The Ford Fusion sedan we currently know will soon get the ax, part of the Blue Oval's plans to trim its car lineup and shift its focus to electrified vehicles, crossovers and SUVs. But that doesn't mean the Fusion name will go away entirely.
Automotive News, citing two people familiar with Ford's future product plans, says the Fusion nameplate will be affixed to a new, high-riding, Subaru Outback-fighting wagon. This new vehicle will be built on the current Fusion's underpinnings and should arrive right around the time the midsize sedan officially gets the axe early next decade.
Ford is planning a similar move for the smaller Focus, as well. The current compact sedan and hatchback will be killed, but a crossover-like vehicle, tentatively called Focus Active, will be sold in the US.
This won't be the first time Ford's used the Fusion name for a crossover, either. The automaker sold a B-segment MPV in Europe from 2002 to 2012 called Fusion, based on the subcompact Ford Fiesta.
A Ford spokesperson declined to comment on future product, but agrees that keeping the Fusion name is a smart idea. "We'll likely continue to use the name because of its awareness, positive imagery and value with customers," the spokesperson told Automotive News.
