Ford today revealed the full details of the newly-updated, 2018 Ford EcoSport for the European market. The subcompact crossover is set to join Ford’s North American lineup in early-2018, the US version having been unveiled at the 2016 LA Auto Show.
Powertrain
From mid-2018, the revamped Ford EcoSport will offer European buyers the option of Intelligent All-Wheel Drive for the first time. Ford Europe will offer it as an option on models equipped with Ford’s all-new, low-friction-design, 1.5L EcoBlue diesel and a new 6-speed manual transmission. The system constantly monitors for wheelspin, sending up to 50 percent of the available torque to the rear axle as needed, in as little as 20 milliseconds – one twentieth of the amount of time it takes to blink.
When it launches, the new, 1.5L EcoBlue will produce about 125 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque in the 2018 Ford EcoSport, all while emitting less CO2 from the tailpipe. Until that time, diesel customers will have to make do with Ford’s old 1.5L Duratorq, which tops out at about 100 horsepower.
For the petrol people, Ford will offer its 1.0L EcoBoost I3 in two power levels: 125 horsepower, and 140 horsepower. Starting in mid-2018, a 100-horsepower version with even lower emissions will be offered. All three will be paired with the same new 6-speed stick, with the 125-hp version also giving buyers the option of a 6-speed automatic.
Style
Inside, buyers will have three options when it comes to the tablet-style touchscreen in the center console: 4.2-inch, 6-inch, or 8-inch. The latter two ship with Ford’s latest SYNC 3 infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A brand-new, 10-speaker B&O PLAY audio system with a trunk-mounted subwoofer, calibrated specially for the new Ford EcoSport, is also available.
Of course, none of that is liable to make driving any easier. For that, the 2018 Ford EcoSport offers Cruise Control with Adjustable Speed Limiter for the first time, along with a Rear View Camera, and an optional Blind Spot Information System. Fancy, upscale equipment like automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers are optional, along with a heated steering wheel, heated wing mirrors, automatic climate control, and a 4.2-inch digital instrument panel.
Exterior styling hasn’t stayed constant between the outgoing and incoming Ford EcoSport crossovers, either. For 2018, the EcoSport gains a bulging, sculpted hood; a new trapezoidal grille design; angular headlights with HID main lamps and LED daytime running lights; and a cleaned-up rear bumper design with touched-up taillights. Twelve exterior hues are available, and buyers can even opt to get the roof finished in a different color from the rest of the body.
A selection of 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels is available, as is an optional, hatch-mounted spare wheel out back.
New for 2018, too, is the Ford EcoSport ST-Line. Like Ford’s other ST-Line models, the EcoSport incorporates stylistic hallmarks of the ST performance brand. These include ST-inspired bumpers and side skirts; black roof rails and headlight bezels; and 17-inch alloy wheels in a “Dark Tarnish” finish. Inside, the ST-Line rocks a flat-bottom steering wheel trimmed in leather; partial-leather seats with Miko®-Dinamica inserts and red contrast stitching; a leather handbrake lever and gear knob; ST-Line scuff plates; and stainless pedals.
“We’ve enhanced the quality, technology and versatility of the new Ford EcoSport to deliver more of the confidence and control that compact SUV customers want,” says Ford Global B-car Vehicle Line Director Gary Boes. “Drivers will feel more comfortable and self-assured than ever at the wheel.”
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