Completely disagree based on data.  Sales data doesn’t support your position for gasoline engines anyway, excluding diesel.  You are not an “entry-level” buyer, and in my opinion are not objective regarding the needs of buyers who struggle daily and live from paycheck to paycheck.  I don’t want to offend but many of the comments that have been expressed on this topic by various posters are condescending to “normal” people who still want to drive a new car, but have limited financial resources.   Regardless, as I’ve predicted many times, the best known technical solution going forward at this time is to rely on electrification to a higher degree and on engine power to a lesser degree.  This was true at least until CAFE was recently altered.  Ford no doubt has a lot invested in EB technology but its future may be threatened by hybrid’s growth.  I’m not criticizing EB advantages, just saying electrification may limit application.  Below quote is from an article I happen to be reading comparing naturally-aspirated versus turbo engines.  As they stated, turbos may become a moot point, especially for entry-level vehicles where economy matters most.    

I’ve said it before but you don’t fix quality with a separate team.  You fix it by changing your processes and by making quality a priority for compensation and promotion over cost and schedules.  And you fire people who don’t comply.   Suppliers should not be allowed to outsource without approval.  But that also means you can’t squeeze suppliers for that last nickel.   CE1 has the potential to fix some of it by having less complicated parts and doing more in house.  Plus they’re already losing money with Blue providing the profits so less pressure to cut costs initially - but that obviously changes over time.    

Yeah, plus luxury buyers who have higher income may have not qualified anyway because they exceeded upper income limit AFAIK, though I was told there was a way to circumvent rule (involved leasing but not sure).  Glad to see tax credit eliminated regardless.  I want EVs to succeed but on their own.

HUGE difference between full size truck buyers where performance makes a difference in towing/payload and family crossovers.   There are no “slow” or really unreliable engines today and they all get good mpg.  A small percentage have a preference for natural aspiration or more power but 90% just don’t care.  The one exception are hybrids that get significantly better mpg.   I have a 3.5eb F150, a 2.0eb Nautilus and a 2.5 turbo Boxster and they all average between 19 and 24 mpg and all should last 200k miles or more.     When Nautilus dropped the 2.7 v6 in favor of a hybrid 2.0eb sales didn’t drop they went up.   When Porsche switched from NA to turbos on the 718 cayman and boxster sales went up not down.     The point is standard ICE engines in most regular passenger vehicles are now ubiquitous.  Still matters somewhat for sports cars and trucks and a few high end luxury vehicles.    

Don't worry the next new quality guy will fix this. Where have I heard this before? 

Agree longer term, but for very short term, added cost of EREV is difficult to justify with fuel savings, so I expect many entry-level vehicle buyers who have to be cost conscious will continue to purchase regular ICE, or maybe step up to a hybrid.  It’s really hard to say what will happen with “affordable” EVs long-term if CAFE changes essentially give manufacturers a green light to sell whatever they want.  Next couple of years will be interesting to follow.

Funny that you think no one cares yet you say engines are rattling and buzzy, confirming you do care.  In a negative way but you care nonetheless.  I understand you’re all about designs and wish powertrains didn’t matter at all, but wishing doesn’t make it so.  Some buyers do care about engines, whether justified or not, as proven recently by huge backlash against RAM for dropping Hemi.  One could argue if these guys were idiots or not, but fact remains sales were adversely affected by lack of available powertrain choices.  The newest shock to the system is relaxing CAFE penalties, so we may see if any manufacturer tries to capitalize by altering engine choices for some models.

They should be okay. Luxury vehicle buyers can probably eat the cost more than mainstream buyers. GM could also get a bit more aggressive with sales incentives if needed. 

I think EREVS are the way to go, for all the reasons you have stated. But a significant portion of entry level buyers are living in apartments or other multi family housing, which in most cases currently can't or don't support 240V for even a handful of onsite chargers.

What did sales guy have to say?