Ford – having pledged to bring four new SUVs to the North American market prior to the next decade – introduced the first and smallest of the batch, the EcoSport, on Monday prior to the Los Angeles Auto Show.
First built in Brazil in 2004, then sold in Australia, Europe and India since 2013, the freshly reminted EcoSport will enter the bursting compact-SUV field to compete with the Chevrolet Trax, Honda HR-V and Toyota’s new CH-R. Not available in Canada until early 2018, expect the EcoSport to start in the low $20,000 range.
While autonomous vehicle technology has the industry buzzing, the incrementally improving SUVs remain the rage with buyers as gas prices stay reasonable. Last week at the Talk Auto conference in Toronto, automotive dealers received J.D. Power research showing that light trucks command 40 per cent of the Canadian market. This week, at the Los Angeles show, brands ranging from Alfa Romeo to Mini to Volkswagen are introducing a plethora of new and remodeled utilities.
To certain consumers, the compact SUV segment is as magnetizing as the sun setting over the Pacific. The EcoSport is targeted at two demo groups – millennials and empty-nester baby boomers – and women are expected to represent 60 per cent of those potential buyers. Overall, Ford predicts an industry-wide doubling of compact SUV sales by 2020.
The segment is so crowded that, even within their own brands, auto makers are desperately seeking distinctive slots – like the double cheeseburger on the McDonald’s menu between the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder.
The messaging for the EcoSport is ‘going small, living big’. That’s because Ford believes both targeted demo groups are choosing to spend their money on experiences rather than accumulating “stuff”. To drive the point home, Ford unveiled the vehicle to the public off Hollywood Boulevard, where the stars of the stars are emblazoned into the sidewalk. Inside a temporary outdoors area, the company commissioned a miniature model of Venice Beach, erected a 200-square-foot beach cabin, and had trendy vendors such as Mama Musubi and Goa Taco serve up bite-size eats.
Ford said earlier this year that its new SUVs won’t be remakes, rather fresh to the brand. As the EcoSport hasn’t seen Canadian roads, press reviews come from abroad. Top Gear, for instance, praised the prior version for its roominess, engine performance and value while knocking its interior and drive feel: “More than its rivals, it’s designed to look properly off-road-y, with its black lower cladding, faux skid plates and huge grille. ... Be not deceived: in substance it’s the standard fare for the class, with front-drive only, and Fiesta-type mechanicals.”
Chief engineer Eric Loeffler said in an interview that Europeans in general will be surprised by the extensive makeover of the newest version. Improvements have been made to the powertrain, electrical system, instrument panel, front and rear seats, suspension and storage areas.
Two engines will be available: the holdover 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder with front-wheel drive, and a new-to-the-vehicle 2.0-litre four-cylinder will come standard with four-wheel drive, a necessity in northern climates. The award-winning three-cylinder reportedly achieves fuel efficiency of 5.3 litres/100 km in India.
Both engines are mated exclusively to six-speed automatics. This vehicle is made for convenience rather than ripping through the undulating curves of the Pacific Coast Highway. There are some 30 storage buckets, bins and hooks, including a rear compartment with a moveable floor, a cooler by the glove box that works off the AC system, and pockets on the side of the front seats to hold smartphones. Boomers especially, will appreciate the high roofline, and easy entry.
Car makers, including Ford, consider themselves as producers of personal mobility machines these days. Accordingly, the EcoSport comes with an eight-inch screen, an optional 10-speaker B&O sound system, a pair of high-speed USB ports on a raised panel beside the shifter, and ports in the rear cabin, too. Connectivity rests with the company’s updated Sync3 platform.
All that, and the rear seats fold down with no trouble whatsoever. It will come in four trims, with leather standard on the upper level Platinum edition. There was little talk of driver-assist technology, but perhaps semi-autonomous components are reaching the point of being as standard as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.