Ford to Launch $25,000 Entry-Level SUV — Not a BEV

Ford is accelerating expansion of its entry-level lineup. According to information shared with multiple dealers at a closed-door meeting in Las Vegas, a new compact crossover SUV will enter production in 2029, with a starting price of approximately $25,000 (roughly RMB 180,000). It will become the lowest-priced production vehicle in Ford's history — positioned below the current Maverick pickup.

Notably, this new model will not be built on Ford's newly developed Universal EV (UEV) battery-electric platform. Unlike the concurrently announced electric pickup Fathom, the SUV will offer gasoline and hybrid powertrains — not a fully electric option. Sources describe its design as boxy and robust, with some dealers noting its resemblance to the first-generation Escape — a detail reinforcing speculation about its potential role as a successor.

According to Sam Fiorani, Vice President of Global Vehicle Forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, speaking to the Detroit Free Press, the vehicle is highly likely to replace the long-serving Escape. Production will take place at Ford's Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico — a facility currently dedicated to internal-combustion and hybrid vehicles, and not yet retooled for UEV-platform production.

Meanwhile, Ford's electric pickup Fathom is confirmed to open pre-orders in early 2027, with a starting price of $28,350 — targeting the "core of the affordable EV market." Deliveries are expected to begin within 2027. The UEV platform itself is highly scalable: officially stated to accommodate everything from B-segment cars to commercial vans. Thus, a battery-electric SUV at this price point remains technically feasible in the future — though no timeline or concrete plans have been disclosed.

Market data further underscores the context: In the first half of 2026, four of the top five best-selling EVs in the U.S. were affordable SUVs — including the Chevrolet Equinox EV, TOYOTA bZ series, Hyundai IONIQ 5, and Tesla Model Y; meanwhile, Ford's Mustang Mach-E saw a 46% year-on-year sales decline, selling only 11,632 units and ranking seventh. Amid persistent misalignment between Ford's electrification pace and evolving consumer demand, has a high-volume, affordable electric SUV become an unavoidable strategic imperative?