rose a gallon. That works out to about an extra $5 bucks a week. Average driver does about 14K miles a year.

[Joe771476]

I just saw a trailer on TV for a movie titled "Ambulance."  I actually saw SUV police vehicles but I couldn't make out the makes of the police vehicles or the ambulance. I was too far away.

[akirby]

7 hours ago, tbone said:

i don’t disagree, but it’s probably closer to $200 per month. 

15k/yr is 1250/month.  At 20 mpg that’s 62 gallons. at $2/gallon increase that’s $120/month.

[Lawrence G]

They will just increase wages create more billionaires and make it the new norm. 

[rperez817]

On 3/13/2022 at 10:43 AM, akirby said:

The biggest conquest vehicle for Mavericks are former civic owners.

 

Think about it - add a tonneau cover and Maverick is every bit as useful as a focus sedan for people but with a HUGE trunk that can also haul way more cargo including mulch and can tow up to $4K.  

 

Just for fun, the June 2022 issue of Car and Driver did a comparison between Honda Civic and Ford Maverick. Buying Culture: 2022 Ford Maverick XLT vs. 2022 Honda Civic Sport (caranddriver.com)

 

To put it in the simplest terms, the Civic is better at hauling people, and the Maverick is better at hauling stuff. But the Maverick's cargo-schlepping superiority isn't as dominating as expected. In a modified version of our stand­ardized box test (we don't normally fill pickup beds with boxes), the Maverick held 28 boxes in its bed (filled to the rail) and back seat. The Civic swallowed a surprising 20 boxes with its rear seats folded. The Civic also has the advantage of its rear-located, lockable, out-of-sight, weatherproof storage compartment, which Honda calls a "trunk" and is quite a novelty these days. However, it will be much more difficult, and certainly messier, to stuff a Yamaha YZ250 dirt bike into the Honda—advantage Maverick here. Ditto with towing, moving grandfather clocks, and sitting on the tailgate and drinking a thermos of coffee while wearing a hard hat. We're afraid you'll need the truck for that.

 

[Chrisgb]

On 5/27/2022 at 10:03 AM, rperez817 said:

 

Just for fun, the June 2022 issue of Car and Driver did a comparison between Honda Civic and Ford Maverick. Buying Culture: 2022 Ford Maverick XLT vs. 2022 Honda Civic Sport (caranddriver.com)

 

 

 

 

The box comparison seems a little unfair. In the Civic, boxes should not have been loaded above the window sills, or a box cap added to the Maverick.

 

[twintornados]

On 3/13/2022 at 10:43 AM, akirby said:

Think about it - add a tonneau cover and Maverick is every bit as useful as a focus sedan for people but with a HUGE trunk that can also haul way more cargo including mulch and can tow up to $4K. 

 

...or put a cap on it.

 

 

[jniffen]

I'm still on the fence on either the Nautilus or Maverick etc.

My concern was gas mileage, my current vehicle, 2013 Volvo S60 T5, my city driving, combination of highway and city streets, is in the 24 (extreme cold months), to 26-28 in the other months.

I was concerned the Nautilus wound be around 20 for that range, so I held off for now. 
The Maverick, since owning a '79 Mustang, learned not to buy a new model year.

We'll see how it all works out.

 

 

[jniffen]

On 5/27/2022 at 10:03 AM, rperez817 said:

 

Just for fun, the June 2022 issue of Car and Driver did a comparison between Honda Civic and Ford Maverick. Buying Culture: 2022 Ford Maverick XLT vs. 2022 Honda Civic Sport (caranddriver.com)

 

 

 

 

Securely, hell, if they crooks want it bad enough, the windows would be broken and the trunk lid popped with no effort.

To be fair, the Maverick should have had a proper tonnaeu cover, so the security concern is addressed.

 

Plus 8 more boxes out of the Civics' 20 is a 40% more storage. It is noticeable.

 

 

[jpd80]

35 minutes ago, jniffen said:

Securely, hell, if they crooks want it bad enough, the windows would be broken and the trunk lid popped with no effort.

To be fair, the Maverick should have had a proper tonnaeu cover, so the security concern is addressed.

 

Plus 8 more boxes out of the Civics' 20 is a 40% more storage. It is noticeable.

 

 

Human nature, most thieves are lazy opportunists, if they can’t see it or take it easily walking by, they go pick another target. It’s like that old joke about out running a bear, I just need to out run you….

Edited May 28, 2022 by jpd80

[DeluxeStang]

1 hour ago, jniffen said:

I'm still on the fence on either the Nautilus or Maverick etc.

My concern was gas mileage, my current vehicle, 2013 Volvo S60 T5, my city driving, combination of highway and city streets, is in the 24 (extreme cold months), to 26-28 in the other months.

I was concerned the Nautilus wound be around 20 for that range, so I held off for now. 
The Maverick, since owning a '79 Mustang, learned not to buy a new model year.

We'll see how it all works out.

 

 

I wouldn't be too concerned about the maverick. The avoid the first model year thing doesn't really apply to most cars these days, plus everything important on the maverick has been on the market for years and seems to be bulletproof for the most part. 

[Joe771476]

All I know is that if fuel continues to rise, fuel and grocery shopping will be the top two priorities. Going to the gym or yoga studio, dining out, engaging landscaping and lawn maintenance companies, home renovation, etc. will all take a back seat.   I laugh when I see $4000 grills on display at hardware stores!  You're kidding, right? 

[fuzzymoomoo]

1 hour ago, Joe771476 said:

All I know is that if fuel continues to rise, fuel and grocery shopping will be the top two priorities. Going to the gym or yoga studio, dining out, engaging landscaping and lawn maintenance companies, home renovation, etc. will all take a back seat.   I laugh when I see $4000 grills on display at hardware stores!  You're kidding, right? 

I've already started carpooling to work and riding my bike to the grocery store

[Chrisgb]

14 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

I wouldn't be too concerned about the maverick. The avoid the first model year thing doesn't really apply to most cars these days, plus everything important on the maverick has been on the market for years and seems to be bulletproof for the most part. 

Recalls can happen in successive model years anyway. Today, it is better to jump on the first model year. Going forward, Ford and others start decontenting or moving standalone options into higher model trims or packages. Over on Ranger 5G, there is a wiki for all the stuff that has been deleted or moved up since its 2019 NA intro, but this practice isn't limited to Ranger or Ford.