The Ford Fusion will officially go out of production in July, GM Authority’s sister site, Ford Authority reported this week.
The Fusion is the last Ford passenger car in production in North America (apart from the Ford Mustang) following the earlier departure of the Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, and Ford Taurus. Ford is planning to replace the Fusion with a wagon-like crossover, but details on this mystery model are scarce at the moment. The last day to place an order for a new Ford Fusion was February 28th.
With the Fusion now set to bow out, it seems inevitable that the Chevrolet Malibu, one of the Ford sedan’s main rivals, will also be put on the chopping block in the near future. GM Authority’s intel suggests the Malibu is safe for now, however, with Malibu production currently scheduled to run until at least 2022.
The Malibu is produced at Fairfax Assembly in Kansas. The model is also sold in South Korea, where it is built locally at General Motors‘ Bupyeong plant just outside of Seoul, while GM’s Jinqao plant in Shanghai produces the model for the Chinese market, as well.
The Malibu and Chevrolet Sonic are the last Chevy passenger cars for sale in North America. The Sonic’s days seem numbered, however, as it was already dropped from all previous markets except for the U.S., including Mexico, South Korea and, most recently, Canada.
The last Fusion Police car will roll off the line at the Ford Hermosillo plant in Mexico on June 5th, 2020. The last day of production for the retail-market Fusion will be July 21st.
We’ll be closely monitoring the situation surrounding the Chevrolet Malibu in the coming months and years, so be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Malibu news, Chevrolet news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
I’ve never driven a current-gen Malibu and have no experience with them, but I did have a current-gen Fusion and it was a nice smart looking commuter car. I hate to see all the sedans going away…or should I say all the American sedans. And Ford must not remember how well “wagon-like crossovers” like the Ford Freestyle, Accord CrossTour, etc. turned out. The people who want one of those have Outbacks or they go luxury.
One would think that if Ford discontinues their Fusion sedan, it would allow Chevrolet’s Malibu gobble up some of the sales because not everyone will want a crossover.
You are correct – this is especially the case with government fleets.
Unfortunately, the fleet market is temporarily down. General Motors will use this as an excuse to abandon another market segment and feature a less diverse product portfolio.
The imports from Japan and South Korea will fill up sedan sales. I have seen how the KIa Forte copy the Ford Fusion in almost ever detail, and cost much less. They will sell much better now that the Fusion will be gone.
fusion and the forte are in different segments. the forte competes with the focus. perhaps you meant the optima.
The Fusion isn’t going away entirely.
It’s next generation model is in development. While it won’t be a sedan, it will be offered in a Subaru-Outback type of competitor, which makes total sense given just how many Outbacks that Subaru has moved last year. Lincoln will likely get a version of it as well to go head to head with the Volvo and lower end Audi products.
There absolutely should be a next generation Malibu in both sedan and AWD wagon guise along with corresponding Buick variants (Regal and Regal TourX). While things are very hairy now given the Coronavirus pandemic and the new cold war that the western world is waging against China….there is a market for this type of car. With the Impala and LaCrosse gone, there is a little bit elbow room for the next generation Malibu and Regal to grow slightly in size, quality, price, and performance.
Yes, a $35,000 all wheel drive Malibu wagon may steal some shoppers from the Equinox or Blazer, but it will also steal shoppers from the upcoming Ford Fusion wagon, Subaru Outback, and upcoming Golf Alltrack. Same for a proper, high quality Buick Regal TourX with an interior a cut above the current Opel-derived model – it will attract some of those Volvo, Acura, and Audi customers that Buick otherwise would never see.
As crossovers get more derivative and alike, there is a growing market for all wheel drive wagons and high quality, sporty sedans. Chevrolet and Buick should take advantage of that, and they can certainly share a platform and development costs.
For reference – the 2019 Subaru Outback wagon alone out sold both the Fusion and Malibu sedans. It’s also on a very similar sized chassis as the Malibu and Fusion.
Subaru moved about 216,000 Outback+Legacy vehicles last year despite having a higher price (than Malibu and Fusion), fewer dealerships, a thinner parts bin, and likely higher baseline development costs than larger companies like GM or Ford have.
I guess moving over 160,000 units last year is not enough on the Fusion. Malibu only did just over 130,000 so i guess that wont be enough either?
If everyone who makes an angry post about the lack of a Fusion or Malibu actually bought one they would still build them.
I own a Malibu do you?
Yes, we have two current gen Malibus in the family – a 2016 and a 2018. They are also my rental car of choice when i travel. (Although I don’t play into the fleet vs retail arguments). They are roomy, comfortable, economical, and very well appointed. I could easily find myself buying another but would have to be the 2.0T with the 9spd. I have experienced the CVT in several rentals, and it’s not bad, I prefer a true gearbox.
I own a 2014 Fusion Hybrid, and when I travel, I rent a Chevy Malibu. I am doing my part to save U.S. jobs and business. But GM has failed for not offering a Malibu Hybrid. The imports are offering more hybrid sedans.
C8.R I have a Malibu and really like it. I would have preferred to have a coupe Malibu but they don’t exist. Had a 79 Malibu basically a Chevy guy. I like Fords designs and they are fine cars to me. Looks like we may have to buy Chargers after they abandon us. I’m an older guy but you won’t see me driving an SUV any time soon.
Malibu sales have seen increases recently. Plus, it’s built at the same factory as the XT4, which can’t fill a factory in its own. I bet the Malibu is safe.
It should be noted that RWD sport sedans are holding their own and not selling poorly, just the FWD sedans are in freefall. The ancient 300 and Charger sold 125,000 units last year. What needs to happen is that the Malibu replacement should be built on the VSS-R platform.
I hope this is the case but make sure like the newer muscle cars have fun-to-own base models and fun mid-engine models rather than top V8s having all the options., fwd buyers have the CUVs and the subcompacts.
Love my Malibu. RIP Fusion!
Loved my Malibu until this past January when it produced an engine code that requires a part that is not available worldwide and no longer being made. Had sat in my driveway and no solution from GM. Keep telling me it will be available,but nothing ever happens. GM needs to issue a recall and compensate Malibu owners for vehicles that are now useless !!!
I’ve owned a 76 78 01 and now a 2016, all very good cars! Hey Chris what year is your Malibu and what is wrong with it?
2014. Produced engine code P16D0,which is a faulty Rocker Arm Oil Control Valve . I’ve read various reports of it being faulty in many Malibu’s and no replacements being made. All I get is a promise by GM to let me know when it becomes available but they can’t tell me when it will be. Very frustrated,especially since I truly enjoyed the vehicle for over 3 years with no major problems. 4 months and counting of pretty much nothing but bank payments !!
No mechanics offer to get the part off a crashed Malibu from the same year or a part dealer?. By law parts for your car must be available up to 7 years after the last one is made.
I ave had two malibus a 2014 and now a 2015 I like mid size cars I’m a very little women and don’t look good in any other kind of vehicle I wouldn’t know what to do if all mid size cars would be gone I absolutely wouldn’t drive any type of suv especially a subaru cuz I worked in quality and the head bosses always went over our heads on the parts so to me a subaru is joke after watching them on there builds and the presses producing the parts
Uh,the Bolt is also currently sold. DUH!!!
Isn’t the Spark still sold in the USA?
my guess yes leave it up to the dumb a-ss at GM I know of 5 customers now who will purchase a Lacrosse ,Impala , or a ct6 and do not a suv — HEY GM you pissing off some customers — there are a lot of sedan options from imports
If GM end the Malibu that will let more space to the Japanese.
Another great mid size choice gone. I’m sure GM will follow suite in short order because I have zero confidence in the joker slowly running this company into the ground!
Note to GM, here is your opportunity to improve your product and market it to people who don’t buy into the SUV craze.