Ford Delivers on the 3 P’s: Price, Practicality, and Performance

The closest Ford dealership near me is currently bursting with innovative, technologically-advanced cars, trucks, and SUVs. It’s quite possibly the best time in history to be in the market for a new vehicle because this newest round of 2020 and 2021 model year options carry within it something for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re shopping price, performance, or practicality – Ford has an answer for every buyer.

The Ford Motor Company has a long, storied history of manufacturing automobiles that make headlines and win hearts and minds. There is something almost magical about the Ford lineup because each vehicle is infused with a dash of company heritage. It’s as though Ford is branding each new vehicle with some of its root DNA. That DNA is a framework of exceptional engineering, thoughtful design, and quality assembly.

Over the years, Ford has innovated in several segments, but the company has also created new vehicle categories along the way. Nameplates like Mustang, Bronco, and F-150 conjure images of aspiration and adventure, and that’s just how Ford wants it. They want to remain a company of innovation and quality. What does that mean for the car-buying public? A near-guarantee that you’re getting the safest, highest quality vehicle possible. Ford stakes its reputation on it.

Let’s look at the current 2021 Ford model lineup and identify the leaders in price, performance, and practicality. Do some vehicles tick all the boxes? Let’s discover in-depth what makes Ford and the Ford line of vehicles so unique and sought-after.

Price: Ford models under $30,000

Right out of the gate, Ford makes a statement with a budget offering in nearly every category. There’s the 2020 Ecosport, starting at $19,995, and the 2020 Escape at $24,885, both great SUV options. In the pickup segment, you’ll find the dynamic 2020 Ford Ranger mid-size pickup starting at $24,410. Looking for a sedan body style? Look no further than the 2020 Fusion, which starts at an MSRP of $23,170. You can even get your hands on a 2020 Mustang coupe for $26,670.

The Electric Vehicle (EV) and Hybrid segment delivers a surprisingly affordable choice in the 2020 Fusion sedan Hybrid, which comes in just $2,000 under that $30,000 threshold. That gives buyers an entry point into the most progressive and technologically-advanced category of all. EV and hybrid vehicles are our future. While many of us cling to our love of gas-powered performance engines, new EV technology is meeting those horsepower and torque outputs in a much more environmentally-friendly way.

Even the exciting, all-new 2021 Ford Bronco is available for under $30,000. The base Bronco Sport comes in at a starting MSRP of $26,660, and the regular Bronco comes in at a starting $28,500. This standard four-wheel drive base model focuses on off-roading capability, keeping cabin bells and whistles to a minimum and harkening back to the original Bronco. Ford’s G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Terrain) Terrain Management System puts dialing in specific performance settings as easy as the spin of a dial, giving drivers more control and capability than ever before right at their fingertips.

Performance: Heart-Thumping Horsepower

Move over luxury performance imports – it’s time to make room for the 2020 Ford Raptor performance pickup, the Mustang Shelby GT350, and the Mustang Shelby GT500. Even the Ford Edge ST gets a spot on the list of Ford’s highest performance-oriented vehicles. These street-legal hot rods benefit from years of racing history. Ford builds these cars and trucks to perform in the image of its siblings on the race track and in the mountains and dirt roads of the infamous Baja 1000, where the Raptor made its mark.

The Shelby line of Mustangs is recognizable as the pinnacle of speed and heart-thumping performance, both by name and appearance. The GT350 starts at $60,440, and the GT500 starts at $72,900, both hefty price tags, but if it’s speed and performance you’re seeking, you need not look any further. The Shelby GT350 puts out a whopping 526 horsepower, but before you get too lost in the outlandish amount of power that Mustang delivers, check out the GT500. Now we’re talking 760 horsepower. 760! That’s all thanks to its 5.2-liter supercharged V8, 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and dual exhaust.

How about the Raptor? Ford’s full-size performance pickup is a fan favorite. You know when a Raptor is approaching on the road because its throaty, torque-enhanced acceleration is distinctive and aggressive on purpose. Ford designed the Raptor to intimidate. Starting at $53,455, the Raptor uses a 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost High-Output twin-turbo engine mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission to deliver 450 horsepower and a guttural 510 lb-ft of torque. Combined, this performance capability puts Raptor at the head of the pack on and off the road.

Practicality: Efficiency and Safety Combined

If safety is the focus, look no further than the Edge, the Explorer, and the Expedition. A minivan body style is conspicuously absent from Ford’s lineup, and that’s on purpose. Why? Ford believes the SUV body style is more visually appealing, and its lineup of SUVs combines safety and efficiency to deliver a great family vehicle option without sacrificing style.

Beginning with the 2020 Edge, Ford starts with price. The Edge starts at a reasonable $31,100, and the savings don’t end there. That’s because the Edge provides fantastic fuel efficiency, with an average fuel economy rating of 21 MPG city / 29 MPG highway on standard FWD models. The Edge is also an Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick for 2020, giving it third-party endorsed safety credibility.

The classic Explorer continues to evolve, and 2020 is no exception. Starting at just $32,765, the Explorer adds a little more space, including a third row of seats that elevates seating capacity from five to seven, perfect for growing families. The Explorer is also a 2020 IIHS Top Safety Pick. With a complete redesign for the 2020 model year, it wraps a lot of style and advanced technology around one of the safest structures on the road today. Choose from five trims: the base Explorer, the XLT, the Limited, the performance-oriented ST, and the high-end Platinum, which starts at $58,250. Within the Explorer line, there’s truly something for everyone.

On the large end of the Ford SUV product spectrum is the Expedition. This giant full-size SUV – lovingly referred to as a land yacht – has a price tag of $52,810 and seats eight very comfortably. You can outfit your Expedition with as few or as many luxury features as you like because Ford has designed trim and equipment packages that allow for customization. If you have a spare $75,590, you’ll want the King Ranch MAX. This beast combines luxury interior appointments – like upscale Del Rio leather seats, steering wheel, console, and doors; power front heated and ventilated seats, power rear seats, and a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system – with a full suite of driver-assist systems to keep everyone safe.

Overall, Ford has worked hard to develop a line of cars, trucks, and SUVs that offer something for everyone, despite their constraints or demands. Whether you’re buying your very first new car or looking for the highest-end performance sports coupe, Ford can steer you (no pun intended!) in the right direction.

Ford vehicles stand up to the competition in every category. That’s not an accident: it’s years of refinement and improvement, as well as keeping an ear to the ground to listen for cues from buyers. After all, consumers drive demand, and Ford knows this. It’s why the company’s customer-centric focus continuously keeps Ford vehicles squarely in the competitive mix. Make a quick trip to your local Ford dealer today and ask to see the vehicle you want. We promise it will be worth the visit.