Small “off-road” Ford in the works

haven

Expedition Leader
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...y-offroader-in-product-pipeline-idUSKBN1KT2JS

You may have read that Ford plans to cease production of passenger cars (Mustang excepted), and will concentrate on trucks and SUVs instead. One new SUV will be based on the mid-size Ranger pickup, and will re-use the Bronco name. Now we learn that a second new SUV will be built on the platform used by the current Ford Focus sedan.

Has Thai-Tang, Ford’s executive vice president of product development, said recently that the new small SUV would be built from Ford Focus and Escape components. The unnamed new model will compete with SUVs with off-road styling, such as the Subaru Outback and Jeep Cherokee. Let’s hope the off-pavement features go deeper than mere styling. The new model will appear in late 2019 or early 2020 model years.

My guess is that the engine for the new SUV is likely to be a 2.0L turbo four cylinder model, with 250 hp and 270 ft lb. Ford’s 2.3L turbo four, making 350 hp, will probably be limited to the Ranger Raptor and Bronco models.

Sounds like Ford is aiming to take sales away from Jeep. The new Bronco will compete with Wrangler, and the new small SUV will challenge Cherokee.
 

pharden

New member
Based on what you read about vehicle, I'd call it a soft-roader as it's based on the new Focus platform as will be the updated Escape. It should be interesting at ford with all the new vehicles coming out.
 

marshal

Burrito Enthusiast
based on how seriously ford is taking the offroad and adventure segment, i would imagine that this new vehicle is designed to compete with the new Jeep Renegade which has proven to be pretty popular.
 

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