Ford successfully rode the SUV boom of the 1990s to a more than 25 percent share of the U.S. auto market. The now-struggling automaker is hoping it can experience similar success as car-based crossovers quickly gain popularity.
“We expect it to reach at least 3 million [industrywide unit sales] by the end of the decade and I think it will have long legs,” said Ford’s sales analyst George Pipas. “If CUVs do become the dominant category by the end of the decade, small cars will not be far behind.”
Ford has high hopes for its new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers, which go on sale this fall. The automaker is hoping the two new vehicles will do for crossover sales what the Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr did for midsize sedan sales.
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10/18, 9:35 AM
posted by:
1c3d0g
It better. Go Ford Go!
10/18, 9:56 AM
posted by:
MikeFX
The Fusion has done well, but the Zephyr only got Ford back to give-away lease programs. Ford is putting all of it’s eggs in the CUV basket as if it invented this niche. They finally have a vehicle to compete in this almost mature segment, and they trumpet like they own it before they even launch. I hope they do well, and I do think CUVs are great…I’ve been driving the one that started it all for three years now. It’s nice to see other people catching on!
10/18, 10:00 AM
posted by:
novicius
Ford needs the next Ranger to be a winner also.
10/18, 10:54 AM
posted by:
A4
they have to have something up there sleeve with the ranger by now. its everyones #1 gripe right up there with the focus.
10/18, 10:54 AM
posted by:
A4
they have to have something up there sleeve with the ranger by now. its everyones #1 gripe right up there with the focus.
10/18, 11:18 AM
posted by:
MyGodBeatsYourGod
This will NOT be Ford’s next Explorer (with it’s very respectable sales).
Too late to the game for huge market shares and slightly too expensive, especially the L/M versions.
This vehicle will cannibalize Ford’s own small SUV sales and they will most likely have few Japanese-make trade-ins. The largest switch-overs will be TrailBlazer and Pacifica drivers.
.
10/18, 11:44 AM
posted by:
lanapat7
The Edge, the Explorer, the Fairlane- too similar and targeting the same audience.
10/18, 12:28 PM
posted by:
Zanary
The Edge is a good way to flesh out the SUV/CUV ranks and likely hlep the CAFE numbers a bit.
The Explorer (dumb chrome beak and aging profile) is having its sales slow real hard. The Freestyle will be better with its upcoming update, but looks more wagon-ish than SUV-ish.
The Edge makes do with 2 rows (all the majority of potetnial customers honestly need), aggressive appearance, and a fresher face than the rest of Ford’s SUV lineup. It’ll work.
This should also free up the ol’ Explorer to pursue a more capable 4×4 approach to seperate it in the eyes of consumers.
10/18, 7:38 PM
posted by:
Phil
A little late to just be starting to ride the wave. The CUV trend started back in the late 90s and has already reached its high point. Not that it’s going down now or anything, because it defnitely isn’t, but the trend has already climaxed and isn’t growing much but simply keeping its momentum. It climaxed a couple of years ago, in fact, so Ford is REALLY late to the party. And we all thought Audi was.
10/18, 9:31 PM
posted by:
S-60-driver
Phil @ 7:38pm…..
Nobody cares. Every year, there are always couple of new SUVs coming out where its dying right now. CUV is on the boom.
Ford Edge is the BEST looking CUV out there!! My sister is going to get it when her lease is up on the gas-sipping ‘05 Explorer! Couple of relatives in my family are gonna get the Edge, too.
10/19, 12:40 AM
posted by:
bepsf
Ford needs to stop w/ the crappy PR and statements about what they’re gonna do/plan on doing/hope to do (if they’re in business long enough to see it through)…
…shaddup already and get to work sending us the good stuff.
(and do PLEASE something about Mark Field’s hair – He looks like he ought to be wearing shiny white loafers and Sansa-belt polyester slacks while hawking used LTD II Broughams…)
10/19, 6:46 AM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
S 60 driver, not as good looking as its cousin the Mazda CX-7