Death of Mainstream Sedans?

[ifcar]

The Eclipse did something very bad in a past life, and was reborn in a baser form in order to atone for its sins.

You might be on to something:

[Klackamas]

Read a piece (sorry, can't link - can't remember where is was  ) speculating that some manufacturers are considering discontinuing sales of traditional 3-box sedans in the US. Exceptions cited were Toyota & Honda, whose mainstream sedans crush the rest. Possible strategies might be to introduce hatchback/liftbacks, that have some of the utility of SUVs but still with sedan goodness.


But D-Segment-sized hatchbacks are alien to most Americans - so I dunno. But it's plausible that Ford say, could ditch the Fusion in the US & try the liftback Mondeo, or even the estate version.


Thoughts?

I've heard in the not so distant future, Ford will be discontinuing all cars except except the Focus and the Mustang. Two SUVs will be kept along with all of their truck line.

Also, there's this:

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/report-ford-taurus-fiesta-chevy-sonic-impala-put-out-pasture

[Payman]

I've heard in the not so distant future, Ford will be discontinuing all cars except except the Focus and the Mustang. Two SUVs will be kept along with all of their truck line.

Also, there's this:

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/report-ford-taurus-fiesta-chevy-sonic-impala-put-out-pasture

Yeah posted that (accidentally) in the fastlane thread. Mustang will be the only car. The Focus will be a CUV.

[2o6]

Yeah posted that (accidentally) in the fastlane thread. Mustang will be the only car. The Focus will be a CUV.

But the Focus CUV = Escape!

[Payman]

But the Focus CUV = Escape!

No, that's the Focus SUV.

[ifcar]

Yeah posted that (accidentally) in the fastlane thread. Mustang will be the only car. The Focus will be a CUV.

It's just a Focus with cladding. Even Ford says it will have two non-SUVs in the lineup, including that one. If a car company isn't even going to pretend something is an SUV, it's REALLY not an SUV.

[Payman]

It's just a Focus with cladding. Even Ford says it will have two non-SUVs in the lineup, including that one. If a car company isn't even going to pretend something is an SUV, it's REALLY not an SUV.

They should just put cladding on their cars and call them SUVs. The stupid public will buy them.

[Morris Minor]

Sporty Cougs & I have the last Infiniti sedans that still had elan

[Rich]

I'm happy they have the balls to do this.  For so long the american companies had the ball and chain of their contracts and structure set up so decisions like this couldn't or wouldn't be made.

Its a bold strategy Ford, lets see if it pays off for em

[2o6]

This is depressing.

[12,000 RPM]

NOTHING PERSONAL, JUST BUSINESS

It is kind of a bummer because Ford's sedans are every bit as good (if not better) than much of the competition. The Focus is leaps and bounds better than the Sentra, but the Sentra is outselling it this year. Squeezed by UAW legacy costs on the bottom and weak customer demand on top... sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do

Some of this is an overall Ford problem though. Their mainstream crossovers are flat (Edge/Explorer) or also in sales decline (Escape). They are all overdue for major redesigns so hopefully that comes soon. But I salute Ford for having the balls to make this call. If people want sedans again Ford will build them.

[Laconian]

It's a bummer because every year we have yet more entitled FOG boomers driving fucking Mack truck SUVs with no sightlines and it gets more and more unsafe to share the road with them.

[Submariner]

NOTHING PERSONAL, JUST BUSINESS

It is kind of a bummer because Ford's sedans are every bit as good (if not better) than much of the competition. The Focus is leaps and bounds better than the Sentra, but the Sentra is outselling it this year. Squeezed by UAW legacy costs on the bottom and weak customer demand on top... sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do

Some of this is an overall Ford problem though. Their mainstream crossovers are flat (Edge/Explorer) or also in sales decline (Escape). They are all overdue for major redesigns so hopefully that comes soon. But I salute Ford for having the balls to make this call. If people want sedans again Ford will build them.

Do you know what the spread on Sentra consumer/fleet sales is?  Seems like every rental agency I've ever been to is overflowing with Sentras/Altimas. 

[12,000 RPM]

Do you know what the spread on Sentra consumer/fleet sales is?  Seems like every rental agency I've ever been to is overflowing with Sentras/Altimas.

I don't have a per model breakdown, but in 2016 fleet sales accounted for 28% of Nissan's volume

It becomes a death spiral, because if all you know about Nissan is the Sentra, you will never buy one.

[SJ_GTI]

We had a bunch of visitors in today from Europe and Japan and they were in Nissan's across the board. One group of them was in a Nissan SUV (fairly large one at that).

I think locally Nissan and Hyundai have mostly taken over the rental fleet business from GM/Chrysler.

[Soup DeVille]

It's a bummer because every year we have yet more entitled FOG boomers driving fucking Mack truck SUVs with no sightlines and it gets more and more unsafe to share the road with them.

Just wait until I get my Mack, Miata boi.

[12,000 RPM]

We had a bunch of visitors in today from Europe and Japan and they were in Nissan's across the board. One group of them was in a Nissan SUV (fairly large one at that).

I think locally Nissan and Hyundai have mostly taken over the rental fleet business from GM/Chrysler.

Nissan should buy Enterprise.

[Submariner]

Nissan should buy Enterprise.

Sentraprise.

[GoCougs]

I'm happy they have the balls to do this.  For so long the american companies had the ball and chain of their contracts and structure set up so decisions like this couldn't or wouldn't be made.

Its a bold strategy Ford, lets see if it pays off for em

It's the trucks, and Americans are legit psychos when it comes to trucks, eschewing financial and societal decency, to own and drive such archaic, over priced hunks of whatever. This irrationality covers up a lot of the UAW sin.

[AutobahnSHO]

It's the trucks, and Americans are legit psychos when it comes to trucks, eschewing financial and societal decency, to own and drive such archaic, over priced hunks of whatever. This irrationality covers up a lot of the UAW sin.

Amen.   Guys have to be all alpha and junk. 

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

It's the trucks, and Americans are legit psychos when it comes to trucks, eschewing financial and societal decency, to own and drive such archaic, over priced hunks of whatever. This irrationality covers up a lot of the UAW sin.

[Onslaught]

Wish I had seen this before I purchased a mainstream sedan.

[veeman]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/this-is-the-ford-focus-active-thats-coming-to-the-us

It looks good and will sell well I think.

[Morris Minor]

NOTHING PERSONAL, JUST BUSINESS

It is kind of a bummer because Ford's sedans are every bit as good (if not better) than much of the competition. The Focus is leaps and bounds better than the Sentra, but the Sentra is outselling it this year. Squeezed by UAW legacy costs on the bottom and weak customer demand on top... sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do

Some of this is an overall Ford problem though. Their mainstream crossovers are flat (Edge/Explorer) or also in sales decline (Escape). They are all overdue for major redesigns so hopefully that comes soon. But I salute Ford for having the balls to make this call. If people want sedans again Ford will build them.

Exactly - they're good sedans - nothing wrong with the. It is a bummer.

Salesman at the place that sold us the CR-V told me their lot is packed with Accords, which are GREAT sedans. They sell a respectable number, but nothing close to the levels of the CUVs.

[veeman]

I wish Ford would keep the Fusion but I understand why they are not.  While they sell a decent number (I think roughly half the number of Camrys per year), a lot of those are fleet which depresses residuals. For the amount of coin they need to continually update and compete with Camcords, they're better off spending that coin to continually update the Escape/Edge/Explorer which are growing markets. 

[Laconian]

It's the trucks, and Americans are legit psychos when it comes to trucks, eschewing financial and societal decency, to own and drive such archaic, over priced hunks of whatever.

Amen! They ratchet up the aggression even higher with every generation. Eventually trucks are going to come with scythes attached to the wheels and the rear windshield factory-occluded with hundreds of vinyl stickers of AR-15s.

[12,000 RPM]

Wish I had seen this before I purchased a mainstream sedan.

Why? You are going to be in that 6 for the next 15 years. As long as Mazda stays in business (which the CX-5/9 and hopefully a 7 will all but ensure) you should be skraight.

Exactly - they're good sedans - nothing wrong with the. It is a bummer.

Salesman at the place that sold us the CR-V told me their lot is packed with Accords, which are GREAT sedans. They sell a respectable number, but nothing close to the levels of the CUVs.

My boss just bought an Accord EX 2.0T. He's really happy with it, but I think if the new RDX were available he would have gone that way. I get the sense that the Accord may be his last sedan. It really is a good car- a bit too big for my tastes personally though.

I was kind of like "eh whatever, market goes where it goes" but now I'm a little scared. I shouldn't have any problems with my next car, but I don't know what the market is going to be like in 10 years. Things are accelerating faster than I anticipated.

[Onslaught]

Why? You are going to be in that 6 for the next 15 years. As long as Mazda stays in business (which the CX-5/9 and hopefully a 7 will all but ensure) you should be skraight.
My boss just bought an Accord EX 2.0T. He's really happy with it, but I think if the new RDX were available he would have gone that way. I get the sense that the Accord may be his last sedan. It really is a good car- a bit too big for my tastes personally though.

I was kind of like "eh whatever, market goes where it goes" but now I'm a little scared. I shouldn't have any problems with my next car, but I don't know what the market is going to be like in 10 years. Things are accelerating faster than I anticipated.

10 years or so. Then I'll get another car/sedan.

[Morris Minor]

I'm amazed at how quickly this is happening. There's a row of abut 30 parking spaces by the gym. This morning: one was empty, two were occupied by sedans, the rest were CUVs & SUVs

[AutobahnSHO]

I'm amazed at how quickly this is happening. There's a row of abut 30 parking spaces by the gym. This morning: one was empty, two were occupied by sedans, the rest were CUVs & SUVs

I counted vehicles in a parking lot the other night when we were out walking. 14 SUV/CUV, 3 cars, 4 pickups.

It was probably a slow pickup truck evening....