The Jeep Wrangler, which has established itself as America’s dominant off-road vehicle for decades, sees the Ford Bronco hit sales hard as highly competitive and iconic brands vie for customers. I see you giving
In January, Ford’s Bronco sales were up 25.5% year-over-year, while Jeep sales were down 25%.
Industry sales data obtained by the Detroit Free Press on Thursday showed Jeep’s top-selling position fell from 913 in November and 470 in December to just three in January.
In January, Ford sold 10,170 Broncos (up from 8,101 a year earlier) and Jeep Wrangler 10,173 (down from 13,556), according to industry sales data.
And about 60% of Bronco’s customers come from outside Ford, mostly from Jeeps, Ford spokesman Saeed Deep told the Free Press.
All automakers track where new customers are coming from to assess vehicle performance. Ford said any competitive conquest above 50% is considered very successful.
Although the gap is closing, Deep said the Ford team has yet to pop a champagne bottle.
In 2022, Jeep sold 181,409 Wranglers and Ford sold 152,080 Broncos. According to the Kelly Blue Book, the 2023 Jeep has an estimated base price of $30,000 plus shipping, while the 2023 Bronco has an estimated base price of $32,000 plus shipping. Bronco has a large backorder.
Ford pointed out that Stellantis has a plant in Toledo dedicated to producing the Jeep Wrangler, and said the Bronco and Ranger pickups are built at the same location in Wayne, Michigan. So rather than having one dedicated plant produce the popular cars, Ford had to stop producing one car and build the other, the company said.
Ford, meanwhile, is struggling to meet overwhelming demand for the Bronco.
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In terms of sales, January and February are considered the weakest months in the industry compared to the highs of December and June. So those numbers are interesting, says Eric Markle, Ford’s U.S. sales analyst.
“We’re just a little bit more paint than the Wrangler,” he said. It was his June 2021 when we launched the Bronco, effectively during the pandemic…the Bronco was conceived with the Wrangler in mind. Far exceeded our expectations. ”
Stellantis, which owns the Jeep brand, told the Free Press on Thursday that the off-road utility vehicle segment continues to grow.
Stellantis spokesman Richard Deneau said the Jeep Wrangler was the best-selling off-road utility vehicle in 2022 and has no plans to relinquish that spot anytime soon.
“Almost a quarter (24%) of those sales were for the Wrangler 4xe, America’s best-selling plug-in hybrid,” he said.
Stellantis claims Bronco is poaching customers from Ford’s other products.
Markle stressed that the majority of Bronco buyers come from outside Ford, and wondered if buyers for Bronco and F-150 pickup trucks were interchangeable.
“One is a life vehicle for off-road purposes, and the F-150 is outside the Raptor for work, hauling and towing,” he said.
‘Best News’ Is America Loves Jeep, Bronco
Karl Brauer, Executive Analyst at iseecars.com, said: A shiny new kid on the block dominance. And each can claim a functional or technical innovation. 4×4 SUVs are being offered by domestic automakers, and now there are two. ”
Little Bronco Sport also gains traction
In January, the Bronco Sport also sold 2,870 more cars than a year ago, including competitors Jeep Renegade and Jeep Compass.
Bronco Sport sold 9,438 units, Compass 5,678 units and Renegade 890 units.
According to industry data obtained by the Free Press, customers purchased 99,547 Bronco Sport SUVs in 2022, compared to 113,724 Compasses and Renegades. Jeep maintains a solid lead while Ford tries to close the gap.
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Both the Bronco Sport and the Maverick are built at the same Ford plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, which has delayed production of both, Markle said. Ford had to choose which orders to fill, and retail orders from Maverick customers were sold out. They must be found in dealer lots. Ford has not opened a 2024 Maverick Order Bank.
EV sales increase, along with ICE
Overall, January sales data also showed:
- Sales of Mustang Mach-E increased to 2,626 from 2,370 a year ago
- Ford Expedition sales increase from 4,723 to 5,693
- Decreased sales of EcoSport being phased out and Escape, Edge, Explorer and Mustang.
- Increased sales of Transit vans, E-Transits, heavy-duty trucks and Mustang GT
- Orders for Maverick and Ranger are full due to plant migration, but sales are declining
“All[Maverick’s]orders are reserved. It’s just a matter of how many we can deliver in a given month,” Markle said.
The F-series, including Lightning, remains strong, he said. Super Duty is a huge money maker and has months of orders to build. Not considered a sale until delivered.
Here are Ford’s sales by category:
- Electricity sales increased to 5,247 from 2,571 a year ago
- Hybrid sales decreased from 10,598 to 7,816
- Internal combustion engine sales increased from 130,362 to 133,293
In 2022, Ford’s total market share increased from 12.4% in 2021 to 13.1%. Ford’s market share fell to 13% in Q4 2022 from 15% a year earlier.
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Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or contact phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid.