Ford logs strongest-ever calendar year start for SUVs in US; sales bolstered by women and Millenials
17 March 2016
Ford recorded 115,228 SUV US sales at retail through the first two months of 2016, making for the best-yet calendar year start for Ford SUVs (Escape, Edge, Flex, Explorer, Police Interceptor Utility, Expedition) ever, highlighted by a best-ever February. Sales of Ford’s utilities for January and February 2016 were up 16.1% compared to the same period in 2015. As a comparison, over the same periods, total Ford brand sales rose 8.6%, with sales of Ford cars rising 3.0% and Ford trucks up 7.6%
Explorer sales rose 18% last month over February 2015; Explorer is Ford’s best-selling SUV with millennial buyers ages 25 to 34, and the best-selling midsize SUV with women, according to Ford analysis of the most recent personal new vehicle registrations in the US from IHS Automotive. Escape, coming off a record sales year in 2015, was up 14% through the first two months of 2016, while Edge sales jumped 56%.
It’s an example of need-based growth. Millennials have begun forming families and those families are growing—in terms of the number of children as well as the size of those children. Explorer provides the space those families need today and tomorrow, while maintaining the image they want to project.
—Erich Merkle, Ford US sales analyst
The trend mirrors that of millennials moving from urban areas and purchasing homes in the suburbs. According to National Association of Realtors, the median age of first-time homebuyers is 30—the age when many people settle down and begin having children.
| Experian: 17.7M new registrations in 2015; utilities lead |
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| Experian Automotive announced that new vehicle registrations reached 17.7 million in 2015, a 4.7% increase from the year prior. According to its Q4 2015 Automotive Market Share Trends and Registrations analysis, the increase marks the first time new vehicle registrations have surpassed 17 million since 2005. |
| Findings from the analysis showed that the growth in new registrations primarily was fueled by utilitarian vehicles. The entry-level crossover utility vehicle (14.96%) was the top new registered vehicle segment. |
At the same time, Explorer has become a hot seller with women. Explorer is the most preferred midsize SUV among women buyers, according to IHS personal registration data.
Spurred in part by Explorer’s appeal to millennials and women, sales of Ford SUVs are off to their best calendar year start in history, posting increases in January and February that are double the increases of the domestic SUV market.
Year-to-date, Ford SUVs posted a record 115,228 sales at retail—up 16% over last year. Last month, sales were up 28% over 2015, fueled by double-digit percentage increases for all six Ford SUV nameplates.
Explorer sales in the United States were up 18% in February and 7% year-to-date.
Similarly, Escape sales in the United States rose 14% in February and 5% year-to-date. The new 2017 Escape—with a host of available features including SYNC 3, enhanced active park assist and two EcoBoost engines—is due in showrooms this spring.
Edge sales in the United States increased 91% in February and 56% year-to-date.
Sales are up across Ford’s entire SUV lineup in the United States. Expedition sales rose 22% in February and 19% year-to-date; Flex sales rose 77% last month, 56% year-to-date; Police Interceptor Utility was up 50% for February, 30% year-to-date.
Over the same period a year ago:
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Explorer sales in New York City were up 23% in February and 18% year-to-date; in Washington, D.C., Explorer was up 47% in February and 21% year-to-date
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Edge sales in New York City were up 56% in February and 27% year-to-date; in San Francisco, Edge was up 57% in February and 22% year-to-date
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Escape sales in Washington, D.C. were up 33% in February and 21% year-to-date; in Dallas, Escape was up 38% in February and 17% year-to-date
Ford is also experiencing success with its SUV line-up in Europe. Due to growing demand for its SUVs and with the launch of the all-new Edge large SUV in the first half of 2016, Ford expects its European SUV sales to grow by about 30% in 2016 compared with 2015, and to break the 200,000 sales barrier for the first time in Europe.
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