It’s no secret that the sedan segment in America has become less popular over the years, as American car shoppers have flocked to SUVs and trucks instead. That continuous decline in sedan sales has led many automakers to kill off sedans, and in fact, Ford killed off its last sedan model, the Fusion, in 2020.

That being said, sedans built by other automakers continue to be popular, and their success has made some people wonder if Ford will change course and build another sedan in the future.

A look at the current and future Ford lineup

After the Fusion was discontinued in the middle of 2020, Ford’s lineup in the American car market was dominated by its SUVs and pickup trucks. In fact, the factories that used to build the Fusion were quickly retooled to build larger vehicles instead. Technically speaking though, there’s still one small car in the automaker’s American lineup, and it’s the Mustang. 

Obviously, the Mustang is a muscle car rather than a cheap, commuter sedan like the Fusion was, but the Mustang still persists as a smaller option in Ford’s lineup. However, two years after the Fusion’s death, spy shots emerged of a car that’s known as the Fusion Active. As the name suggested, it was a rumored replacement for the Fusion, but Ford hasn’t revealed much after those spy shots came out.

While the Fusion Active may eventually carry on the legacy of the Fusion, it won’t do that by being a sedan. The spy shots revealed that the car was much larger than a sedan. It could potentially be a small SUV, but it also could be a wagon. Either way, it’s unlikely that Ford will change course and turn it into a sedan when it’s finally released.

Will Ford ever make another sedan?

Since it’s unlikely that the Fusion’s direct successor will be a sedan, it’s not surprising that Ford hasn’t announced that the company will build a new sedan anytime soon. That being said, just because the company hasn’t announced that it will build a new sedan, it doesn’t mean that Ford is never going to build a new sedan. 

After all, Ford still sells sedans in other parts of the world. Just like many other automakers, Ford has a habit of giving its cars different names in different markets. In China, the Fusion was called the Mondeo. While Ford eventually discontinued the Fusion in Europe and Latin America, the sedan lives on in China under the Mondeo name. Ford also continues to sell the Taurus sedan in the Middle East despite killing it off in America years ago.

Here are the best Ford Fusion model years to buy used

Until Ford’s leadership decides to reinvest in the sedan segment though, American car shoppers are probably going to have to look at other automakers. Alternatively, they can shop for a used Fusion. The midsize sedan doesn’t have a long history, as the American automaker started selling it in the 2006 model year. As a general rule of thumb though, the last few model years of the sedan are the best.

In particular, the 2018, 2019, and 2020 model years are a step above most of the other model years. That’s because they’re new enough to have a lot more features, while being old enough to be cheaper than a brand-new car.

Those model years also tend to have fewer reliability issues than the oldest model years. Another good model year to look out for is the 2015 model year. However, the Fusions from before that year aren’t great, and they should be avoided.