American automaker Ford has announced its subcompact SUV the EcoSport for the North American market.
Ford revealed the 2018 Ford EcoSport at the Walk of Fame in Hollywood on Monday, Nov. 14 ahead of the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show that starts on Wednesday, at a party with famed hip-hop producer and Snapchat king DJ Khaled.
The EcoSport has been in the market outside the United States since 2003. The car is currently being produced in a number of countries such as India, Brazil, Russia and more.
"We build EcoSport in six locations around the globe. We sell it in 100 markets, and so, just like we make Explorers and export from here into other global markets, we are going to export EcoSport from Asia Pacific, and we are going to sell it here in the [United States]," says Michael O'Brien, the marketing manager for SUVs at Ford.
The company will start making the EcoSport in Romania from autumn 2017 but the U.S. versions will be made in India and imported to North America. Ford's facility in Chennai, India has been making the EcoSport since 2013.
US Subcompact SUVs Market
The market for subcompacts is booming in the United States and it is the perfect time for Ford to introduce a new model in the market. Reports suggest that compact SUV sales exceeded 276,000 in 2015 and the carmaker estimates that the numbers will increase to 550,000 in the next five years.
Features Of The EcoSport
The 2018 Ford EcoSport will be available in the United States with either a 1-liter three-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost or 2-liter four-cylinder engine. The 2-liter version will include the company's Intelligent 4WD as standard. Both models will come with six-speed automatic transmissions.
The EcoSport will offer plenty of storage solutions to its owner.
"As many as 30 stowage pockets, bins, hooks make efficient use of every interior inch. A cargo management system at the rear features a movable floor board and fold-away second-row seats to provide a flat area for moving furniture and other larger items," says Ford.
The subcompact will be available in 10 exterior colors, seven ambient lighting options and four trim level offerings.
The EcoSport will come packed with a number of connectivity features. All models of the 2018 Ford EcoSport will include the company's Sync 3 infotainment system as standard, which means customers will find Android Auto smartphone and Apple CarPlay integration. The primary interface will be an 8.0-inch touch screen display.
The car will also include a couple of fast-charging USB ports, which will ensure customers can charge their devices on the go. There will be two 12-volt power outlets in the car: one in the front and another at the back, which will allow everyone to be connected.
Price And Fuel Efficiency
Ford has not revealed any details of fuel efficiency or pricing of the upcoming EcoSport.
