Ford Focus Gains Sales Momentum As Younger Buyers Seek Sync Connectivity, Fuel Economy

Ford Focus Gains Sales Momentum As Younger Buyers Seek Sync Connectivity, Fuel Economy

Young buyers hungry for new technology and strong fuel economy are driving higher retail sales of the new 2008 Ford Focus.

Focus’ retail sales have been up year-over-year for the past three months – and February retail sales also are tracking above year-ago levels. The small car’s sales were up 18 percent in November – the car’s first full month on the market – followed by a 9 percent increase in December and 33 percent in January.

“Younger buyers are very interested in technology like SYNC. In addition to strong sales, we’re seeing the average age of Focus customers coming down,” said Samuel De La Garza, Ford’s Focus Marketing manager. “These customers also seek style, fuel economy and a high level of quality, reliability and feature content – all of which Focus delivers in spades.”

J.D. Power sales data show that 32 percent of 2008 Focus year buyers are 16 to 35 years old. That’s up from 28 percent of 2007 Focus buyers.

“When you think about the significant small cars that have come into the market during the past few months alone, a 4 percentage point jump is meaningful,” said Ford Sales Analyst George Pipas. “This increase suggests that younger buyers are starting to believe that it’s cool to buy a Ford.”

Helping drive the trend: More Millennials who are becoming drivers – and vehicle buyers. Born between 1980 and 1995, approximately 70 million Millennials live in the U.S. Each day, more than 11,000 of these savvy consumers reach driving age, looking for stylish, fuel-efficient vehicles that feature the latest technology.

Ford is ready with a mix of accessible vehicles – including Focus – that feature industry-leading connectivity technology, improved fuel economy, an array of safety features and creature comforts such as ambient lighting.

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