Ford’s situation in Europe couldn’t get more precarious. The brand is currently navigating a high-stakes survival mission with a lineup that is shrinking faster than a cheap sweater. After the disastrous management-led demise of the Focus, we are now witnessing the final act for a model that actually makes money: the Ford Kuga.
Against all odds and despite its commercial success, the Kuga is officially on death row. Its American twin, the Ford Escape, along with the upscale Lincoln Corsair, already ceased production at the Louisville plant on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. For European buyers, the clock is ticking; the third-generation Kuga is slated to vanish from showrooms by the end of 2026. And no, there is no internal combustion savior waiting in the wings.
This is all part of CEO Jim Farley’s grand “performance” strategy. In his view, high-volume, “boring” models are out, and “fun” models like the Bronco and Mustang are in. While Farley is chasing 8% profit margins, he seems perfectly comfortable with the fact that Ford is effectively dismantling its European business. Once the Kuga exits, customers will be left with the Puma, the Tourneo, and a whole lot of empty floor space.
Ford has spent years denying the Kuga’s demise, but the “virtual successor” is finally stepping out of the shadows. It’s the Explorer EV. The plan is to force-feed customers the electric transition by 2027, leaning on the Explorer EV’s 600-kilometer range and 536-liter cargo space to fill the massive hole left by gas and hybrid models. Whether European consumers will follow Ford into this electric-only vacuum remains to be seen.
For a brand that once dominated the continent, this “freefall” strategy feels like a bold bet on a future where having fewer cars to sell is somehow a winning play. If you want a Kuga, you have exactly one year left before the Blue Oval becomes the Blue Ghost of Europe.
