Ford has a lot of crossovers and SUVs. It has a lot of crossovers and SUVs cued up for later this year and in 2021. So with Ford being so crossover crazy, there is too much internal competition for every crossover/SUV in Ford and Lincoln’s expanding portfolio. If you were Ford would you keep some of the slower selling models when you have fresh new Mustang and Bronco versions coming soon? We didn’t think so. That’s why it looks like Ford is dropping Edge and Lincoln Nautilus very soon.

Ford is not only competing with other manufacturer’s similar products. Its own portfolio includes the EcoSport, then moves up to the Escape, then the Edge, Explorer, and finally the Expedition. Stabbed in there somewhere will be the Bronco, smaller Bronco Sport, and Mustang Mach-E. Then, of course, there will be Lincoln interactions of those models. It all starts to get blurred. 

Ford is banking on selling more Broncos and Mustang Mach-E models

Ford is banking on making up the difference between Edge and Nautilus production by selling more Broncos and Mustang Mach-E models, which have a ton of buzz behind them. It also helps the bottom line in a big way. Both CUVs are built in Canada at the Oakville plant. It’s the last assembly plant Ford has in Canada. If it were to cut the Edge and Nautilus it could shutter the plant and eliminate those costs. 

If Ford did shut down Oakville it would be the first time in almost a century that Ford did not have anything produced in Canada. Production costs more in Canada than across the border and especially when you factor in assembly plants in Mexico. Some sources say it is inevitable as Ford has concerns that too many CUVs and SUVs are crowding each other out. 

The Edge is a two-row CUV and the Explorer is a three-row. Ford could plug in a two-row Explorer to fill the gap that a possible drop of the Edge would create according to the Detroit Bureau. Don’t forget that the Explorer is no longer based on a truck platform. So a two-row Explorer would be more similar to an Edge than in previous generations.

Dropping sedans have not seen customers choose Ford SUVs and CUVs.

Ford has found to its disappointment that cutting sedans like the Taurus, Focus, and Fusion, has not seen customers choose Ford SUVs and CUVs. Research shows that many of these loyal Ford patrons have gone over to Toyota and Hyundai for their sedan fix. Yes, SUVs are more popular than sedans, but not everyone will blindly follow Ford’s prediction they’ll drop sedans.

Interestingly, Edge sales increased 4% in 2019, though it is down about the same amount for 2020. But everything is down this year. SUV volume this year is off by 11%. Because of COVID-19, it is hard to judge whether these figures represent anything more than the pandemic changing the buying landscape. 

The Ford Edge replacement code-named CDX777 has been dropped according to insiders, further lending support to the Edge being history. Expect the Nautilus to be gone in 2022 followed shortly thereafter by the Edge.