True, but I also expect some buyers may not like buying a model that’s about to be updated soon because their vehicle will seem more dated even though almost new.  When manufacturers update every 4 years like clockwork as an example, why buy on 4th year knowing your purchase will not look new within a short period?  On the other hand if manufacturers keep designs much longer, and it is known and expected, some buyers may be drawn by a vehicle that appears newer for a longer time.  Also as vehicles last longer and people drive less, owners keep their cars longer, thereby reducing benefits of frequent updates.  I’d bet buyers who keep their new cars like 10 years prefer fewer redesigns, not more.   Just saying there are pros and cons to frequent refreshes, so it’s not all bad when Ford extends a current product.  Mostly I think it’s a way to lower costs which may be more important to buyers than minor updated designs.  In hard financial times, regardless of the cause, it’s not surprising that manufacturers will try to reduce costs in similar manner.  I view a “new look” as a luxury that is no doubt desirable but carries much less weight than fundamentals.  Vehicles have become too expensive and affordability is high on the list.

Length and lack of a hybrid are holding BS back from higher sales volume.  With Escape gone there is no reason not to make a FWD hybrid extended wheelbase version other than maybe factory capacity.

Yep, car companies have this idea that EVs have to look like the future, which ironically leads to designs that get very dated looking very quickly.    I'm of the mindset that EVs give you the design flexibility to make a car look better. Push the wheels out to the corners, a lower front end, a more sculpted and lower hood, a sleeker roofline, etc. So companies should just differentiate EVs by making them better looking cars instead of weird looking cars.    I agree with what Ford says, if you're gonna make affordable EVs, don't make them look like toasters in wheels, make them emotional products.

Wow, I just realised that was 40 years ago

That probably would have sold in larger numbers.😁 Technically, the RAV4 Adventure/Woodlands is a whole unchopped RAV4 with an Otter box. The Bronco Sport was made significantly shorter than the Escape (by over half a foot) to make it more off-road capable or at least look the part. This probably made it feel too small (at least by US standards) for some buyers, anything smaller than the traditional C-segment or compact vehicle is always called too small (even though traditional compacts used to be that small in the 2000s).

MCE in 4th year is same cadence as F150.  It’s a stunning design inside and out.

That's fair.   I wonder how that did in focus groups, though.  Did it do well, and people were like "oh I want to have that!", vs the focus groups for this thing that reportedly universally panned it?

It was probably a low-take trim on the outgoing model, but with entry pricing of the 2025 jumping $15,000 without it, the idea is more appealing to folks.  The 2025 base price for the SWB version was more than the base price of the 2024 LWB model Reserve.   The new Premiere trim will be starting at $91,995, so it'll be close to the pricing of the 2024 Reserve, which will be appealing to buyers.  

Lincoln Nautilus Refresh Expected In 2027    Rather, according to a new report from Automotive News, the Lincoln Nautilus is now scheduled to receive a mid-cycle fresh in 2027, a bit later than previously expected. It was back in October 2024 that Automotive News previously reported that the luxurious crossover would be receiving its next update in 2026, but with sales continuing to prove strong for the newer model, delaying that action a bit seems to make sense in this case.   https://fordauthority.com/2025/09/lincoln-nautilus-refresh-expected-in-2027/    

Agree, it is kind of ambiguos, just 1 year later, maybe they need to know their clients better and also watch the competition