Ford is ditching self-driving tech update in low-cost cars

[Maxx]

Majority of people are looking for an A to B car they can afford to buy and to own. Having that option is in FORD's DNA.

https://www.the-sun.com/motors/13642308/ford-ceo-jim-farley-low-cost-electric-vehicles/

The thing I love the most about my Pro is that it was the best bang for the buck of all options I had at the time. I hope they come up with a two wheel drive ranger EV that is even less expensive. What would you buy if you had limited income and had access to all EVs on the planet?

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[Whammy Bar]

Plug in Prius.

My regular non plug in Prius was the best car I ever owned. Cheap to operate. Beyond reliable. Able to fit just about everything you wanted in it.

It was one of the best "appliances" out there

 

[gbuydos]

I think cheap EVs ($25-$30k) will still be a middle class, second car option, I just don't see these cars as an all around savior. The cheap Corollas, Hyundai's, Kia's, etc. will be for the majority of people who only can afford one car. The can drive anywhere, no fueling issues, and don't have the hassles a BEV has for a primary vehicle.

Now maybe, if a $15k-$20k EV were to come out, that might be a game changer.

 

[Firn]

Plug in Prius.

My regular non plug in Prius was the best car I ever owned. Cheap to operate. Beyond reliable. Able to fit just about everything you wanted in it.

It was one of the best "appliances" out there

Gaaaa! I want to hate this comment but it's absolutely spot on.

The prius, even though it is slow, noisy, ugly, and hated, is also the best A to B car you can find for the money. It's reasonably inexpensive, cheap to run, and one of the most reliable cars out there.

 

[Newton]

I think cheap EVs ($25-$30k) will still be a middle class, second car option, I just don't see these cars as an all around savior. The cheap Corollas, Hyundai's, Kia's, etc. will be for the majority of people who only can afford one car. The can drive anywhere, no fueling issues, and don't have the hassles a BEV has for a primary vehicle.

Now maybe, if a $15k-$20k EV were to come out, that might be a game changer.

They already exist, just go to cargurus used section. This is a problem for the industry, used cars are much better than they were back in the day and we have a lot more resources (like carfax) to make it less likely that you are buying a complete rebuilt lemon. This is why Ford’s latest strategy is challenging, would you rather pay $30k for a stripped down ***box or $30k for a three-year-old used car that sold for $60K new and has all of the bells and whistles?

You can get a 2019 E-Tron Prestige (top trim) for $22,000

 

[gbuydos]

They already exist, just go to cargurus used section. This is a problem for the industry, used cars are much better than they were back in the day and we have a lot more resources (like carfax) to make it less likely that you are buying a complete rebuilt lemon. This is why Ford’s latest strategy is challenging, would you rather pay $30k for a stripped down ***box or $30k for a three-year-old used car that sold for $60K new and has all of the bells and whistles?

You can get a 2019 E-Tron Prestige (top trim) for $22,000

True, I am looking at a used EV for my daughter to use for school (lives at home). She can take advantage of a great car, no fuel cost, and we have chargers. However, when I send her off to the big university, will most likely get her an ICE vehicle. There are no chargers at the dorms, she will not suffer range anxiety or hit miss public chargers. Plus can drive the hour home and back or anywhere with out needing to refuel.

 

[newtoBAT]

IMO, I hate that self driving is seen as a luxury item that we have to pay a subscription for (going to blame Tesla for that one). I hope we get to a time where it is a required safety feature like an airbag.

 

[Yellow Buddy]

Majority of people are looking for an A to B car they can afford to buy and to own. Having that option is in FORD's DNA.

https://www.the-sun.com/motors/13642308/ford-ceo-jim-farley-low-cost-electric-vehicles/

The thing I love the most about my Pro is that it was the best bang for the buck of all options I had at the time. I hope they come up with a two wheel drive ranger EV that is even less expensive. What would you buy if you had limited income and had access to all EVs on the planet?

Limited income? Smart car EV or Fiat EV. The used ones can be had for really cheap and the limited range on them means very little miles. New battery tech means a quick swap is a lot more range. Limited tech means not much to go wrong

 

[Jim Lewis]

A Hyundai Ioniq 6 (or a Chevy Equinox): https://fordauthority.com/2025/02/ford-mustang-mach-e-ranked-below-average-in-2025-ownership-study/

 

[Maxx]

Plug in Prius.

My regular non plug in Prius was the best car I ever owned. Cheap to operate. Beyond reliable. Able to fit just about everything you wanted in it.

It was one of the best "appliances" out there

‘Every Prius owner I know shares that opinion. The only negative thing I can think of is how popular their catalytic converter is.

 

[Pioneer74]

A Hyundai Ioniq 6 (or a Chevy Equinox): https://fordauthority.com/2025/02/ford-mustang-mach-e-ranked-below-average-in-2025-ownership-study/

That's what happens when all you do is change exterior colors with no meaningful updates. It should have launched with a heat pump and 800v charging, or at least been available by last year.

 

[Maxx]

They already exist, just go to cargurus used section. This is a problem for the industry, used cars are much better than they were back in the day and we have a lot more resources (like carfax) to make it less likely that you are buying a complete rebuilt lemon. This is why Ford’s latest strategy is challenging, would you rather pay $30k for a stripped down ***box or $30k for a three-year-old used car that sold for $60K new and has all of the bells and whistles?

You can get a 2019 E-Tron Prestige (top trim) for $22,000

I was looking at used EVs online last night and you are right; they look very tempting. The only thing that may push people to new is fear of tech failiour repair cost for an out of warranty EV with proprietary software. As 3rd party shops pop prove they can handle EVs, and battery tech gets better, EVs may prove to be easier to maintain.

 

[Maxx]

A Hyundai Ioniq 6 (or a Chevy Equinox): https://fordauthority.com/2025/02/ford-mustang-mach-e-ranked-below-average-in-2025-ownership-study/

Both seem like great choices. I just don’t know how meaningful J.D. Power‘s graph is. Besides the fact that the number for the one on top is not that different from the number in the bottom, I assume they send a survey to owners. If every one of those 1000 owners drove all cars back to back, this info could have some meaning but and if they don’t consider that an owner that moved from a new Cadillac celestiq to an Ioniq 5 will not have the same customer satisfaction as the one that moved from a smart car to the same Ioniq 5. The whole thing seems like a crapshoot to me.

I am saying all of that really not mowing how they conduct their surveys.

 

[Jim Lewis]

Both seem like great choices. I just don’t know how meaningful J.D. Power‘s graph is. Besides the fact that the number for the one on top is not that different from the number in the bottom

I chose Ioniq 6 and Chevy Equinox for reasons apart from the J.D. Power's suvey but included the graph as a reference since it agrees with my preferences.

I'd go for the Ioniq 6 based on Hyundai's general rep, its price, its rapid charging, and expanded range. The Equinox would be my 2nd choice. A daughter has one of the last Bolts made and is very happy with it and they're considering the Equinox as their 2nd "affordable" EV.

Interesting that Tesla is not included in the survey and ChatGPT says Tesla deliberately blocks Power's access to their owners:

J.D. Power conducts its user satisfaction surveys primarily through online and telephone surveys, collecting feedback from verified vehicle owners and lessees. They analyze factors like reliability, driving experience, dealership service, and overall ownership costs. The surveys typically cover a broad range of automotive topics, including initial quality, dependability, and customer satisfaction.

Why Tesla is Not Included in Some J.D. Power Studies
Tesla has historically not been included in certain J.D. Power rankings, particularly in state-dependent surveys like the Initial Quality Study (IQS) and Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). The primary reason is that Tesla does not grant J.D. Power permission to survey its customers in states where manufacturer approval is required for such studies. As a result, J.D. Power lacks sufficient data to include Tesla in some of its rankings.

However, J.D. Power has occasionally published unofficial ratings for Tesla by using data collected from owners in states where manufacturer approval is not required. For example, Tesla has been included in certain studies, but with an asterisk noting that its score is based on incomplete survey data.

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