DETROIT — The continued freefall in sedan sales resulted in a second consecutive annual U.S. sales decline for Ford Motor Co. in 2018, despite record SUV and crossover volume and a near-record year for F-series pickups.
The automaker sold 2,485,222 vehicles in the U.S. last year, 3.5 percent fewer than in 2017. Those figures include an 8.8 percent decline in December as fleet order timing contributed to a weak close to the year.
Ford sold an impressive 909,330 F-series pickups last year, marking the nameplate's 42nd straight year as the nation's best-selling pickup.
The automaker set a record for utility-vehicle sales in 2018 at 797,238, due in part to the introduction of the EcoSport crossover. But sales of Ford's second and third best-selling nameplates, the Escape and Explorer, fell 12 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively. Redesigned models of the Escape and Explorer are coming later this year.
Sales by Ford's Lincoln luxury brand fell 6.8 percent in 2018, despite a full year of availability for the redesigned Navigator SUV. The brand has purposely dialed back fleet sales to focus on more profitable retail figures, even if it means fewer total sales.
Ford on Thursday said it will move to quarterly sales reporting in 2019, following General Motors.
Brands: In December, Ford fell 9.6% and Lincoln rose 8.5 percent. For the full year, Ford declined 3.3% and Lincoln was down 6.8%.
Notable nameplates: F series down 1.8% in December, up 1.4% in 2018 to finish at 909,330; Mustang down 43% in December, down 7.4% in 2018; Fusion down 8% in December, down 17% in 2018; Escape down 23% in December, down 12% in 2018; Lincoln Navigator up 43% in December, up 70% in 2018; Lincoln Continental down 3.8% in December, down 27% in 2018
Incentives: $4,405, down 0.6% from the same period a year ago, according to ALG
Average transaction price: $40,172, up 5.3% from the same period a year ago, according to ALG
Fleet mix: 24%, down 3.2 percentage points from December 2017, according to Ford
Inventory: 657,651, a 74-day supply. That compares with 668,234, an 85-day supply, as of Nov. 1, according to Ford.
Quote: "So far we've had the minus strategy, but we haven't had the plus," LaNeve said, referring to Ford's decision to cut sedans from its U.S. lineup. It will begin to add nameplates, including the Ranger midsize pickup, in 2019.
Did you know? Ford's F-series pickup fell short of its all-time sales record by 30,182 vehicles. The 909,330 sold in 2018 are its best since the record was set in 2004 and mark the first time topping 900,000 since 2005.
