Ford SUV Customers Are Spending Big Money On Pricier Trims

When theFord Maverickwent on sale last year, one of its most appealing virtues was a low starting price of under $20,000. It provided an opportunity for many more people to get behind the wheel of a new truck. More recently, Ford emphasized that production of the entry-level F-150 Lightning trim at under $40,000isn't being compromised for pricier models. This approach to more basic, high-value trucks on the lower side of the price spectrum is admirable, but it seems like a growing number of Ford's SUV customers want all the bells and whistles - or at least as many bells and whistles as they can afford. According to Ford's most recent sales figures, almost half of all SUV vehicles sold were for pricier, high-series trims.

Last year, about a third of Ford's SUV retail sales were for high-series models, but in May 2022, that number jumped to an impressive 45%. This increased average transaction pricing to almost $45,000, $2,000 more than in April.

The Ford Explorer, Bronco Sport, andBronco- its three best-selling SUVs in May - start at a combined average of around $31,000. Clearly,buyers are adding a lot of optionsor going straight for at least one of the mid-level trims. Looking at the Bronco specifically - which wasn't yet on sale in May last year - the MSRP starts at $30,800 for the base two-door variant with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. On the other end of the spectrum, the Bronco Raptor costs $68,500.