Ford EcoSport, Kuga & Edge SUVs will drive Ford's sales

SUVs, like the Ford Kuga (pictured) will drive Ford sales in the future

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Ford CEO Alan Mulally is driving Ford’s sales forward by focusing on the still burgeoning market for smaller SUVs, like the EcoSport, Kuga and Edge.

In 2010 we decided that the Ford Kuga was the inheritor of Ford’s ‘Family Car’ crown, as it offered everything a traditional family saloon does but in a more practical package. And the car buying public seem to agree.

Ford’s latest Kuga is selling so well Ford has had to up production for Europe, and the new compact EcoSport SUV is about to take on the world, with Ford planning to roll it out in 60 countries across the globe in the next few years.

Ford are also planning to bring the bigger – although still ‘Compact’ in US terms – Edge SUV to the UK and Europe – and 40 markets round the world – to bolster their SUV offerings.

Ford’s Chief Marketing man, Jim Farley, told Automotive News:

People around the world are falling in love with this body style for many reasons.
Part of it is image, but that’s not the only reason – sitting above traffic, putting people in the vehicle plus your goods. But the real breakthrough was the fuel economy.

Aiming at more compact, family friendly and frugal SUVs in their markets outside North America (the only region Ford is still profitable) should, assuming the love affair with compact SUVs continues, allow Ford to return to profitability.

The rise and rise of the SUV means Ford’s more traditional models are under threat. Cars such as the Fiesta could be usurped by the EcoSport, the Focus by the Kuga and the Mondeo by both the Kuga and Edge.

We can see a time, in the not too distant future, where mainstream car makers’ only profitable cars are compact SUVs, and it still wouldn’t surprise us in the slightest if Ford gave up on the Mondeo before the next generation arrives.