Topic: Ford Getting Out of the Sedan Business

[Dante]

This isn't surprising at all, add some plastic cladding, 1" lift and some sort of pseudo active name to a hatchback and people will line up for weeks to buy it.

.... and what's wrong with it?

Provided interior/cargo space is not affected by trying to make them "stylish", they have an AWD option and decent powertrain, what's not to like about it as a DD? Bring them on.

My fear is that the engines/power on these hatches (assuming more will be available across the board including from the premium brands) will continue to shrink for the sake of marginal fuel economy gains. Most likely the 2.0L Turbo with 200hp+ will become more rare while 1.5T will become more common.

No, I don't want SUV-like ground clearance for a compact hatch because it will look silly (e.g. Crosstreck 8.7") but I would not mind the the Golf Alltrack (6.9"), Mazda CX-3 (6.2") or somewhere in between looks. On-the-road driveability will still be car like not SUV-like while having that extra 1" will help when you have to deal with snow.

In Europe they had this kind of hatches all along and they look just fine - VW Golf 4Motion, Volvo V40 Cross Country, etc.

Nothing at all, I just don't think manufacturers stopping sedan/hatchback/wagon production should be surprising to anyone.

I think it's not about stopping production - Ford showed all versions for the new Focus, but adjusting to the markets. They will not bring them to North America anymore because of the SUV craziness here. Not sure about new Fusion for other markets.

I like SUVs and I will continue to have one in the household, but I have to admit, many of the new small ones don't make sense to me. I would much prefer a normal hatch with AWD and 1" extra  ground clearance to these subcompact SUVs. They compromise on driving dynamics, footprint for not much gain over utility compared to a well engineered compact hatch.
 

[Fobroader]

We will always have some sort of large SUV in our garage. A WRX/STI hatchback is about as close to a CUV as I would ever get.

[Dante]

We will always have some sort of large SUV in our garage. A WRX/STI hatchback is about as close to a CUV as I would ever get.

As far as I'm concerned, I don't equate a SUV/CUV with a hatchback. For me they are different kind of vehicles serving different purposes and expectations.

[Fobroader]

We will always have some sort of large SUV in our garage. A WRX/STI hatchback is about as close to a CUV as I would ever get.

As far as I'm concerned, I don't equate a SUV/CUV with a hatchback. For me they are different kind of vehicles serving different purposes and expectations.

I do, anything south of a CRV/Rav-4 is a glorified hatchback in my books.

[Dante]

We will always have some sort of large SUV in our garage. A WRX/STI hatchback is about as close to a CUV as I would ever get.

As far as I'm concerned, I don't equate a SUV/CUV with a hatchback. For me they are different kind of vehicles serving different purposes and expectations.

I do, anything south of a CRV/Rav-4 is a glorified hatchback in my books.

I agree with the first part totally. As for second part - glorified hatchback, well... no glory in those but bad compromise - they don't have either the utility of an SUV (too small, slopped roofs, etc.) nor the driving dynamics of a normal hatch, but more SUV-like due to bulk and excessive ground clearance.

A well designed compact hatch with AWD, slightly more ground clearance than a normal car (around 6.5" give or take), premium interior and 200hp-240hp is the perfect combination for my daily driver. Problem is, there aren't really any such vehicles on our market but maybe this will change in the years to come.

[Fobroader]

We will always have some sort of large SUV in our garage. A WRX/STI hatchback is about as close to a CUV as I would ever get.

As far as I'm concerned, I don't equate a SUV/CUV with a hatchback. For me they are different kind of vehicles serving different purposes and expectations.

I do, anything south of a CRV/Rav-4 is a glorified hatchback in my books.

I agree with the first part totally. As for second part - glorified hatchback, well... no glory in those but bad compromise - they don't have either the utility of an SUV (too small, slopped roofs, etc.) nor the driving dynamics of a normal hatch, but more SUV-like due to bulk and excessive ground clearance.

A well designed compact hatch with AWD, slightly more ground clearance than a normal car (around 6.5" give or take), premium interior (not luxury) and 200hp-240hp is the perfect combination for my daily driver. Problem is, there aren't really any such vehicles on our market but maybe this will change in the years to come.

Glorified is a bad term....highly compromised in all the negative sense??? 

[Dante]

We will always have some sort of large SUV in our garage. A WRX/STI hatchback is about as close to a CUV as I would ever get.

As far as I'm concerned, I don't equate a SUV/CUV with a hatchback. For me they are different kind of vehicles serving different purposes and expectations.

I do, anything south of a CRV/Rav-4 is a glorified hatchback in my books.

I agree with the first part totally. As for second part - glorified hatchback, well... no glory in those but bad compromise - they don't have either the utility of an SUV (too small, slopped roofs, etc.) nor the driving dynamics of a normal hatch, but more SUV-like due to bulk and excessive ground clearance.

A well designed compact hatch with AWD, slightly more ground clearance than a normal car (around 6.5" give or take), premium interior (not luxury) and 200hp-240hp is the perfect combination for my daily driver. Problem is, there aren't really any such vehicles on our market but maybe this will change in the years to come.

Glorified is a bad term....highly compromised in all the negative sense??? 

 

[UnknownJinX]

In my observation, I don't see a lot of newer Ford family cars. Heck, newer Mustangs are more common than newer Fusion or Focus. I don't think I have ever seen a newer Focus that's not an ST or RS.

Not sure if that has influence on anything.

[mrock]

Another example of Canada being screwed by American market trends. Of the 15 best selling vehicles in Canada, 5 are compact cars in the same segment as the Focus. That's a major slice of the market. Americans, of course, like large vehicles more than we do. True, none of the top selling cars in either country is a Ford, but that's on them for not making a product that people want to buy.

[Dante]

According to an article posted yesterday quoting Ford Canada Communication Manager, Canada won't even get the Focus Active.
Apparently cars are only 33 percent of the market and declining.

[ChaosphereIX]

oh well, there is always the used market for us who dont want a jacked up baby stroller

enjoy your cars while you can folks

[Dante]

oh well, there is always the used market for us who dont want a jacked up baby stroller

enjoy your cars while you can folks

No worries, there will always be a Civic or Corolla waiting for you. 

[tpl]

^^^^   Most likely made in Canada as well.

[lebowski]

At last everyone sees the light. Warm ski boots for everyone.

Haha - of course! Gotta be honest, even being a skier, that advantage never even occurred to me. Good call.

Maybe the best news that comes out of this is there are probably some smoking deals now to be had on the Fusion Sport.

[Ex-airbalancer]

^^^^   Most likely made in Canada as well.

Corolla is production is or has moved to Mexico