A smaller SUV for millennials and downsizers
For most people over 50, Snapchat and DJ Khaled might seem like good names for newly discovered meteors approaching Earth. But for Ford, the social media app and the Instagram/Twitter sensation with millions of followers were the two key windows to letting millennials and women see the newest SUV in Ford’s portfolio — the EcoSport.
Revealed live on Snapchat and promoted by DJ Khaled himself on stage in Hollywood, the EcoSport is a revised version of its likeness already sold in other countries, although this one has been updated specifically for the North American market.
It will go on sale in early 2018, competing with Honda’s HR-V and the Mazda CX-3, plus Toyota’s new CH-R and many others in a segment that’s expected to double in sales by 2020.
This segment is swelling because empty nesters are also in league with millennials shopping for small SUVs, with seniors downsizing from larger utility vehicles now that the kids are gone. While older folks won’t have witnessed the SUV reveal on Snapchat, they will definitely see the EcoSport’s inherent good looks, modelled somewhat after the Ford Edge, with hints of Escape thrown in.
Available in 10 colours across four trim lines, ranging from the base S to the mid-range SE and SEL, and topping out with the Titanium, the EcoSport will arrive in either front-wheel drive or 4WD.
Front-wheel drive models will be powered by the 1.0-litre EcoBoost used in the Fiesta (currently with 123 horsepower, though possibly higher for the EcoSport). The 4WD versions will use a 2.0-L fourcylinder direct-injection gasoline engine, likely the same 2.0-L GDI engine used in the base Focus.
Both engines will be backed by a six-speed automatic transmission, with SEL models getting paddle shifters, blacked-out chrome, roof rails, 17-inch wheels and interior accents that match the exterior colour. Auto start-stop will be included on some models, and all get up to 30 storage pockets, bins or hooks.
The rear seats have decent legroom and the cargo area — accessible by a door hinged on the driver’s side so it swings left like a barn door — is somewhat adjustable for height.
To be built in Chennai, India, for the North American market, the EcoSport differs from the global version with unique engines and an upgraded suspension, a new instrument cluster and better seats.
The instrument cluster is clean and legible, and upper-end models will get a “floating” eight-inch colour touch display screen with the latest Sync 3 operating system to control music, maps, phone and other apps. The display sits higher on the dash and allows the driver to see the screen while keeping peripheral vision on the road.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, with updates available over Wi-Fi. Ford has also partnered with B& O Play (a division of Bang & Olufsen) to put some serious sound inside this SUV, with a 675-watt, 10-speaker system. That’s something any DJ, not just Mr. Khaled, can get excited about. Driving.ca