Ford Australia is planning a massive expansion of its local line-up, and the new Bronco Basecamp and Transit City models announced last week are just the beginning. Ford’s current range in Australia is a shadow of its former self and only offers big-name products like the Ranger ute, Everest large SUV, which account for a massive 88.5 per cent of its sales. But that should change within the next three years as the brand looks to cover more segments down under.

Locally, Ford only competes in just 30 per cent of the new-car market thanks to the departure of previous models like the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and Escape. That will change as the brand pivots to relying on its Chinese joint ventures with Changan and JMC – the former of which already sells cars locally, with the latter reportedly relaunching in Australia by the end of 2026.

Front three-quarter view of a light gray Ford SUV with a bold black grille, LED headlights, and large alloy wheels, indoors.
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Beyond the Bronco Basecamp and Transit City – both of which use platforms from and are manufactured by JMC – Ford Australia is yet to officially comment on which products will be brought into the Aussie line-up, but there are plenty of options.

One of the products with the most sales potential in Australia is the Equator Sport (China)/Territory (export markets), which is produced in right-hand drive form and sold in many countries globally, including much of Asia and the Middle East.

Like the Bronco Basecamp and Transit City, the Equator Sport/Territory uses a JMC platform with both 140kW 1.8-litre turbo-petrol, 110kW 1.5-litre turbo-hybrid and 162kW 1.8-litre plug-in hybrid drivetrain options available globally. Features like wheels up to 19 inches in size, dual 12.3-inch displays, ambient lighting, a panoramic roof and a long list of active safety features are available in markets like the UAE.

Three-quarter front view of a green Ford SUV in a bright studio, features roof rails and large alloy wheels.
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It measures 4630mm long, making it just shorter than the current-generation Hyundai Tucson, giving the Blue Oval a new competitor for Australia’s crucial medium SUV segment. The Equator Sport/Territory was originally launched globally in 2022, suggesting that Ford Australia could potentially launch the next-generation model within a few years.

Above the Equator Sport/Territory sits the Equator, which has been on sale in markets such as China since 2021. As the name suggests, the Equator is a larger version of the Equator Sport offering seating for up to seven and measuring 4905mm long, which makes it 75mm longer than the current Hyundai Santa Fe.

Crucially for NVES compliance, the Equator is offered with a 162kW 1.8-litre plug-in hybrid drivetrain with an 18.4 kWh LFP battery in China, offering an electric range of around 100km. It has the same dual 12.3-inch displays as the Equator Sport/Territory, as well as a big range of active safety features.

Three-quarter front view of a silver Ford SUV driving along a coastal road by a guardrail and calm water.
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Another model with potential for Australia sits above the Equator and is called the Edge L. It was co-developed with Changan and was released in China in 2023. Measuring exactly 5000mm in length, it’s 34mm longer than the Toyota Kluger and would give Ford Australia a proper seven-seat large SUV competitor to sell locally.

In China, both 183kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and 200kW 2.0-litre turbo-hybrid drivetrains are available, with the latter especially promising for Australia under the NVES thanks to its claimed fuel consumption of just 6.3L/100km in the Chinese market. In China, the Edge L offers features such as a massive 27-inch touchscreen, Bang & Olufsen audio and even second row captain’s chairs with heating.

Other models Ford could potentially import to Australia include the Mondeo (China)/Taurus (Middle East) mid-size sedan and its Evos lifted wagon-style sibling.

While Ford Australia is yet to confirm which models will be offered locally in the coming years, the brand will target more than 90 per cent of the market before the end of the decade. As usual with many car markers and future products, it’s a case of watch this space, but Ford’s days of being known as the “Ranger Car Company” could be numbered.