Half Of Ford Sedan Owners Might Switch To Other Brands, Survey Warns

Ford’s plan to kill all its sedans in the United States may rely on the growth of the crossover/SUV and truck segments, but it appears that it might have misjudged the whole situation.

You see, many Ford sedan owners typically stick with the brand for their future car purchases, but the company’s decision to kill sedans might alienate them for good.

A Cox Automotive study cited by Automotive News reveals that Ford could have difficulty keeping some sedan customers in the United States after discontinuing the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, and Taurus.

That’s because many Ford owners who took part in the survey said they would likely look elsewhere when the time comes to acquire their next vehicle. Half of them said they would switch to a new or used car from another manufacturer for their next purchase, and only 10 percent admitted they would pick a new Ford crossover or SUV.

Also Read: Lincoln Remains Committed To Sedans Despite Ford’s Decision

Furthermore, five percent of respondents said they would get a Mustang, and only three percent said they would opt for a new Ford pickup truck. Most responders said they opposed Ford’s decision to discontinue sedans in the U.S. and were taken by surprise.

This should worry the top dogs in Dearborn, even though the survey’s sample size is rather small. There were 2,697 responders in total, of which only 104 owned Ford vehicles. The study goes to highlight the challenges Ford faces as it reshuffles its North American lineup.

It also sheds light on the fact that the public might not understand Ford’s strategy to replace its sedans with similarly priced new crossovers and SUVs, even though the market clearly favors the latter over the former.

Adding to the problem is a worrying statistic revealed by data from Kelley Blue Book: 53 percent of owners who trade in a Ford Fusion already go to a different brand. The most likely cars they choose? Honda’s Accord, Civic and CR-V or Toyota’s Camry or RAV4.