Did Ford Make A Mistake Killing America's Focus?

Ford of Europe has something to brag about.

The Ford Focus Active was going to be the last variant of the Focus available on the US market, but the Trump administration's antics with tariffs put paid to that. That left the Mustang as Ford's only non-crossover or truck in America. The response has been that Ford customers that don't want to buy a crossover have been jumping to other brands to get a sedan or hatchback. This has played nicely into the hands of companies like Nissan and Honda who aren't turning their back on the humble small car.

While the crossover has become the mass vehicle of choice, plenty of people still want small affordable cars, and the Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta fit that demographic nicely. In Europe, the Focus is going from strength to strength, and Ford of Europe has been bragging about it in a press release.

"From the Focus five-door model to the wagon, from Active to ST, there is no wider choice offered to customers in the segment," said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. "And all models come with great design and technology."

In Europe, the Focus year-to-date sales are at their strongest since 2015, with 194,700 Focus sales up to the end of October. That's the equivalent of one sale every 135 seconds.

Next for European Focus customers is the EcoBoost Hybrid 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrain, which will enhance fuel efficiency while delivering more power. When you consider the small car market is driven by economy, we're a little baffled why Ford doesn't want to bring that here. While the Focus might not be a big volume product here, and while turning your back on loyal customers can work out mathematically in the short term, the automotive business is a longterm one.