Ford EcoSport

The EcoSport was available with five inline-four engines:

• Zetec-Rocam 1.0 L gasoline 8v supercharged, 70 kW (95 PS) (discontinued in 2006)
• Zetec-Rocam 1.6 8v gasoline/ethanol, 82 kW (111 PS)
• Duratec 2.0 L gasoline 16v 107 kW (145 PS)
• Duratorq 1.4 L TDCi Diesel, 50 kW (68 PS) (export only)

All models have front-wheel drive with manual transmission as standard. The 2.0 L model can also receive a four speed automatic transmission (FWD only) or four-wheel drive (manual six speed only). In the latter case, an electronically controlled system automatically engages the rear axle when front wheel spin is detected, and also lets the driver manually engage the rear axle from the dashboard.

Mid-cycle facelift

In the end of 2007, a mid-cycle restyling was introduced, which renewed completely the front to bring it closer to then current Ford pickups, as well as the contemporary Brazilian restyling of the Ford Fiesta, also updated the rear lights, both bumpers, and in the interior showed a new dashboard using better quality materials.

The Ford EcoSport arrived in the end of 2003 to Mexico as a model for 2004. The reception by the public was impressive and continued until 2006. For the model year of 2007, sales of the small SUV began slipping and it stopped being a hot seller. Compared to 15,000 units sold in 2004, only 10,000 units of the model year of 2007 were sold. This trend continued to worsen for the refreshed model year of 2008 due in part to a price increase.

Only 6,345 units of the model year 2008 were sold, and the model year 2009 sales through July 2009 were a mere 2,135 units. Due to decreasing sales, and heightened competition from the Ford Escape, Ford announced that a shortened 2010 model year would be the last sold in Mexico. However, a year later, Ford had announced the new EcoSport to launch in 2012 bringing back the EcoSport to Mexico after a two year absence.

Pre-facelift Ford EcoSport Trend (Australia)

The second generation of the EcoSport was developed under Ford's global product development process in Ford Brazil Development Center. It was based on the 2011 Ford Fiesta B2E platform and it was launched globally. The second generation EcoSport was first showcased as a concept at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo, in India on 4 January 2012.[7] The car was launched in Brazil on 14 July 2012.[8]

Ford showed the production variant of the Ford EcoSport in China, planning to begin sales in March 2013. In addition to China, the SUV is also made at Ford India's Chennai plant, for domestic sale and export initially to the European, and by 2018, the North American, markets. Ford's Rayong plant in Thailand makes the EcoSport for Southeast Asian markets.[5][9]

As of August 2015, Ford's Indian plant had already sold 200,000 EcoSports; 112,000 of which were sold in India while the rest were exported to South Africa, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and Europe.[10] In November 2016, Ford announced plans to supply the Ford India EcoSport to the market in the United States.[11] The EcoSport is the only mainstream vehicle sold in the United States that is assembled in India.

In some countries, The EcoSport has a 1.0-litre three cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine which has a power output of 120 PS (88 kW; 118 bhp) and 170 N⋅m (125 lb⋅ft) of torque. The engine has Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) which contributes to the turbocharged engine's peak torque starting at 1,300 rpm.[12] The EcoSport can tow up to 700 kg (1,500 lb).[13]

In 2018, Ford ended passenger cars production in Thailand, effectively ending EcoSport production. Ford continues to build pickup trucks and its SUV derivative in the country.[14] In 2019, Ford Sollers closed their factory in Naberezhnye, Chelny (Russia) ending production of EcoSport in Russia.[15] In 2020, the EcoSport was discontinued from Ford's Australia and New Zealand lineup, with the European-market Ford Puma serving as its replacement.

On 11 January 2021, Ford announced to shutter three production plants in Brazil as part of cost-saving measures. As a result, production of the EcoSport in Brazil was ceased at immediate effect, with the car discontinued in Brazil, alongside the Ka (Figo) and Troller T4.[16]

Engines available include the 1.0-litre EcoBoost developed at Ford's Dunton Technical Center in the UK. It is a turbocharged, cast aluminium block three cylinder made in a 74 kW (99 hp) and 88 to 92 kW (118 to 123 hp) version, with the latter delivering a peak torque of 170 N⋅m (130 lbf⋅ft) from 1,300–4,500 rpm and 200 N⋅m (150 lbf⋅ft) on overboost. The use of aluminium for the engine block instead of cast-iron improved engine warm-up time by 50 percent.

The three cylinder engine design causes inherent vibrations, which are countered by a deliberately unbalanced flywheel, which has less friction than balance shafts.

The exhaust manifold is cast into the cylinder head, reducing engine warm up time. The engine block's height and width dimensions are comparable to an A4 size sheet of paper. This EcoSport version is available in China, Europe, India, the United States, but not Brazil. The Brazilian EcoSport has a 1.6 litre petrol engine, which produces 113 bhp (84 kW) and 115 lb⋅ft (156 N⋅m) torque.

The Russian EcoSport comes with two different engines: a 1.6-litre, which produces 122 bhp (90 kW) and 148 Nm, and a 2.0-litre, which produces 140 bhp (90 kW) and 186 Nm. The 2.0-litre version of EcoSport comes as AWD with manual transmission, while the 1.6-litre is 2WD only but available with six speed manual or PowerShift automotive transmissions.

Along with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, the Chinese and the Indian market also get a 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine, which produces 108 bhp (81 kW) and 140 Nm (103 lb.ft). The EcoSport also has a 1.5-litre TDCi BS6 diesel engine that outputs 98 bhp (73 kW) power at 3,750 rpm and 215 N⋅m (159 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 1,750-2,500 rpm.[17]

The Ford EcoSport has Ford SYNC driver connect system, a command system codeveloped with Microsoft. It also has airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic stability program (ESP), electric power assisted steering (EPAS), and Hill Launch Assist, Traction control System (TCS) and rear parking sensors.

The Indian market was among the first few to receive EcoSport. The car is being manufactured at Ford India's Chennai plant, available in Six trims (Ambiente, Trend, Titanium, Titanium+, Sports & Thunder edition) with the choice of two engine options, 1.5-litre Ti-VCT Dragon series petrol engine and 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine. The engines are available with five speed manual and only Petrol engine available with 6-speed torque converter transmission. [18] The 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine has been dropped after the vehicle has been upgraded to meet the BS6 emission compliance norms.

At its introduction internationally, it was available in Japan, as the smallest companion to the Ford Kuga and the Ford Explorer.[19] All engines, except the diesel are offered in Japan, with a five speed manual or six speed dual clutch transmission, and optional all wheel drive. The 1.0 and 1.5-litre engines provide the opportunity for Japanese customers to save on the annual Japanese road tax obligation.

Ford launched the EcoSport in Europe during 2014, with a limited first batch of 500 units arriving in the first quarter of the year.[20] The announcement was made in September 2013, at the IFA exhibition in Berlin, and the first limited edition versions could be ordered on a dedicated website.[21] After disappointing sales figures in Europe in 2014, during which the EcoSport only sold 11,000 units against over 100,000 for each of its main competitors, the car was revised in 2015, to make it more suitable to European tastes.[22] In March 2016, it was announced that the Ford EcoSport would be built in Romania, at Craiova plant starting from the autumn of 2017, moving production for the European market from the current plant in Chennai, India. This happened on the background of the growing market for the SUV segment in Europe, and would bring an investment of € 200 million to the factory.[23]

2018 Ford EcoSport Facelift

The EcoSport's 2017 mid-cycle updates were announced at 2016 LA Auto Show, including a revised front end design, and a redesigned rear bumper. The dashboard has an optional 8-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system that supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.[24]

Sales of the EcoSport in the US market began in 2018. Early models include the 1.0 EcoBoost three cylinder turbo gasoline engine for FWD models and the 2.0 four cylinder petrol naturally aspirated engine for 4WD models. Both engines have a six speed automatic transmission. The Australian, Canadian and US-market EcoSports, made in India, have the rear mounted spare tire as optional on the base model.[25]