The Ford EcoSport has been the recipient of some harsh criticism from owners and critics alike in recent years, and it’s one of the few new vehicles that’s not terribly difficult to find languishing on dealer lots these days. Thus, when Ford announced that it will cease its manufacturing operations in India and discontinue the EcoSport in that market earlier today, it seemed almost inevitable that the subcompact crossover was on borrowed time in the U.S. as well.
Now, just hours after that announcement, Ford has confirmed that it will indeed stop selling the EcoSport in America in mid-2022, according to the Detroit Free Press. On sale in various other markets since 2003, the Ford EcoSport launched in the U.S. in late 2017, with sales totaling 54,348 in 2018, 67,708 in 2019, and 60,544 in 2020. However, EcoSport sales have dipped 22 percent this year compared to the same time period last year.
A refreshed EcoSport was reportedly in the works for India with plans to launch later this year, but FoMoCo’s decision to shutter production at the Ford Chennai Assembly Plant following the conclusion of Q2 in 2022 effectively ends those plans. However, even though it will no longer be sold in India and the U.S., Ford says that it will continue to produce the crossover at the Ford Craiova Assembly Plant in Romania for the European market.
Meanwhile, the arrival of the less expensive and more fuel-efficient 2022 Ford Maverick likely didn’t help the EcoSport’s cause in the U.S., either. Though it’s a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison between a crossover and a pickup, it’s quite possible that the Maverick would have siphoned sales away from the EcoSport, which would make the decision to stop selling it in America that much easier.
We’ll have more on the EcoSport soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford EcoSport news and non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
Good it’s a $12 Billion disaster that should have been spent on LINCOLN luxury sedans models
Wouldn’t make enough money to justify.
So they can throw away money at luxury sedans like Cadillac is?
it was a stopgap model that was overpriced and underpowered. Hopefully Ford can produce a replacement model that is more competitive in this segment of the market.
Ford does not really want to sell subcompact SUV’s in the US. While the Ecosport had some fans, it had several drawbacks and was widely criticized by the auto media. They could have brought the Puma here, but there has been little interest. Ford has been too busy pushing the big iron with high profits.
That’s shortsighted. I live in an urban area, and there is nothing more annoying than dealing with F-150s and Silverados in the city if they don’t belong to a service company.
It’s also not very accurate. Ford continues to develop smaller vehicles, even when the armchair CEOs claim its foolish. The success of the admittedly-dated Ranger has proven them wrong, and no one can deny the interest Maverick has generated. Even Bronco Sport is a good example of building something smaller that doesn’t necessarily have to be unprofitable, as cars were for years.
Bye Ecosport, and don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. Good riddance.
lol
I have a EcoSport and love it . It’s small enough to do what I need to do,I don’t need to carry a lot of junk so it’s just the right size and is doing a great job doing what I need
Many people say the same thing, especially on the Ecosport Facebook page.
Bring back the fiesta. Good cheap reliable car.
Just goes to show, it was only here to use up capacity in India, and be a placeholder until something like the Maverick was developed.
The Puma may be too expensive to sell here. This thing started in the low 20s, which was not too bad, all things considered. The Puma is actually smaller, and would be comparatively more expensive. Not that it isn’t worth it, since it’s a vast improvement, but would the market be interested for the high $20ks/low 30s?
I dont hate the EcoSport, but I never seriously considered it. I think it could’ve been better, but its utilitarian and I find it more appealing than, say, a Toyota CH-R. The fact that you can get AWD and a reliable 6 speed automatic is a plus as well.
The Maverick is a better package overall, and I think it’ll do just fine as a psuedo replacement.
I got one a little while ago as a ‘service loaner’. In my opinion this is a ‘mercy killing’!! It was so small inside that you had to exit the vehicle to change your mind!! LOL