- New car prices have soared in recent years, leaving few affordable options for customers.
- Buyers are now looking for value as their wallets are being squeezed by a variety of factors.
- To appease shoppers, Ford is bringing back base trims and increasing production of affordable variants.
Thanks to inflation, a global pandemic, and the carpocalypse, new car prices have skyrocketed. Last month, the average new vehicle had a transaction price of $49,740 and that’s up nearly $15,000 from a decade ago.
While we’ve seen a handful of affordable vehicles being introduced – including the Buick Envista, Chevrolet Trax, and Nissan Kicks – those are rare exceptions. Furthermore, the Ford Maverick has seen its price jump from $19,995 to $26,295 in just a few years.
More: 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Goes From Soft-Roader To Baby Sasquatch
Speaking of the Blue Oval, they’ve been stamping out affordability as the Focus and Fusion are long gone. The EcoSport is also history, but no one’s missing it.
Ford’s war on affordability also saw them eliminate entry-level trims to pad their bottom line and better reflect what a majority of customers wanted. However, consumers are now feeling financial pressure and they’re putting a renewed focus on value.
Ford is listening as Automotive News is reporting the company will increase production of lower-end Escapes, Explorers, and F-150s. It also sounds like we can expect more base trims in the future.
The latter is already playing out as the Bronco Base returns to the lineup for 2025. Ford eliminated it the previous year and this caused pricing to jump from $34,890 to $39,130. While the Base trim is back, it’s significantly more expensive as it now starts at $37,995.
Since customers are interested in affordability, Ford will focus on promoting the facelifted Bronco Sport and Maverick. Both start under $30,000 but are made in Mexico. This means they could soon be subjected to a 25% tariff if President Trump follows through on his threat. The Escape is also expected to die this year, which would eliminate another affordable model as it starts at $28,150.
