Ford ends Focus production after 27 years as EVs take over in Europe

Ford has officially ended production of the Focus, one of Europe’s most recognizable mass-market hatchbacks. After 27 years and roughly 12 million sold, the chapter closes. Back in 2022 the company said the model would be dropped to accelerate its move into electric vehicles, and that decision now takes effect.

Within the lineup, the Focus has effectively been succeeded by the electric Explorer and Capri, both built on the German MEB platform. Meanwhile, the Saarlouis plant that produced the Focus for years no longer builds cars. A buyer has not been found, and Ford says it does not plan to launch a new model there, leaving the site’s future uncertain.

The slump in traditional model sales has reshaped the brand’s standing in Europe: from 2015 to 2024 Ford fell from second to 12th place by market share. To regain ground, the company has appointed a new European boss, Jim Baumbick, previously involved with the Focus and Kuga, and tasked him with shaping a lineup that is once again relevant to European buyers. The mandate sounds straightforward; execution rarely is.

The gap left by the Focus is set to be filled in 2027 with a new crossover that will complement rather than replace the Kuga, and it will be offered in both hybrid and all-electric versions.