Ford imported the EcoSport “In a hurry” in order to enter the segment of subcompact SUVs then growing strongly. However, its international approach ill-suited to North America hurt it from day one.
During our test drive of the Ford EcoSport in 2018, we immediately saw that the product was not well suited to our market. We remember pointing out that this was one of the least interesting products on the market at the time. Three years later, with increasingly fierce competition, this is still the case and it is even more obvious.
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Not the worst, far from the best
We are not the only ones to have observed that the EcoSport is not an exceptional product: in 2020, Hyundai sold 26,641 Kona, Ford sold 4,866 EcoSport. Even though the EcoSport sells more than other vehicles like the Jeep Compass (4,692 units), it remains at the back of the pack in its segment.
Old before arriving
What explains why EcoSport did not appeal to buyers? However, it is not the only international product for sale in Canada, almost all of its competitors are too. The problem with EcoSport is that it has been awkwardly adapted for North America. It had existed elsewhere in the world since 2013. It was already aging before even arriving here. Initially, it was only intended to serve Europe, Asia and emerging markets where the reality is often very different.
What happened ?
In addition to its age, there are other elements that have cooled potential customers: the strange proportions, especially with the undersized wheels, the side opening of the tailgate, most certainly a difficult driving position and poor ergonomics. You didn’t have to drive very long to realize that the fuel consumption of the 3-cylinder and 4-cylinder was also higher than average. Add to that a higher base price with inferior equipment than many competing models.
A plan B in preparation
For all of these reasons, the EcoSport was doomed to failure from the early years. This is exactly what is happening; by the middle of next year, Ford will cease marketing it in North America. Ford has already confirmed that there will be a sequel, but it will take another form and be better suited to the needs of North Americans.
