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Elena Ford didn’t hide why the company is attempting this makeover.
“It can be intimidating going into a dealership, to be honest,” she admitted. “You could know what you want and get there, but it’s not as comfortable as going into an Apple store.”
In plain English: Ford knows customers hate the buying process. But instead of fixing the vehicles that spark that fear in the first place, they’ve decided to redesign the décor.
Ford Polishes the Furniture While the Quality Falls Apart
These renovated showrooms are expected to hit 110 locations by the end of 2026. But the timing couldn’t be more absurd.
In 2024, Ford racked up a jaw-dropping 134 recalls, the highest in the entire auto industry. The same company that once boasted “Quality is Job One” is now leading the nation in malfunctions, breakdowns, and warranty headaches.
No wonder customers walk into dealerships on edge. A 2014 survey revealed Americans find buying a vehicle more stressful than getting married. Others said they’d rather handle their taxes or sit in the dreaded middle airplane seat than deal with car shopping.
Ford thinks the anxiety comes from stiff chairs and old desks. In reality, buyers are worried the brand-new car they’re signing for might be back in the shop before the first oil change.
No amount of free coffee can hide that.
Biden’s EV Agenda Put Ford Into a Tailspin
Ford’s leadership didn’t just abandon dependable vehicles. They went all-in on the Biden administration’s electric vehicle fantasy — a plan Americans never asked for and still don’t want.
The company committed $50 billion to electrification, built massive factories, and poured resources into EVs that continue to lose money at a catastrophic rate. In the first quarter of 2024, Ford lost $130,000 on every electric vehicle sold.
Most businesses would shut down any division hemorrhaging cash on that scale. Ford responded by giving its dealerships nicer color palettes and changing job titles.
If Donald Trump were running the company, those executives would’ve been out the door before lunch. He would have shut down losing programs and doubled production on vehicles buyers actually want — reliable trucks and affordable SUVs.
Instead, Ford’s leadership is acting like the iceberg isn’t there while they rearrange throw pillows on the deck.
Working Americans Deserve Better Than a Showroom Makeover
Ford’s downfall has nothing to do with sales desks and everything to do with decisions made in boardrooms far from the factory floor. The company stopped building the bulletproof vehicles working families, farmers, and small businesses relied on for generations.
Customer trust didn’t vanish overnight — it was destroyed by endless recalls, expensive repairs, and policies designed to please bureaucrats instead of buyers.
A dealership redesign won’t fix any of that. Women, for example, already pay more than men on average for identical cars. AutoTrader reports customer satisfaction sits at only 56 percent — a failing grade for an industry that demands record-high prices.
Ford thinks “hospitality hubs” can sweep all of that under the rug.
Ford Needs a Leadership Overhaul — Not Mood Lighting
If Ford wants to restore its reputation, it needs more than new furniture. It needs new leadership.
Executives who lose $130,000 per vehicle while presiding over record recalls shouldn’t be designing lounges, they should be packing their offices. Ford once represented dependable American engineering. Today, it represents bureaucracy, excuses, and a refusal to face reality.
Until the company puts quality first again, customers will walk into dealerships knowing exactly what they’re facing: a high-pressure sale on a product they can’t trust.
Ford’s problem isn’t the room. It’s the car. And no showroom makeover can hide that truth.
