State of the Ford Union 2024: 5 Ford Triumphs & 5 Ford Fails
2024 is heading into the fourth quarter and we take a look back at some of the biggest wins and losses at Ford this year.
Intro
As we head into Q4 of 2024 we thought it would be a good time to take a look back at what the first three quarters of the year brought us. Ford has had some solid wins but also took a few big losses. As Ford fans you have a lot to be encouraged about, but there are certainly some things that you wish Ford would turn around before 2025. We love most of the vehicles in the Ford lineup, and they announced some exciting changes this year. But the promise of improved quality has not seemed to materialize. Here is our 2024 Ford State of the Union which covers the five biggest triumphs of the year as well the five biggest failures.
Fail #1 – Recalls
At about the halfway point of 2024 Ford had recalled nearly 3.7 million vehicles in 31 different recall campaigns. To put that in context, Ford’s biggest competitor, Chevrolet recalled about 655,000 vehicles during the same period. In 2023 Ford issued 54 recalls covering 5.6 million vehicles. That was the third straight year that Ford generated more recalls than any other automaker. And they seem intent on making it a four-peat in 2024. Just a couple weeks ago Ford recalled 90K 2.7L and 3.0L EcoBoost powered models because of potential engine failure. Come on Ford. You can’t keep doing this.
Triumph #1 – Ford Sales
Recalls or not, American’s love their Ford vehicles. They are the best-selling vehicle brand in the country. Ford is also the number one truck brand and even the number two EV brand, behind only Tesla. Ford sold over 100,000 trucks in August. They have the best-selling hybrid pickup, and best-selling van in America. Sales figures are up nearly across the board for Ford. Buyers want what Ford is selling, that much is clear.
Fail #2 – EV Strategy
Buyers might want what Ford is selling, but, when it comes to EVs, Ford may have overestimated how many people actually want those. A couple of years ago, Ford announced that 40 to 50 percent of their lineup would be fully electric by 2030. Ford invested billions in this strategy. Well, 2030 is now just 6 years away and Ford (along with many other automakers) is walking back those EV targets. EV models have been delayed and the Ford CEO admitted earlier this year that large trucks and SUVs are “really bad in full electrification.” This isn’t to say that EVs don’t have their place and offer many advantages over ICE vehicles. But Ford needs to figure out their strategy as EVs are costing the company billions of dollars.
Triumph #2 – Super Duty Named North America Truck of the Year
At the beginning of the year the Ford Super Duty was named the Named North America Truck of the Year by the North American Car, Utility and Truck awards committee. It was the fourth year in a row that a Ford truck claimed this honor. In fact, in the 31-year history of this award, a Ford product has won 13 times. Chevrolet has won it only four times. The Super Duty took home the prize in 2024 thanks to its combination of workhorse abilities and advanced technology.
Fail #3 – Price Increases
Ford is certainly not alone when it comes to increasing prices. However, some of the hikes have been staggering. The 2024 F-150 lineup saw price hikes across the board. The 2024 F-150 XL was 8 percent more than in 2023. The XLT saw a 13.5 percent hike. The King Ranch increased by over 16 percent. Did you get a 16 percent pay increase last year? Neither did we. Ford recently announced the pricing for the 2025 F-150 models and some came down a bit in price, but now the least expensive F-150 is now over $40K. And Ford is also raising the prices on the 2025 Mustang GT models by $2,600 compared to 2024. Getting a new Ford is quickly becoming unaffordable for many.
Triumph #3 – Exciting New Models Announced/Sold
2024 saw the announcement of a few new exciting models as well as some previously announced models hitting the streets for the first time. The long-awaited Ford Ranger Raptor finally began deliveries in 2024. The 2025 Ford Maverick was redesigned, and it includes a fun Lobo trim, giving us a new street performance truck. The redesigned 2025 Ford Explorer is finally starting to reach dealerships as well.
Fail #4 – Appealing Models Not Available in U.S.
After years of lusting after the Ranger Raptor, Ford finally gave it to us in 2024. However, there are still some cool rides that Ford refuses to sell in America. The Ford Everest is a Ranger-based SUV that is sold in many parts of the world, and we think would do well here in America. But we can’t have it. On the car side of the equation is the Puma ST. This small, affordable, fun-to-drive car is available in Europe but not here. Ford killed the Fiesta ST and Focus ST here and left us without any real replacement. The Mustang is great, but in a totally different league. We would love to see a small, sporty car from Ford return to our shores.
Triumph #4 – Exciting New Vehicle Packages
In addition to some exciting new Ford models in 2024, Ford breathed some new life into current models. The Bronco Sport will now be available with the exceptional Sasquatch Package. We drove it, and we liked it a lot. The Mustang celebrated 60 years in 2024, and the occasion was marked with a sleek Mustang 60th Anniversary Package. And just recently Ford announced a software tune for the Bronco Raptor and Ranger Raptor that will boost power to 455 horses and 536 pound-feet of torque. All for just $825. Thank you Ford!
Fail #5 – Poor Dependability Ratings
We already discussed the recall problems that Ford has been having, but the quality issues extend beyond just the recalls. Ford did not fare well in the 2024 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study. The study is based on 30,595 original owners of 2021 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. Lexus was the most dependable brand with 135 reported problems per 100 vehicles. The average was 190 problems per 100 vehicles. Ford tallied 239 problems per 100 vehicles. That ranked Ford 23rd out of the 30 brands in the study. Chevrolet, Ram, GMC, and even Jeep all scored far better than Ford. On top of this, many 2024 Super Duty owners are complaining about issues with the air-conditioning system. The quality game at Ford needs to improve.
Triumph #5 – Access to Tesla Superchargers
Ford is shifting their EV strategy. Americans are not adopting EVs as quickly as Ford originally thought. However, many people are still buying and loving them. And like it or not, more EVs are coming. One of the biggest barriers to people adapting to an EV lifestyle is the charging infrastructure. So, Ford gaining access to the Tesla Supercharger Network was a major win. Ford became the First non-Tesla company to gain access to Tesla supercharger network. The news was announced in February that American and Canadian owners of the F-150 Lightning and Mach-E could access the 15,000+ Tesla Superchargers. That more than doubled the access to DC fast charging on the BlueOval Charge Network. As part of the announcements Ford was offering customers a complimentary charging adapter if ordered by June 30, 2024. Today the adapter can be purchased for $230. A small price to pay for the added convenience.
Images: Ford