If you were thinking of buying a Ford Fusion, then today might be a good day to head down to your local dealership as Ford is offering big incentives to clear out excess inventories.
Just how big those incentives are depends a lot on where you live. Some will find zero-percent financing for 60 months plus $1,000 cash back. Others can take advantage of leases with no money due at signing and no first payment. There are also discounts of up to $3,000 for declining financing and making a trade-in.
It isn’t out of the kindness of Ford’s heart that they’re making it easier to buy a Ford Fusion, but the need to clear their growing inventories. It was just a few months ago that Ford started making the car in a second North American plant, but now that increased production is increasing inventories past demand.
Ford had an 84-day supply of the Fusion at the beginning of January, but that number had risen to 97 days by February 1st. Meanwhile, sales of the Ford Fusion declined overall by 8 percent year-over-year for January.
This isn’t a problem specific to the Ford Fusion but one that’s hitting the midsize sedan market in general. Over the last six months, sales have been declining across the segment after reaching a peak of 200,000 units a month from February to August of last year.
Declining sales in January were made even worse by harsh weather across the United States. Snowstorms and cold weather kept people inside their homes instead of in dealer showrooms.
Ford has been offering an average $2,900 incentive on the Fusion since December which is up from the 2013 average of $2,200. These increased incentives might be costing Ford, but if they help keep inventories level then it will be well worth the price.
And it could mean you drive home with a new Ford Fusion for a lot less than you expected this weekend.
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
