Ford EcoSport makes low-key debut in Canada
Ford’s new EcoSport subcompact crossover was expected to be one of the hottest reveals of early 2018, but it was with little to no fanfare that Ford made Canadian pricing and specs available on its website this month.
The five-passenger EcoSport — which will rival the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3 and Nissan Qashqai — starts at $21,999 for the base S trim, according to the site, and nets an estimated 8.6 L/100 km city and 8.1 L/100 km highway. Climb the range through the SE and Titanium trims and you’ll wind up at the EcoSport SES, which starts at $29,299 in Canada.
That cash gets you sport-tuned suspension, AWD, a host of premium upgrades and a 2.0-litre four-cylinder. The 2.0-L engine is an option on the lower trims, the base engine being a 1.0-L threecylinder EcoBoost. Both the 1.0-L and 2.0-L engines come mated to a six-speed automatic and start-stop technology is standard.
Inside, Sync 3 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is available, as is an eight-inch voice-activated touch screen. With 30 storage pockets, bins or hooks and an ample cargo area, there’s plenty of room for passengers and their stuff.
The EcoSport has been on sale globally for several years, but we’ve known since November 2016 it would be making its Canadian debut in 2018. What we didn’t know was exactly when, and have to admit we were kind of surprised when Ford’s new entry in a hugely popular segment showed up on its website without so much as a news release to herald the arrival.
The North American-market 2018 EcoSport will be built in Chennai, India, and is apparently available to order from Canadian dealerships now.