Are they even needed?
Ford’s decision not to make the Fiesta, Focus and Fusion sedans available in the US leaves the company with very few affordable products. The EcoSport is at the moment, but that’s not sparking excitement around the globe. The new Maverick pickup is an affordable, efficient pickup with neat features starting at $20,000 – although it may not be the company’s only small pickup.
Hau Thai-Tang (Ford’s chief product platform & operations officer) spoke out to Muscle Cars and suggested that a smaller pickup could be offered by Ford. According to him, such a vehicle could be sold in South America and South Africa. He didn’t go into detail, but he did highlight the Maverick’s hybrid powertrain as well as the cost savings that it offers customers.
The Ford Fusion is no longer available in the US, but the company is working on a successor and the iconic model won’t be going anywhere in Europe. It will likely be available in the US with a higher ride height and a greenhouse that resembles a crossover. Jim Farley, Ford’s new CEO, stated late last year that there would be cheaper offerings for North American buyers. A Fusion could fulfill that promise. Farley also tweeted that he would like to see the compact Puma ST cross-country in other markets.
Future products are not something automakers want to talk about. The Maverick production began earlier in the summer. However, the first models arrived at dealers late last month. Ford still has a long way to go before it fulfills the 100,000 reservations people made for the vehicle. Although it is unlikely that all 100,000 will actually be sold, it would not surprise Ford to think about new smaller options.