Ford stunned the pretty much everyone when it announced plans to phase out sedans in North America, but it appears a majority of the models will eventually be replaced by crossovers.
According to several dealers who attended Ford’s Las Vegas convention, the automaker will effectively replace the Fiesta, Focus and Fusion with similarly priced crossovers. This is good news for fans of the brand as the decision will fill a massive hole in Ford’s lineup while also preventing first-time buyers from fleeing to rival automakers. As we’ve previously noted, the elimination of sedans would have pushed the price of the entry-level Ford from $14,260 for a Fiesta to $19,999 for an EcoSport.
There’s no word on when the models will arrive or how closely they will be priced to the outgoing sedans, but The Detroit News reports the vehicles will be small and rugged. That isn’t much to go on, but Ford has already revealed it won’t offer the Focus Active in the United States to due to the ongoing trade war with China.
Besides revealing plans for an assortment of entry-level crossovers, dealers were reportedly shown the next-generation Escape and Explorer as well as the Battery Performance Utility previously known as the Mach 1. Dealers also saw the Baby Bronco and the Mustang Shelby GT500 which pretty much everyone has seen by now.
Interestingly, Ford apologized to dealers for the way they announced plans to phase out sedans in North America. The Detroit News reports several dealers who attended the event were still angry about how things went down, but many left feeling more reassured about the company and its plans.
