The Slowest-Selling Ford Isn’t the F-150 Lightning
Not every Ford vehicle is a winner due to a diverse portfolio and vehicle lineup. Sure, the Ford F-150 wins the full-size truck segment every year, but blunders like the Ford Flex get discontinued. One iconic Ford SUV might get the axe next.
The Ford Explorer is the slowest-selling Ford model
Instead of cheering for the Ford Explorer play the sound of a deflating balloon or a whomp, whomp. The Explorer has been struggling for years and now it’s stuck at the bottom of the barrel.
It’s one of the slowest-selling vehicles in America. The average Explorer model sits on the market for 80.1 days and is sold for about $49,440. The average new car is on the market for 22.7 days and is sold for $43,205.
Also, manufacturers target 60 days on the lot. So, the Explorer sits pretty for an extended amount of time.
The Ford F-150 Lightning may be in the news for low sales and interest, but the average model only sits on the market for 61.1 days, which narrowly misses the target.
Also, the Ford Edge sits on the market for roughly 93.6 days, but it has been discontinued. Ford is just getting rid of its leftover supply and it hasn’t been updated since 2019.
But the Explorer has been part of the lineup since 1991. It has been a crucial pillar in the lineup for decades, so why is it being fumbled? It seems to be on the back burner as attention pivots to the Bronco and new Ranger.
Why aren’t people buying the Explorer very quickly?
The Ford Explorer sold 167,279 models so far in 2023. The December monthly totals aren’t out yet. So, people are still drawn to its athletic nature, convenient size, and third row. But it sold 226,217 models in 2020, so it has been on a slow decline.
Some say that when the latest Explorer generation debuted in 2020, it was rushed and full of problems with multiple recalls. The 2020 model got a J.D.Power reliability rating of 60 out of 100, which is very low.
But the 2023 model earned an 82, which is an above-average score. This indicates that the problems have been corrected.
People may be attracted to other options like the Kia Telluride. It has a more luxurious cabin, provides more passenger space, and is more comfortable.
The 2023 Ford Explorer rides a bit rough with plenty of plastics in the interior. The third row is also a bit cramped for adults.
Plus, the price gets pretty expensive in a hurry and the available hybrid engine isn’t very efficient.
But it might finally receive a mid-cycle refresh in 2024 to turn things around with a revamped style, updated tech, and possibly better engine options.
