- Ford abandoned affordable cars in the US while rivals still offer budget friendly options .
- Chevy sells two crossovers below $25,000 while Ford’s cheapest equivalent costs $32k.
- Ford does offer a compact Maverick truck for $23k, and has a $30k electric truck coming.
Ford used to build cars for just about everyone. Now it wants to build cars people dream about and be the “Porsche of Off-Road.” It’s a brave strategy, but it also leaves one awkward question hanging in the air. What happens when shoppers simply want something affordable? You, know, like all the other Fords they’ve bought over the years, if not decades.
CEO Jim Farley has made it clear he doesn’t want Ford competing in the world of ordinary, forgettable cars anymore. Instead, the company is doubling down on vehicles with genuine appeal, from Broncos and Raptors to Mustangs and pickups buyers happily spend extra money personalizing. As one Ford executive put it to the WSJ, “This is the most passionate lineup that Ford has ever had.”
Also: Ford’s Jim Farley Warns Staff Chinese Cars Could Hit America Within 5-10 Years
The approach is certainly paying off in some ways. Models like the F-150, Bronco and Maverick are stars in their segments, while Ford has discovered there’s serious money to be made by pushing factory accessories and upgrades alongside those vehicles. Selling enthusiasts expensive toys can be more profitable than discounting another anonymous family sedan.
The catch is that Ford has quietly abandoned the bottom rung of the pricing ladder. A decade ago you could walk into a showroom and find several models priced comfortably below today’s entry point. Now, while the Maverick starts at $23,000, and a few of the discontinued Escape crossovers (below) are still available on dealer lots for under $30,000, the least expensive new Ford that isn’t a truck is a $31,845 Bronco Sport.
Rivals Still Pushing Affordable SUVs
Meanwhile, Chevrolet still offers the Trax from around $21,700, and the Trailblazer from roughly $23,300. Those aren’t glamorous halo models, and the Chevys are built in South Korea, not the US like the Ford. But when household budgets are stretched, a low monthly payment can often override all other concerns.
Ford hopes its upcoming $30,000-ish electric pickup (pictured below) will open another chapter, though slowing EV demand in the United States makes that gamble far from certain. Reports also suggest Ford is developing a four-door Mustang, possibly called the Mach 4, giving buyers something more attainable that still fits Farley’s vision of building exciting vehicles instead of ordinary transportation.
Farley, who feels Ford needs to leverage its heritage and enthusiast fans to stay ahead of an imminent Chinese threat, summed up the strategy of abandoning cheap, forgettable cars during a recent earnings call, the WSJ reports.
“We play only where we have real competitive advantage, or we can build one,” the CEO said. “And we’re ruthless about where we put our money.”
