Skip to main content

Ford will add a ‘mini SUV’ and electric crossover in the next four years

Ford is gearing up for an onslaught of the crossover kind. With the 2016 Chicago Auto Show as its stage, the company’s vice president of marketing, sales, and service, Mark LaNeve, announced that four new SUVs are coming to market in the next four years.

These will be four new nameplates (not variants of the Escape, Edge, or Explorer) in segments where Ford “does not currently compete.” “Ford is a full-line manufacturer and we believe we should be competing in all the relevant segments,” said LaNeve.

Recommended Videos

Referencing low gas prices, Millennials’ aversion to large sedans, and the greater fuel efficiency of modern SUVs, Ford believes the time is ripe to inject new high-riding models that will still fit within CAFE targets.

So which segments might these new vehicle fit into?

“We don’t compete in the mini utility category,” noted LaNeve – which is another way of saying, “we will introduce a subcompact crossover to rival the Nissan Juke, Jeep Renegade, and Chevrolet Trax.” So it’s a fair bet that Ford’s global market EcoSport, based on the Fiesta, will make its way to the U.S. market.

LaNeve continued to bolster his case for more crossovers by referencing the diminishing interest in passenger cars over the past few years. In 2010, sedans held 52 percent of the U.S. market. Last year, they were just 41 percent. LaNeve pointed out that this trend evolved despite exceedingly high gas prices during that period. It’s not yet clear whether the introduction of four new SUVs will come with the removal of some of its other models, but it’s not out of the question.

As for the three remaining SUVs, a revived Bronco has been rumored for some time now, but LaNeve explicitly called attention to EVs. “There will be more electrified vehicles across all segments,” he said. Read in context, that likely means either a plug-in hybrid or full EV crossover in the playbook.

LaNeve also mentioned Ford’s recently announced $4.5 billion investment into electrified platforms, “so you can imagine there will be broad usage across all segments — cars, utilities, everything,” he said.

Miles Branman
Miles Branman doesn't need sustenance; he needs cars. While the gearhead gene wasn't strong in his own family, Miles…
Ford offers 10-year warranty as EcoBoost engine-failure probe ends
2021 ford f 150 review front three quarter

It began in July 2022 as regulators started looking into reports of engine failures affecting 2021 Bronco SUVs. It then turned into a two-year probe covering more than 411,000 vehicles outfitted with Ford’s EcoBoost engines, including the Ford F-150 Bronco, Edge and Explorer, as well as the Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus.

And now, the verdict is in.

Read more
Scout Motors creates connections with its new electric Terra truck and Traveler SUV
Scout Terra and Traveler driving onto the compass-face stage.

Scout Motors invited roughly 300 people to the hills of Franklin, Tennessee, to reveal the Scout Traveler SUV and Terra truck electric concept vehicles. The automaker brought in journalists such as myself, active lifestyle bloggers, YouTubers, automotive industry analysts, and enthusiasts and fans of the original International Harvester Scout.

Scout Motors calls the new, rugged vehicle the Connection Machine. The reveal event aimed to establish a solid connection between the concept EVs and the attendees. The automaker also used the occasion to announce the immediate ability to reserve a Scout vehicle with a $100 fully refundable deposit.
The Scout legend

Read more
Hyundai’s new extended-range tech will bridge the gap to EVs
Hyundai Seven Concept

Hyundai plans to release several electric cars in the coming years, including an American-made three-row SUV, but it's also investing in other technologies for buyers who aren't ready to go electric. One is an extended-range system that promises over 550 miles of driving range.

Announced as part of the brand's mid- to long-term strategy, the Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) will use an innovative drivetrain that relies on a gasoline-burning engine to quell range anxiety. The engine won't directly drive the wheels; it will act as a generator that makes electricity and sends it to the motors that zap the wheels into motion, likely via a small battery pack. This technology isn't new, as the Chevrolet Volt used a similar layout. Hyundai hasn't released full technical details yet, but it notes that its EREVs will be all-wheel-drive. Compared to an EV, the EREVs will benefit from quicker recharging times, a lower price, and more than 550 miles of driving range.

Read more