LA 2016: Ford EcoSport - Kuga’s kid brother grows up
Ford’s CUV matures, but its interior could do with a refresh
Already sold in various markets around the world, the EcoSport B-segment CUV will make its debut in the US market in 2018. Ford will import it from India, where it is built, along with other cars it makes in Mexico and elsewhere - possibly drawing the ire of the incoming Republican administration.
The EcoSport is based on the Fiesta platform and it faces a host of rivals such as Honda’s HR-V, the Nissan Juke, Mazda CX-3, Jeep Renegade and Chevrolet Trax. Ford is aiming it at millennials, and believes the market for CUVs will double in the next five years.
Designwise, there’s very little to report that’s new. Ford has taken its cues from the EcoSport’s larger sibling, the Kuga (Escape, in the US), and translated them down to this smaller CUV. The EcoSport has a beefier presence than the Fiesta on which it is based, and the larger upright front fascia and blockier massing make it look larger than it is.
One notable and welcome design feature is the rear hatch, actually a side-hinged door rather than the usual liftgate. This feature was very well-received on the now-departed Nissan Cube, and should prove popular. The interior mimics that of the Kuga: which is to say it already is in need of a refresh. We hope one will be forthcoming before the EcoSport hits the market.
