They say good things come in small packages, and given the influx of subcompact crossovers in recent years, that’s likely a true statement. For many people, the spaciousness of a crossover vehicle is one of the biggest draws. However, they also tend to be rather large and can be difficult to maneuver in certain situations. An unsure driver, for example, may like the position that a vehicle like a crossover affords her, but doesn’t like the difficulty parking, changing lanes, or even turning. For this driver, a small crossover is just the ticket. It’s spacious without being overwhelming.
Ford’s Subcompact Solution
For an auto giant like Ford, it’s hard to believe that they didn’t jump on the subcompact crossover bandwagon a long time ago. Better late than never. Just prior to the Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford used its own popularity, along with the popularity of music sensation DJ Khaled to announce the release of their contribution to the subcompact crossover group; the 2018 EcoSport. They presented the EcoSport at an event called “Go Small, Live Big” off the Hollywood Walk of Fame in hopes of reaching out to one of their two target audiences; millennials. The other target market that Ford hopes to corner is that of the empty nester.
Right now is a great time for Ford to launch the EcoSport as an SUV and crossover sales are soaring, and Ford is contributing largely to the numbers. With numbers totaling over twelve million in SUV sales over the past two decades, Ford must be flying pretty high. However, with the sweet comes the bitter. Ford has taken a great of flack lately given that they are largely reliant on foreign labor. While they’re not alone in owning a plant in Mexico, Ford has managed to turn the eye of President Donald Trump in his ridiculing speeches.
The EcoSport
Importing vehicles is not a new thing in the automotive industry, as many of the bestselling models used to be made outside the United States. Although they’re not the only manufacturer to make cars overseas, Ford is certainly taking a lot of the blame. What many people don’t know, however, is that it’s been done for years. Ford has been making the EcoSport in Brazil, Thailand, Russia, India, and soon to be Romania. It will not become available for sale in the United States until 2018, and when it does it will be important from Chennai, India.
Despite its diminutive size, the EcoSport has plenty of head and leg room and can accommodate those who are of above average height. When creating this vehicle, the designers maximized the usage of space to create an intelligently constructed crossover that meets all of your expectations. The exterior design is meant to be sporty and sleek with a great deal of focus placed on the aerodynamics. If you’re trying to conjure an image in your head as to what this vehicle looks like, think Ford Escape, except smaller and a little bit lower to the ground.
The Details or Lack Thereof
Other details about the new EcoSport are being kept somewhat mum, and the Ford website is still proclaiming that the photos shown are of the preproduction model, so there may be some changes to what we’re currently seeing. While official reports have been put out in regard to the specifications of the EcoSport, additional details are still unclear. The website, however, is jampacked with teasers about the availability of the vehicle’s specific functions and technology. Given the safety features, technological features, and the available upgraded versions, it looks like the EcoSport is going to be every bit as successful on U.S. soil as it has been overseas, where sales total over a million units.
This may be the first time we’re seeing the EcoSport here in the states, but it’s a familiar face in the Asian markets and the South American markets. With all the bells and whistles that Ford is professing this crossover to have, it’s almost a guarantee that the EcoSport will see great success in the American market as well. If good things really do come in small packages, then the EcoSport is definitely gonna be a great thing.
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