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Ford dealers will hope to be more competitive in the mushrooming compact SUV market when the revised version of the EcoSport goes on sale.
The EcoSport was given a lacklustre reception by road testers when it launched in 2014, with criticisms of its interior quality and on-road dynamics.
However according to Ford European head Steven Armstrong, the company has sold 166,000 EcoSports in Europe since launch, and sales grew 40% last year.
The new EcoSport arrives in showrooms early in 2018 but the major changes will be available from mid 2018, when the model debuts a new 1.5-litre diesel engine and intelligent all-wheel drive.
Matched to a six-speed manual gearbox, the engine produces 125PS and 300Nm of torque, and includes measures to reduce CO2 emissions.
The 1.5-litre unit will be offered in front-wheel-drive form and will also be the only powertrain option with the new all-wheel-drive system, which while a FWD system in normal running will be able almost instantaneously to send up to 50% of the torque to the rear wheels.
A new 100PS 1-litre petrol model will also be available from mid 2018 with improved economy and emissions over existing powertrains, while at launch the engine options will be a 100PS 1.5-litre diesel and 125PS and 140PS versions of the 1-litre EcoBoost petrol engine.
Ford also claims to have worked on the ride and handling of the car, specifically tuning the springs, dampers, steering and electronic stability program to suit European roads.
The exterior styling on the new EcoSport has been updated to reflect that of its larger counterparts Kuga and Edge, while the interior has undergone significant refinements – as well as new soft-touch surfaces and controls redesigned for easier use, it now features ‘floating’ touchscreens of up to eight inches in size, a heated steering wheel and a premium B&O sound system.
Technology available for the EcoSport will also be updated, and will include the latest version of the Sync 3 connectivity system and for the first time on the model, cruise control with a speed limiter. Ford has not yet revealed prices for the new EcoSport range.
Andrew Charman
