The new Ford EcoSport compact SUV debuts a powerful, fuel-efficient all-new 1.5-litre Ford EcoBlue diesel engine with all-wheel drive technology and emissions from 107g/km.

Also available for the first time as a sporty, Ford Performance-inspired EcoSport ST‑Line model, the new Ford EcoSport delivers driver assistance technologies including SYNC 3 connectivity, Cruise Control with Adjustable Speed Limiter and Rear View Camera.

Featuring refined exterior styling, the new model is offered in 12 colours and offers even more personalisation options – including contrasting painted roof colour options that extend to the window pillars, upper door frames, rear roof spoiler and door mirrors.

Inside there is floating central 8-inch touchscreen, heated steering wheel and smart stowage solutions including an adjustable boot floor.

“Ford has sold more than 166,000 EcoSport compact SUVs in Europe since we first introduced the model to the region in 2014, and last year sales grew 40%,” said Steven Armstrong, group vice president and president, Europe Middle East and Africa, Ford Motor Company. “The new Ford EcoSport offers customers even more style, comfort, capability and choice – blending rugged SUV functionality with city car practicality.”

Last year, Ford’s SUV sales in Europe grew by more than 30%. In the UK, more than 40,000 EcoSports have been sold since its original introduction in 2013, with the Titanium model reaching 70% of sales.

The new Ford EcoSport will deliver an optimised driving experience equipped with Ford Intelligent All Wheel Drive from mid-2018. The technology will be offered in combination with the all-new 1.5-litre Ford EcoBlue diesel engine and a six-speed manual gearbox, delivering 125 PS and 300 Nm of torque.

Intelligent All Wheel Drive measures how the car’s wheels are gripping the road surface and can adjust torque delivery up to 50/50 between the front and rear wheels in under 20 milliseconds – twenty times quicker than it takes to blink. The system seamlessly transitions torque between all four wheels and provides a more secure footing on the road especially in slippery conditions. Ford’s all-new 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel engine is designed to deliver higher power for improved performance, alongside reduced CO2 emissions. The refined four-cylinder engine features innovative technologies, including:

• Low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation combined with water-air charge cooling for more efficient combustion and reduced emissions.
• An integrated intake manifold for optimised engine breathing.
• Low-inertia turbocharging for faster, more controllable turbo response, featuring rocket engine materials designed for high temperature applications.
• A high-pressure fuel injection system that is more responsive, quieter, and offers more precise fuel delivery

A 125 PS 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel model with front-wheel drive and all-new, low-friction six-speed manual gearbox will offer even lower CO2 and greater fuel efficiency from mid-2018. Ford’s 100 PS 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine combined with front-wheel drive and all-new six-speed manual gearbox is available from launch, offering 4.1 l/100 km fuel efficiency and 107 g/km CO2 emissions.

Also available are 140 PS and 125 PS versions of Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine delivering 5.2 l/100 km fuel efficiency and 119 g/km CO2 emissions. From mid-2018, a 100 PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost model will be offered with a six-speed manual gearbox.

The 125 PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost is also offered from launch with a six-speed automatic gearbox featuring steering-column mounted paddle-shifters for convenient gear-shifting, and delivering 5.8 l/100 km fuel efficiency and 134 g/km CO2 emissions.

New 17- and 18-inch alloy wheel designs complement the rugged, sporty character, and are offered in a number of finishes, including Magnetic Low Gloss, Shadow Silver, Flash Grey and High Gloss Black. Customers continue to be able to choose a distinctive, boot-mounted spare wheel option.

The interior features a host of smart stowage solutions, including a new height adjustable boot floor that can be raised to provide concealed storage, or lowered to increase luggage capacity to 334 litres.

The boot floor uses a special honeycomb construction that makes it gramme-for-gramme stronger than steel, and able to support more than 300 kg.

A new centre console features a built-in folding, sliding passenger armrest with a storage compartment ideal for tablet computers or snacks, and the CD-player is relocated to a new position above the glovebox to minimise impact on storage space.

The new EcoSport line-up will for the first time include the sporty new EcoSport ST-Line variant, joining the Edge ST-Line, Fiesta ST-Line, Focus ST-Line, Kuga ST-Line, Mondeo ST-Line and S-MAX ST-Line models.

Meanwhile, Ford’s sophisticated SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™. SYNC 3 is supported by EcoSport’s floating, 8-inch colour touchscreen, which can be operated with pinch and swipe gestures. Also offered with SYNC 3 is a floating 6.5-inch colour touchscreen. A 4.2-inch colour screen is offered in combination with Bluetooth connectivity and two USB inputs.

A new B&O PLAY sound system offers an elevated audio experience; featuring ten speakers, including boot-mounted subwoofer and a mid-range speaker in the centre of the dash, the system has been specifically calibrated for EcoSport, and is controlled by the latest Digital Signal Processing Amplifier that allows for precise equalisation and audio mixing, including a Surround Sound setting.

EcoSport for the first time also delivers Cruise Control with Adjustable Speed Limiter that helps drivers keep within speed limits, and a Rear View Camera that makes parking more efficient and safer.  

Available automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers remove some of the stresses of driving and enable customers to better concentrate on the road ahead, while a heated steering wheel and Electronic Automatic Temperature Control further improve comfort.

More convenience is offered with a new 4.2-inch digital instrument cluster that makes key driving information easier to access, and power-foldable mirrors that are heated for quicker getaways on frosty mornings.

Further driver assistance technologies include Ford’s Blind Spot Information System that can alert the driver to vehicles approaching alongside, and standard Roll Stability Control that adjusts engine torque and braking to help drivers maintain control.

Improved occupant protection now includes driver and passenger front airbags; a driver knee airbag; new side airbags that provide extra thorax protection and are designed to direct the occupant away from an impact; and new curtain airbags that provide maximum side-impact coverage. EcoSport is also more secure than ever before, with a standard perimeter alarm.

“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,” said Gary Boes, global B-car vehicle line director, Ford Motor Company. “Drivers will feel more comfortable and self-assured than ever at the wheel.”