Ford U.S. SUV Sales By Model: Explorer, Escape, Bronco, etc.

Off-road driving. Pexels Image.

This page covers Ford Motor Company’s retail sales of SUVs and crossovers by model in the U.S. The sales results presented are exclusively for the U.S. market. Additionally, the sales results are based on only the retail volumes.

For other sales statistics of Ford Motor, you may find more information on this page: Ford key statistics.

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Definitions

To help readers understand the content better, the following terms and glossaries have been provided.

Vehicle Retail Sales: Ford defines its vehicle retail sales as sales by dealers, sales to the government, and leases to Ford management, and is based, in part, on estimated vehicle registrations; includes medium and heavy trucks.

Bronco Sport: The Ford Bronco Sport is a compact crossover SUV introduced by Ford Motor Company in 2020.

It is part of the revived Bronco family, designed to offer off-road capabilities similar to its larger sibling, the Ford Bronco, but in a smaller and more city-friendly package.

The Bronco Sport is equipped with standard 4×4 and a Terrain Management System with up to seven G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) modes to tackle various driving conditions.

It offers two turbocharged engines: a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine and a more powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The Bronco Sport features a rugged, boxy design with a distinctive front grille and round headlights, reminiscent of the classic Bronco.

Escape: The Ford Escape is a compact crossover SUV that has been a popular model in Ford’s lineup since its introduction in 2000.

Known for its balance of comfort, utility, and technology, the Escape is a versatile vehicle suitable for both city driving and weekend getaways.

The Escape offers a variety of powertrains, including a standard gasoline engine, an efficient hybrid, and a plug-in hybrid option. This range caters to different driving preferences and fuel efficiency needs.

Explorer: The Ford Explorer is a mid-size SUV that has been a key model in Ford’s lineup since its introduction in 1990. Known for its versatility and family-friendly features, the Explorer has undergone numerous updates and redesigns over the years.

The Explorer provides a range of powertrain options, including a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a V6 engine, and a hybrid variant. These options cater to different performance and fuel efficiency preferences.

The Explorer is known for its impressive towing capabilities, making it suitable for hauling trailers, boats, and other heavy loads. The Explorer typically offers seating for up to seven passengers with a spacious interior, making it a popular choice for families. The third-row seats can be folded to increase cargo space when needed.

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FAQs

To help readers understand the content better, the following FAQs have been provided.

How are vehicle retail volumes measured?

Vehicle retail volumes in the U.S. are measured through a systematic process that involves tracking and analyzing the number of new vehicles sold to consumers through dealerships. Here are the key steps involved in measuring vehicle retail sales:

1. Data Collection: Dealerships report their sales figures to automotive manufacturers and industry organizations. These reports include detailed information on the number of vehicles sold, categorized by model, make, and other relevant criteria.
2. Centralized Reporting: The collected data is aggregated by automotive manufacturers and industry organizations such as the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the Automotive News Data Center. These organizations compile and maintain comprehensive sales databases.


3. Seasonal Adjustment: Sales data is often adjusted for seasonal variations to provide a clearer and more accurate representation of underlying sales trends. This adjustment accounts for predictable fluctuations in sales that occur throughout the year.
4. Monthly Reports: The adjusted sales figures are typically reported on a monthly basis. Key industry players such as the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Automotive News, and other industry publications release detailed monthly sales reports.
5. Market Analysis: Analysts and researchers use the reported sales data to analyze market trends, consumer preferences, and the overall health of the automotive industry. This analysis helps identify patterns, forecast future sales, and make informed business decisions.
6. Comparisons and Benchmarks: Sales data is often compared with historical data, competitor sales, and industry benchmarks to assess performance. This comparative analysis helps determine how well a particular brand or model is performing relative to others in the market.

By systematically collecting, reporting, and analyzing sales data, the U.S. automotive industry ensures that vehicle retail sales are accurately measured and understood.

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Insight & Summary of Ford’s SUV Sales By Model In The U.S.

The following analysis consolidates the trends observed across Ford Motor’s SUV sales in the U.S. by model for the 2015–2025 period.

• Total SUV Volume: Remarkable Stability Through Significant Portfolio Disruption Ford’s total US SUV and crossover volume has demonstrated resilience across a period that included a pandemic-driven demand collapse, a semiconductor supply crisis, product discontinuations, and the introduction of entirely new nameplates. Total volume declined from a 796,302–797,238 peak in FY2017–FY2018 to a FY2020 trough of 661,953, before recovering to the 771,042–783,681 range in FY2023–FY2025.

  The FY2023–FY2025 average of approximately 779,299 units — within 3% of the pre-pandemic peak — is a meaningful outcome given the wholesale composition change the portfolio has undergone. Ford replaced the EcoSport (discontinued), the Flex (discontinued), and effectively the Edge (3,040 units in FY2025, functionally discontinued) with the Bronco and Bronco Sport while absorbing meaningful Escape volume decline, and still maintained near-peak total unit volume. This is a portfolio management success story, even if individual model trajectories tell a more complex story.

• Explorer: The Unshaken Anchor Across the Entire Period The Ford Explorer has been and remains the structural anchor of the SUV lineup, contributing a FY2023–FY2025 average of 201,200 units at 25.8% mix — the highest mix share of any model across the most recent three-year period. The Explorer’s trajectory illustrates the importance of brand durability in the SUV segment: despite volumes declining from a 271,131 peak (FY2017) to a 186,799 trough (FY2023) — a 31% contraction over six years driven by the chip shortage, model-year transition disruptions, and competition from newer entrants — the Explorer has returned decisively, posting 222,706 units in FY2025 at 28.4% mix, its strongest performance since FY2020.

  The FY2025 data point (+14.7% YoY) confirms that the Explorer’s demand base is fundamentally intact and that the three-year volume trough was supply-constrained rather than demand-driven. For investors, the Explorer’s sustained 25–34% mix contribution across the entire dataset makes it the primary unit economics stabiliser in Ford’s US SUV franchise.

• The Bronco Family: The Most Successful Product Launch in the Portfolio The combined Bronco and Bronco Sport launch represents the most strategically significant product action in Ford’s US SUV portfolio during the analysis period. Bronco Sport launched modestly in FY2020 (5,120 units) before scaling rapidly to 108,169 (FY2021) and stabilising in the 124,701–134,493 range (FY2023–FY2025) at approximately 16–17% mix.

  The original Bronco launched in FY2021 at 35,023 units — constrained by supply and initial production challenges — and has grown consistently to 146,007 units in FY2025, representing 18.6% of total mix and +33.7% YoY growth, the strongest model-level growth rate in the portfolio in FY2025. The Bronco’s FY2025 performance surpassed the Escape (139,387 units) for the first time, marking a structural shift in the portfolio’s composition.

  Together, the Bronco family contributed approximately 280,000 units in FY2025 — 35.7% of total SUV volume — against a combined EcoSport + Edge + Flex contribution of approximately zero. Ford effectively executed a complete mid-tier product replacement: retiring three models and substituting two new ones while maintaining or exceeding aggregate volume. The critical distinction is that the Bronco and Bronco Sport carry better brand equity and likely higher transaction prices than the EcoSport and Edge, suggesting this was not simply a volume-neutral replacement but a margin-accretive portfolio transformation.

• Escape: From Market Leader to Structural Underperformer The Escape’s trajectory is the starkest single-model decline in the dataset. From a 307,000–308,000 unit peak in FY2015–FY2017 and a 41.4% mix share in FY2015, Escape volume declined to 139,387 units in FY2025 at 17.8% mix — a 55% volume contraction from peak. The Escape’s decline is multi-causal: intensifying competition from the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Hyundai Tucson in the compact crossover segment; Ford’s own product portfolio cannibalism as Bronco Sport took share at a similar price and size point; and a consumer preference shift toward larger-format SUVs (Explorer, Expedition) and truck-based models (Bronco). The FY2023–FY2025 average growth of 0.6% (effectively flat) suggests the Escape has stabilised but at a structurally reduced scale that reflects a permanently smaller addressable share within its segment.

• Edge: Functional Discontinuation The Edge’s FY2025 performance of 3,040 units (down from 106,098 in FY2023 and 66,436 in FY2024) confirms what was apparent by FY2024: the model is functionally discontinued, with remaining units representing dealer clearance activity. From a 142,603 peak in FY2017 and 17.9% mix, the Edge exit represents the permanent retirement of Ford’s two-row midsize SUV segment positioning in the US market — a segment Ford is now ceding to competitors. The FY2023–FY2025 average growth rate of -36.2% is dominated by the FY2025 collapse and overstates the managed nature of the exit, but the structural message is clear: Ford does not intend to replace the Edge in its current form.

• Mustang Mach-E: EV Contribution, Incremental Rather Than Transformational The Mustang Mach-E has grown from 27,140 units (FY2021, its first meaningful production year) to a plateau of approximately 51,620–51,745 units in FY2024–FY2025 at ~6.6–6.7% mix. The FY2023–FY2025 average of 48,045 units and 6.2% mix reflects a model that has established a stable demand base but has not achieved the volume trajectory that would position it as a primary portfolio driver.

  The FY2024–FY2025 growth of essentially flat (-0.2% in FY2025) suggests the Mach-E has found its equilibrium demand level in the current competitive environment — a level constrained by pricing pressure from Tesla (Model Y) and increasingly from domestic Chinese EV brands entering the US market. At approximately 50,000 annual units, the Mach-E is a commercially meaningful EV contribution for Ford but is not the volume platform required to sustain the EV transition at the scale Ford’s strategic plan envisioned.

• Expedition: Quiet Strength in the Full-Size Segment The Expedition has been one of the quieter success stories in the dataset — growing from 41,443 units (FY2015) to 85,921 units (FY2025) with a FY2023–FY2025 average growth of 11.6%, the highest sustained growth rate among the active models in the portfolio. At 10.2% mix average and 10–11% in FY2024–FY2025, the Expedition benefits from the same consumer preference dynamics that have sustained F-Series truck demand: US consumers with disposable income are trading up in vehicle size, and the full-size body-on-frame SUV segment (Expedition vs. Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban) has proven structurally resilient. The Expedition is likely the highest per-unit margin contributor in the SUV lineup given its base price and option-loaded trim popular among family and fleet buyers.

• Structural Takeaway: Ford’s US SUV portfolio between 2015 and 2025 tells a coherent story of managed reinvention: the company retired three ageing or underperforming nameplates (EcoSport, Flex, Edge), launched two franchise-defining new products (Bronco, Bronco Sport), and maintained total volume within 3% of its pre-pandemic peak while substantially improving the brand positioning and likely the margin quality of the portfolio.

  The Explorer’s sustained dominance and the Bronco family’s rapid scale-up together define the portfolio’s structural identity. Ford’s US SUV business is now anchored by three durable volume drivers — Explorer (~200K), Bronco (~120K), Bronco Sport (~129K) — supplemented by a recovering Expedition and a stable but plateaued Escape, with the Mustang Mach-E as a credible but not transformational EV contributor. The combined exit of the EcoSport, Flex, and Edge reduced complexity and likely improved dealership economics and marketing focus.

  The two open questions for investors are whether the Bronco can sustain its FY2025 momentum (146,007 units, +33.7%) beyond the current model-refresh tailwind, and whether the Mach-E’s volume plateau at ~50,000 units reflects a temporary ceiling that a next-generation product or price adjustment could break through — or a permanent demand level in a competitive EV environment that Ford cannot shift without deeper structural EV investment. The broader answer to Ford’s portfolio sustainability in the US SUV market — currently its most commercially productive segment — hinges on these two data points more than any other.

The table below combines all key Ford’s U.S. SUV sales by model metrics into a single view for the latest three fiscal years.

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Ford’s Sales of all SUV Models

Find out how Ford measures its vehicle retail sales here: vehicle retail sales.

Ford’s best-selling SUV models are: Explorer, Escape, and Bronco Sport.

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Ford’s Sales Mix of all SUV Models

Find out how Ford measures its vehicle retail sales here: vehicle retail sales.

Ford’s best-selling SUV models are: Explorer, Escape, and Bronco Sport.

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References and Credits

1. All vehicle sales data presented in this article were obtained and referenced from Ford’s car sales reports published in the company’s investor relation page: Ford’s Car Sales Reports.

2. Pexels Images.

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Disclosure

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist us in writing some of the text in this article. However, the data is directly obtained from original sources (usually the quarterly and annual reports) and meticulously cross-checked by our editors multiple times to ensure its accuracy and reliability.

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