Ford is Being Criticized, But Leading the Way

Those who have an investment in Ford have lost their breath with the Ford announcement they are going to do away with their passenger car lineup.

Even though the SUV segment of the market has outsold the sedans for the past few years, signifying a shift in the market toward SUVs and away from cars, Ford is taking a huge leap forward and one of faith in the consumers they have for their products. The displeasure was evident recently at the annual shareholders’ meeting, but the brand leadership was steadfast.

Models Ford is Deleting

Some have questioned whether Ford is abandoning their customer base by deleting the Fiesta, Focus, and Taurus from the market (the Fusion was already on its way out). The entirety of the car lineup will be reduced to the Mustang and what will actually be a crossover called the Focus Active. The thought of abandonment was answered by Ford CEO Jim Hackett who informed us the plan is to offer the vehicles that customers are actually asking for, which happens to be the crossover SUVs that are already being offered by the Blue Oval.

More in the Lineup by 2020

The headlines that have run regarding the change in the lineup from this brand have failed to cover the fact that they will actually expand the lineup, just in a different way. Most of the headlines have only highlighted the fact that Ford is deleting the cars from its lineup that we’ve known for years in a “how dare they” manner. The fact is, not only is Ford going to focus on the models that are more profitable with SUVs and trucks as a majority of the lineup, but they will put a serious focus toward EVs and hybrids for the future of driving.

EV and Hybrids Coming from Ford Later

Because Ford will put a serious effort toward giving us the EV and hybrid models we see as part of the future of driving, it’s likely we will see an expanded lineup for the future. In fact, we may see sedans and hatchbacks offered on the dealership lots after 2020, but those models will all either be an EV or a hybrid vehicle to make sure those who buy these models will be able to enjoy the fuel mileage desired in order to save money at the pump or use only electricity for the drive.

Sales Tell the Tale for Ford

Why would Ford move away from the cars we see today and toward the potential of cars that are EV models and hybrid versions for the drive? The purpose of offering a new naming structure will be to let us have a new thought and new look at what a Ford car can be. There’s no guarantee the EV and hybrid models will be cars either, they could all be SUVs offered in the future. While we wait to see exactly what the lineup will be, it’s more likely than not that Ford is simply leading the way where other brands will follow over the next few years.