Ford Escape, Lincoln Corsair discontinuation could mean big discounts for buyers

But there's no need for car buyers to panic, car shopping experts said. Ford will build enough of the two models to carry sales through 2026, the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said. Ford does have a replacement in mind to fill the small SUV space — but what that vehicle will be and when it will arrive remain a mystery.

The Escape and Corsair have been good for Ford because they are entry-level vehicles that bring new customers into each brand. The 2025 Escape starts at $29,515 and the 2025 Corsair, the lowest priced vehicle in Ford's luxury brand Lincoln's lineup, starts at $41,230.

So if car buyers are willing to wait and time it just right, experts say the demise of these two vehicles could result in big discounts.

"Much will depend on how consumers respond," said Kevin Roberts, director of economic and market Intelligence at car shopping site CarGurus. "Historically, when a model ends production, demand tends to ease. That often means vehicles sit on dealer lots longer, which usually results in more incentives and discounts to help clear them out and make room for models still in production."

But Edmunds' auto industry expert Ivan Drury warns car buyers to not wait too long for that deal.

"As a consumer, you have a window of time to balance discounts and inventory available to get the right color and configuration," Drury, Edmunds' director of insights told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. "Even if you don’t care about specifics and just want the best deal, don’t wait too long, at some point the automaker stops supplying discounts and the price you pay will be 100% determined by your negotiation skills and the dealerships' willingness to sell at discount."

Getting a good deal is good enough

Drury said as models wind down their lifecycle, automakers typically curb production to balance it so that dealers aren’t left with excess inventory of those vehicles, but at the same time are not left in "a dry spell" without enough of the outgoing models in stock before the new or redesigned model arrives.

As the outgoing models near the end of their run, which, in Ford's case with the Escape and Corsair, would likely be in the fall of next year, Drury said it is common for carmakers to offer incentives or financing deals on those outgoing models to make way for the new replacement model.

Given that Ford has said it would announce details of a new vehicle in the small SUV segment at a later date, the uncertainty of what's next, means consumers have to be savvy about getting the best deal for a Corsair or Escape.

Ford Motor Co. will stop production of the Lincoln Corsair, seen here, at Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky later this year. Ford has not announced what vehicle will replace the small SUV.

"Once a vehicle is no longer discounted by the automaker, any hopes of low APR finance, cash back, or lease incentives goes out the door," Drury said. "It will just be you and the dealer. There is no exact math to predict this time in which the automaker pulls incentive support. But sometimes getting a good enough deal beats trying to get the best deal and getting nothing at all."

One thing is certain, said CarGurus' Roberts, "I would not expect prices to rise because of scarcity, since automakers and dealers generally focus on moving discontinued models quickly."

Roberts said if typical trends hold, this could create a great opportunity for buyers to find a deal on remaining Escape and Corsair models.

Parts availability, no problem

So let's say you get a great deal on one of these outgoing vehicles, does it mean you should buy it or not? There are downsides to consider in buying a vehicle that an automaker is planning to discontinue, such as, will there be parts for it if it needs repairs or what will its resale value be?

"It is a commonly held belief that carmakers are required to make replacement parts available for 10 years after a vehicle's launch, but this is not a mandatory requirement, though it is a common practice," Drury said.

He said parts for most vehicles remain available through dealerships or in the aftermarket from parts supply stores. Also, with most modern vehicles sharing platforms and automakers endeavoring to reduce costs by utilizing the same parts across various model lines and for extended periods, Drury said parts availability should not be a problem. That is especially true in this case because the Escape and Corsair are popular vehicle lines that have been in production for many years.

Ford began production of the Escape in 2000. The SUV was considered innovative at the time. It laid the groundwork for Ford's strides in other technology and it delivered sales that helped carry Ford through the Great Recession in 2008. Its sales remain solid today. From January through the end of June, Ford reported the Escape had sold 82,589 units in the United States, a 10.8% gain over sales of the vehicle in the year-ago period.

The Corsair, which started earlier this decade, is the second-best selling vehicle in Lincoln's lineup. Ford reported sales of the Corsair are up 2% to 13,096 sold through the end of June compared with the same time frame a year ago.

Drury added that even if a car owner faces finding components that are unique to a model that has been out of production for a long period of time, there are always used or reconditioned parts. 

Resale value not great

Roberts agreed that parts availability is typically not a problem in the short run. The bigger issue to him is resale value.

"Models that are no longer being built usually see steeper depreciation, since used buyers often prefer vehicles that remain in production," Roberts said.

Ford ended production of the Mercury Cougar car in 2002. It had a manufacturer's suggested retail price starting at $18,490 at the time, according to Kelley Blue Book. Today, it has a current resale value of $1,976 and trade-in value of $846, Kelley Blue Book showed.

By comparison, the average starting sticker price for a 2002 Ford Mustang car, a vehicle Ford still makes, was $18,100 that year, Kelley Blue Book showed. Today, the 2002 Ford Mustang has depreciated $431 or 12% in the last three years and has a current resale value of $2,910 and trade-in value of $1,506.

Roberts said if you are a buyer who plans to keep the car long term, then a discontinued model can still be a smart buy if the upfront incentives are strong enough.

Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.