Blown Fuse & Midsize Mayhem: Ford’s Fusion on Death Row?

The Fusion has become one of the most recognizable names in Ford's lineup and the midsize sedan segment since its introduction in the mid-2000s timeframe. But is its future in jeopardy now?

UPDATE AS OF JAN. 3RD 2018: Fusion's 2020 redesign has officially been cancelled by Ford, casting further doubt on the model's future...

Since 2006, the Ford Fusion has been a key model for Ford and a big player in the midsize car segment. Not only did it help carry the company through the late-2000s economic recession, but it also was initially introduced to replace the aging Taurus within Ford’s lineup and gave the brand a midsize car that was finally competitive enough with the likes of the Toyota Camry. You get the point, it’s been an important model.

But fast forward a little over a decade later, and it’s a different picture... With sales down into double digit territory, Ford is apparently considering killing off the Fusion by 2020. Word is production will move to China from Mexico, with no models imported to America or Europe afterwards... WOW. What could’ve led to such a drastic turn of events???

Culprit: Crossovers

From left to right: 2018 Ford EcoSport, Edge, Escape and Explorer;
These vehicles are populating roadways more and more, making sedans
less viable for consumers due to their practicality.

Ford claims that they’re figuring out the key to making CUVs more fuel efficient. And it’s not just the blue oval accomplishing this I’ve noticed: EVERY automaker seems to be cracking that code these days. Thus, since crossovers already allow for a more practical design (now coupled with better efficiency), consumers are flocking to those vehicles in droves over 4-door cars now.

If Ford does go thru with this move and eventually drops the Taurus as well, the largest 4-door car they will offer in the United States after 2020 is the redesigned Focus.

Extra! Extra! Market Trends Tell All!

We could talk for days about this honestly, because this is HUGE news if you don’t realize it. Let’s break it down a little more.

What really gets me about this is how instrumental Fusion was to Ford during the recession, but now it has simply been deemed no longer viable. This makes Ford the 2nd American automaker in the last two years to announce they’re exiting the midsize market, after Chrysler dropping the 200 this year. So essentially, this American midsize car battle was just handed to the Malibu in the long run, which I feel is a very “ok” car. Not bad, but it doesn’t deserve the clear cut ‘W’ over the Fusion.

Ford's Taurus could also be in trouble... I've always viewed it as more
"dead weight" than the Fusion, because you see so few new ones where I am.

Another big picture concept to consider about this is market trends. Generally, a major move such as this pre-stages a larger trend seems like. Back in 2011, Hyundai/Kia were among the first automakers to switch to using all 4-cylinder powertrains in the Sonata and Optima, the company’s midsize sedans. Since then, it’s basically standard that all manufacturers have an “all-4 cylinder” engine lineup for their midsize cars, with the exception of a couple. Even the 2018 Accord (finally) made the switch. My point being that if automakers now start killing off these style of cars, it could pre-stage a larger trend of these “once popular” nameplates dying off. Buick LaCrosse, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Sonata, Cadillac XTS... All cars that have declined sharply in popularity and relevance due to the growing truck and crossover obsession.

As with almost any trend, we ought to be able to follow its trajectory somewhat. Ford believes this consumer shift is permanent. And signs of this trend of midsize cars declining were becoming evident earlier this decade, as Mitsubishi discontinued the Galant back in 2012 and didn’t replace it. While the Fusion has never personally been my favorite in its segment (Kia Optima and Mazda 6 share that honor), it’s clear it’s been an impactful model in several ways.

Many Questions, Few Answers

Perhaps one of the biggest looming questions is what is the fate of the Fusion's
uptown twin, the Lincoln MKZ?

As you can probably guess, there are many questions we could ask about this decision. Why totally abandon the Fusion and this market? Will it ever be replaced? What about MKZ production? I feel that even though this market is shrinking, abandoning it could be a mistake, as not everybody is warming up to the crossover craze. Share your thoughts as well.

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