Ford's Sync Gets Price Cut, As Competitors Turn Up the Heat

DEARBORN, Michigan — Ford cut the price of its Sync system by $100 on Monday as competitors such as GM's OnStar and Hyundai's BlueLink continue to up the ante.

Ford's in-car connectivity Sync system now is priced at $295.

The new pricing will be available first on the 2012 Ford Explorer and Edge base models, followed by the 2013 Ford Taurus, Focus, Escape and Flex. With the new pricing strategy, Sync is now expected to be installed on more than 95 percent of models sold, said Ford in a statement.

The price reduction on Sync comes just days after General Motors rolled out its OnStar FMV or For My Vehicle stand-alone rearview mirror at Best Buy. OnStar FMV, which makes the GM communications system available on non-GM vehicles, including the Ford Explorer, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, is something of a game-changer in this increasingly competitive automotive niche.

In addition, Hyundai in June debuted its BlueLink telematics system, pricing it at $79-$279 for a one-year service agreement. BlueLink, the Korean automaker's first telematics system, will first roll out on the 2012 Hyundai Sonata.

Ford also said on Monday that Sync will now be available as optional equipment on base trim levels, "marking broader availability and more choice for customers."

Inside Line says: Not hard to foresee a day when all of these telematics systems will be standard equipment. In the meantime, could a price war be looming?