With the Fusion, Ford thinks it has found the answer to midsize sedan success.
As the Ford Taurus began its steady decline into obscurity, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord were increasing in popularity. Well, says Ford marketing manager Chantel Lenard, Ford’s back in the game with the Fusion. According to a Reuters report, the model has set a new sales record for the fifth consecutive month.
“It’s a very tough segment to be in. It’s been dominated by the imports over the last several years,” Lenard said to Reuters. “We are starting to break through and break that grip the imports have had on that segment.”
While Fusion sales have been positive, it’s unclear how much of the sales spike from the last two months was due to the CARS “Cash for Clunkers” program. What we find more interesting is the Fusion trim levels that have become most popular. A majority of 2010 model-year Fusions were higher-end SEL, Sport, or Hybrid trims; for the 2009 model, only 23% of the Fusions sold were for higher-end models.
Putting aside higher transaction prices, Ford may have difficulty setting the Fusion’s sixth-straight monthly sales record in September as dealers nationwide are expected to suffer from a post-CARS hangover.
Here are the sales numbers of some major midsize sedan players for the first seven months of the year:
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John Paul Strong
John Paul Strong combines his two decades of automotive marketing experience with a team of more than 150 professionals as owner and CEO of Strong Automotive.
