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Fusion to live on, as Sports Wagon


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From Automotive News.

 

"While Ford Motor's Co.'s slow-selling Fusion sedan will fade into history, the name is expected to live on in a sport wagon being developed to challenge Subaru's popular Outback, according to people familiar with the automaker's plans. The Fusion name probably will live on when the sedan exits early next decade, according to a spokesman. It will be replaced in the showroom by a high-roofed hatchback built on the same mechanical underpinnings, said two people who asked not to be identified revealing future product plans."

 

 

http://www.autonews.com/article/20180711/OEM04/180719932/ford-fusion-name-will-be-given-to-future-subaru-outback-rival-report?cciid=email-autonews-blast

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Have they been visiting here and cribbing our notes?!?

This is slightly disconcerting

 

 


Ford needs to find a way to keep its sedan buyers returning to its showrooms. A trade-in analysis by researcher Kelley Blue Book found that fewer than half of Ford Fusion owners are loyal to the brand. The most popular crossover models that Fusion owners consider are the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, KBB found.

"Ford has a hard time moving people from their cars to SUVs," said Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst with KBB affiliate Autotrader.

 

Considering the Escape is in the top 5 of small SUV sales, why aren't they considering it or the Edge?

 

That would be interesting to look into-I wonder if they where previous import owners.

Edited by silvrsvt
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Have they been visiting here and cribbing our notes?!?

 

This is slightly disconcerting

 

 

 

Considering the Escape is in the top 5 of small SUV sales, why aren't they considering it or the Edge?

 

Escape is not competitive with the latest CR-V or RAV4. Edge is too expensive.

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Have they been visiting here and cribbing our notes?!?

 

This is slightly disconcerting

 

 

 

Considering the Escape is in the top 5 of small SUV sales, why aren't they considering it or the Edge?

 

That would be interesting to look into-I wonder if they where previous import owners.

 

 

That's because most Fusion buyers are buying on price and buying cheaper SE models. Ford crossovers are not cheap (nor should they be).

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This means C2 Mondeo is alive and well like I mentioned in another thread.

 

Also, the original article at Bloomberg has an interesting chart showing sales trend of Fusion vs. Outback (OP posted a syndicated version of the article from automotive news)

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-11/ford-keeping-fusion-name-as-sedan-is-said-to-become-sport-wagon

Edited by bzcat
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Also, the original article at Bloomberg has an interesting chart showing sales trend of Fusion vs. Outback (OP posted a syndicated version of the article from automotive news)

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-11/ford-keeping-fusion-name-as-sedan-is-said-to-become-sport-wagon

 

Thank you bzcat sir for the Bloomberg link and chart. No doubt Outback sales will exceed Fusion's this year if the current trend holds.

 

If fleet sales are excluded, Outback easily outsells Fusion right now.

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Have they been visiting here and cribbing our notes?!?

 

This is slightly disconcerting

 

 

 

Considering the Escape is in the top 5 of small SUV sales, why aren't they considering it or the Edge?

 

That would be interesting to look into-I wonder if they where previous import owners.

 

Escape is also an old product competing against a brand new CR-V and competitive Rav-4.

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Thank you bzcat sir for the Bloomberg link and chart. No doubt Outback sales will exceed Fusion's this year if the current trend holds.

 

If fleet sales are excluded, Outback easily outsells Fusion right now.

Yes, However in the past 6 months the Outback is becoming popular in rental car lots. I've had 2 in the past 2-3 months; one in Vegas and one in Texas.

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Escape is not competitive with the latest CR-V or RAV4. Edge is too expensive.

If you just google it and click some links - the Escape looks very competitive. The Honda and Toyota have the sharp edges and body crease palooza design that young people love - if that is what you mean by "competitive".

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/rivals-ford-escape-vs-honda-cr-v-vs-toyota-rav4/

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From Automotive News.

 

"While Ford Motor's Co.'s slow-selling Fusion sedan will fade into history, the name is expected to live on in a sport wagon being developed to challenge Subaru's popular Outback, according to people familiar with the automaker's plans.

Please don't take as long as the Bronco to design and produce this vehicle that everyone wants...

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If you just google it and click some links - the Escape looks very competitive. The Honda and Toyota have the sharp edges and body crease palooza design that young people love - if that is what you mean by "competitive".

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/rivals-ford-escape-vs-honda-cr-v-vs-toyota-rav4/

Escape is also old and about to be replaced soon, and sales are starting to show. Its been mostly flat for a few months now.
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I still say Freestyle was ahead of it's time...Doesn't sound like many options for those who hate crossovers and Suvs...they will have to either go with a Mustang, or go to another brand.

That's my plan. I also plan on looking @ other brands of trucks when I replace my F 250. Ford will no longer be a 1st choice for me.

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If you just google it and click some links - the Escape looks very competitive. The Honda and Toyota have the sharp edges and body crease palooza design that young people love - if that is what you mean by "competitive".

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/rivals-ford-escape-vs-honda-cr-v-vs-toyota-rav4/

 

Escape was competitive with CR-V and RAV4 in 2016 when CNET did that comparison. Now with new CR-V released last year and new RAV4 coming out this fall, the current Escape falls short.

 

As fuzzymoomoo mentioned though, Escape is going to be redesigned in the next few years. Maybe Ford Fusion owners will be more likely to consider buying Ford Escape at that time.

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Escape was competitive with CR-V and RAV4 in 2016 when CNET did that comparison. Now with new CR-V released last year and new RAV4 coming out this fall, the current Escape falls short.

 

As fuzzymoomoo mentioned though, Escape is going to be redesigned in the next few years. Maybe Ford Fusion owners will be more likely to consider buying Ford Escape at that time.

That said the fact that sales are flat and not outright falling despite being around since MY2013 says a lot. Its old but still pretty competitive.
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And if you go back further, the C1 Kuga it's based on has been around since 2008 and the C1 Focus kicked off in 2003.

Ford are really tight ass on money, it's a wonder the wash rooms have soap.

 

I See Focus Active will be available as a HB and S/W, well at least in China, so I wonder if Ford will do the same with Fusion

and use the Mondeo HB and S/W stamps for the new bodies...

Edited by jpd80
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I still say Freestyle was ahead of it's time...Doesn't sound like many options for those who hate crossovers and Suvs...they will have to either go with a Mustang, or go to another brand.

 

I was just thinking. We haven't owned a vehicle with a trunk since 1992. I won't miss Ford sedans at all, once they go away.

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