Ford Remaining Committed To Affordable Vehicles

Ford may be ditching almost all of its cars from the United States but that doesn’t mean it will steer away from affordable vehicles.

Speaking to The Detroit News after its announcement that rocked the industry, Ford president of global markets Jim Farley said the company will always remain committed to selling entry-level vehicles.

“Affordability is really always a part of our brand promise. The price point that’s affordable to most Americans is still important. Our ambition is to grow (our lineup) and hit all the price points. The only thing that’s changing is how they’re going to look,” Farley said.

For those in the market for an affordable Ford, Farley made mention of the EcoSport SUV which starts at $19,995. While not expensive, that starting price is significantly more than the $14,205 commanded by a 2018 Fiesta and the $17,950 Focus. No announcement has been made about how much the Focus Active will cost, nor has the asking price of the baby Bronco been confirmed.

According to Tim Hovik, the owner of SanTan Ford near Phoenix, offering entry-level models are extremely important as they often get first-time car buyers in the door that are more likely to buy future Ford models.

“You still need an entry-level vehicle. In the past we’ve always thought of that vehicle as a (sedan). It doesn’t necessarily have to be a car.

“There are still an awful lot of car customers, but not everybody in the car segment wanted a car. I think you’re going to see buyers look at price points instead of if the vehicle is a sedan,” Hovik said.

By the time Ford phases out models like the Fusion, Fiesta, and Taurus, the Mustang will be the only traditional car model it sells. The Focus Active will be added to Ford’s North American range but even it is a crossover-like vehicle.