Ford gave dealers a first look at an unnamed compact crossover that attendees say will become the automaker\u2019s cheapest model, targeting a starting price of about $25,000 and scheduled for production in 2029, according to multiple trade reports. The vehicle previewed in Las Vegas was described as boxy and wide and is expected to be offered with both hybrid and conventional gasoline powertrains rather than Ford\u2019s new Universal EV architecture.<\/p>\n
At a private dealer event in Las Vegas, Ford presented early sketches and a video preview of the vehicle; some dealers also saw a physical mockup, sources told Automotive News and were cited by Car and Driver, Ars Technica, Electrek and other outlets. Attendees compared the design to the first-generation Ford Escape, calling the stance upright, boxy and relatively wide.<\/p>\n
Reports say the new model is intended to start around $25,000, which would place it below the current Maverick pickup (priced just under $30,000) and make it Ford\u2019s most affordable offering. Sources describe the car as not riding on Ford\u2019s Universal EV platform; instead, it will be offered as a hybrid and as a nonhybrid gasoline model. Multiple outlets cite production plans to assemble the crossover at Ford\u2019s Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico beginning in 2029.<\/p>\n
The preview comes after Ford announced the Fathom, a budget-targeted electric pickup, and as the company moves toward more EV models built on its Universal EV architecture. Reported coverage of the dealer briefing said the Universal EV platform will underpin multiple forthcoming Ford electric models, but the new $25,000 crossover is being developed separately to be produced at an ICE-capable plant in Mexico.<\/p>\n
Analysts and reporters have noted that average new-vehicle transaction prices in North America have climbed, leaving fewer vehicles available near the $25,000 to $30,000 range. Several news outlets framing this leak argue there is a clear consumer demand for lower-cost new-vehicle entry points; the planned crossover would position Ford to recapture customers who want affordable utility without paying into higher-end EV or larger-SUV pricing tiers.<\/p>\n
If Ford brings a sub-$25,000 crossover to market in 2029 as reported, it would create a lower-priced entry point in a segment where few new vehicles currently start below $30,000. For U.S. buyers who want SUV utility and the fuel-economy benefit of hybrid technology without stepping into pricier EV ownership or larger SUVs, the model would offer a clear value proposition\u2014provided the final equipment levels, fuel economy and safety features match expectations.<\/p>\n
Affordable, compact crossovers drive a large segment of new-vehicle purchases in the U.S., and Ford\u2019s plan\u2014if realized\u2014would reshape the company\u2019s entry-level lineup by adding a hybrid option below its current Maverick pickup. For buyers and fleet managers watching affordability and operating cost closely, the crossover would be worth following as Ford finalizes specs and pricing.<\/p>\n
“Dealers described the crossover as ‘boxy and wide’ and compared it to the first-generation Escape.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ford showed dealers early mockups of a compact, boxy crossover said to be its lowest-priced model, targeting a roughly $25,000 starting price and hybrid and non\u2011hybrid powertrains for a 2029 launch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":78063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6023],"tags":[6196,6195,6193,5801,6194,5962],"class_list":["post-78061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-latest","tag-2029-launch","tag-automotive-industry","tag-crossover","tag-ford","tag-hybrid","tag-suv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78061"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78061\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78062,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78061\/revisions\/78062"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}