Gallery: Ford Ecosport debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show
The Ford EcoSport became the first vehicle made in India to be sold in the U.S. when it quietly went on sale this month, arriving a little late to the subcompact crossover party. The nameplate has been around since 2003 and the current one has been on sale since 2014 -- it's hardly new -- and this Fiesta-based CUV has been a hit in many world markets. The decision to offer the EcoSport was sparked by the unexpected surge in demand for compact crossovers more than five years ago.
Powered by a choice of a 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder producing 123 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque driving the front wheels or a 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for 166 hp and 149 lb-ft of torque driving all four wheels, each paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, the EcoSport is offered in four trim levels with a starting price of $20,990 for the base S trim. Standard features on the base trim include a 4.2-inch infotainment screen and 16-inch aluminum wheels, among other items. The top SES trim level starts at $27,735 and includes the beefier 2.0-liter engine, a revised suspension, 17-inch wheels, and an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, in addition to other features.
The most unusual aspect of the EcoSport, aside from the fact that this model has been on sale elsewhere since 2014, is that the rear hatch opens this way.
Ford's competitors have fielded luxury and non-luxury subcompact CUVs for years now, making the absence of the EcoSport from Ford's lineup a surprise. Ford was seen as moving too slowly to respond to changing customer tastes as competitors such as Honda, Chevrolet, Toyota, Fiat, Jeep, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and others raked in the profits in this segment.
But has the market already moved on to bigger vehicles?
The case for the EcoSport was overwhelming five years ago, but consumer tastes have gravitated to larger and more luxurious SUVs and CUVs thanks to a significant drop in gasoline prices. But the demand for subcompact crossovers is still growing, having increased by 14 percent in 2017 to 563,763, according to the Automotive News Data Center. Ford expects further growth in this segment through the end of the decade, but then again the decade is coming to a close.
The case for the EcoSport is certainly still there and we're curious to find out how it will compare to segment rivals like the Toyota C-HR, Mazda CX-3, Jeep Renegade, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, Fiat 500X, and Chevrolet Trax.
Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.
