Ford Fiesta to be axed globally after 46 years

UPDATED 27/10/2022 9:00am: Ford of Europe has officially confirmed it will indeed end production of the Fiesta in 2023.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED 26/10/2022 11:00am: Ford will reportedly discontinue the Ford Fiesta in 2023 after 46 years, eight generations and 4.8 million sales.

According to British newspaper, the Sun, the US car-maker will not replace the current Fiesta with another small hatchback despite the Fiesta previously being a best-seller in markets like the UK from 2009 until 2020.

It's thought the reason for killing it off is the high cost of developing the hybrid or EV version required by its all-new replacement, plus the continued consumer migration to higher-riding SUVs.

Instead, it's thought the next-generation Ford Puma due in 2024 will help fill the void left by the Fiesta.

Speaking to the Sun, a Ford insider said: “Fiesta has been a beloved icon and a faithful friend for millions of drivers but tastes are changing.

“People want high-riding crossovers – and we play to win.”

The Ford Fiesta was originally launched in Europe back in 1976, but Ford Australia announced back in August that it too would axe the remaining ST hot hatch version of the current Fiesta (as well as the larger Focus ST) from its local line-up before the end of this year, blaming the freefall in sales of small hatches.

Ford Australia said it will continue to support existing Fiesta and Focus owners with aftersales services including spare parts and maintenance.

As well as ending Fiesta sales, it's been reported that the larger Focus will also be axed in 2025 without any replacement in sight. Instead, the Blue Oval is hatching plans to introduce a small battery-electric SUV.

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