Posted on Tuesday 4 March 2008
Ford’s official statement on the new Fiesta hatch is that it likely won’t be arriving in North America, which will instead receive a sedan model based on the recent Verve 3 Concept, but that doesn’t mean the new hatchback has been completely ruled out.
On hand at the launch of the new hatchback at the Geneva Motor Show, Ford’s new marketing chief Jim Farley told Automotive News that a final decision would be made within the next 12 months. He went on to explain that market research is showing younger buyers in North America don’t share the same anti-hatchback sentiment as older customers. “We have an opportunity, and we’re studying it very carefully,” Farley said.
Ford has been surveying consumers at car shows around the U.S. and is finding that younger buyers associate hatchbacks with SUVs and crossovers rather than budget econo-cars.
The new Fiesta is the first major product of Ford’s new global product development process and it will eventually be sold in China and Australia as well. The car goes on sale in Europe this fall but is scheduled to appear in North America until 2010 at the earliest.
Why not sell the hatchback in the USA. I’d love to see it over here, especially as it could be given a Mini style appeal. I really miss the small cars I used to drive before I moved to the States.
If Ford doesn’t bring this hatchback to the US, it is proof that their current infestation/infection of idiot management is a terminal condition. Have they made on good decision in the last 10 years that doesn’t involve the F150 or Mustang? And a lot of bad decisions about those too.
Why do these companies not see all the hatchbacks that other manufacturers are selling? They should at least bring the excellent looking 5 door they recently showed.
all thumbs: the fusion was a great decision, and making a crossover based on the same platform was another great decision. sales just go to show that.
also, 10 years ago, they brought the focus over here… i think that turned out pretty well too.
probably the only really stupid decision they made was to drop the contour here because the auto market in the midsized cars has done nothing but explode, and if they hadnt canceled the contour, we might have the current mondeo here, which is much better than the fusion. but the fusion is still a great car and MUCH better than the taurus that it has come to replace.
don’t say that ford has made no good decisions in the last 10 years. they invested more heavily on a part of the market that they command. makes great sense business wise, but in the last 3 or 4 years, with the rising gas prices, middle-class america nearly disappearing, and the green movement going from nothing but a fart to a primary market demand, brands like toyota who have made a name on small cars have only won.
regarding the car, as i’ve said before, I will kill myself if this thing isnt offered here. I dont know how anyone could consider putting a vehicle in the sub-compact market and it NOT be a hatch. seems to me like most of the offerings in this segment STARTED as hatches. and you really dont see the sedans around that much.
I think they have a really broad range of cars, something for everyone. Adding a high quality little hatch can only broaden this range.
Bring on the Mondeo!