Tiniest Dancer: The Ford EcoSport Is Coming to America
Ford’s smallest utility vehicle is bound for North America, giving hope to Blue Oval fans who find an Escape too unwieldy.
The EcoSport, offered in overseas markets since 2004, will soon be pressed into service to round out the bottom of the Ford’s domestic utility lineup.
According to Automotive News, Ford can blame the leak on DJ Khaled, who teased his involvement in the reveal on Snapchat last night.
“Monday I’m introducing the Ford EcoSport,” the rap artist said in a short video. “It’s going to be a world premiere with the new Ford EcoSport.”
The unveiling comes on the eve of the Los Angeles International Auto Show. While Ford has confirmed the decision to bring the model stateside, it won’t say when it will go on sale.
Sharing its B3 platform with the Ford Fiesta, the EcoSport offers differing powerplants depending on the market, though a 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder comes standard in most countries. Select countries see non-turbocharged gasoline and diesel 1.5-liter four-cylinders, as well as a 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter four. Ford hasn’t mentioned what powertrains North American customers can expect.
The automaker clearly doesn’t like the idea of being left out of the small but fast-growing subcompact crossover segment, dominated by the likes of the Chevrolet Trax and Mazda CX-3. While only 3 percent of U.S. volume, the segment has seen sales rise by 30 percent this year.
[Image: Ford of Europe]
More by Steph Willems
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The new Ford Pony?
I am from Brazil, land from were Ecosport was born. This car is crap, slow, heavy, gas guzzler and expensive. Here it comes in two flavors, 1.6 manual and 2.0 "power-shit". It had great times in sales, before Honda and Jeep launched HR-V and Renegade, it sunk from5K units per month to 2.3K. Good luck for those who buys this in US! Regards, Evandro
Heh. Already on sale in Europe. If you guys don't like how it looks wait till you see the inside.
Saw this lovely little vehicle at the Paris show two years ago. Told the stand rep just put in the ST running gear and I would have one. He laughed, and said this would never be in the US. It is an attractive little CUV and almost seems to be the station wagon version of the F.