2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium FWD

One day, maybe next week, maybe in a few decades, we’ll all be able to reflect upon a time when Ford offered cars–like, traditional cars. For now, at least, the future–and present–is all about SUVs, CUVs and other sorts of UVs.

One of those new UVs is the new-for-2018 EcoSport.

And here’s some foreshadowing for the review part of the review, as Ford’s media site kicks off the introduction with little mention of the vehicle’s attributes as an actual vehicle: “Fun, capable and connected, the all-new Ford EcoSport can be customized with 10 available colors, six interior choices and ambient lighting options.”

So what is it? The EcoSport is a tall, five-door little ute. The standard engine, as found in our tester, is the 1.0-liter EcoBoost backed with a six-speed auto. A 2.0-liter inline-four is optional. The rear door is hinged on the side.

The EcoSport line starts at $19,995, with our top-spec Titanium model carrying an MSRP of $25,880.

Am I the only irked that its pronounced as "Echo"sport but their engines are pronounced "Eeco"boost?

so....this is basically a Fiesta that they just stretched vertically?

Fun....but not as fun as a Fiesta

Capable....of going slower than a Fiesta and getting poorer fuel economy?

Connected....just like literally every single other car on the market today. 

Ford managed to get back to coolness in the 2010-present timeframe with a handful of cool cars. Now it's going back to the "dorky appliance" lineup last seen during the Tempo/Topaz/Taurus/Escort days. I don't get this jacked-up compact car thing - they are just compromised compact hatchbacks that do everything worse and are less fun.

If its a lifted fiesta, lets use parts of it lift an actual fiesta!

Give it a good beating for us. We are thinking about one for the wife once she’s driving again.  I like the rear mounted spare so she can her knit a cover for it. 

RossD said:

If its a lifted fiesta, lets use parts of it lift an actual fiesta!

better yet, let's use fiesta parts and lower this thing back down :D

Ah. It’s the regularly scheduled ‘let’s bash auto makers for building what people want to buy rather than what enthusiasts who rarely buy new cars think they should build’ thread. Got it!

Given the powertrain options, I think it's more a Focus than a Fiesta.  But that's just a guess- I've never seen one in person.  Sadly, I expect it to be my last lease car as I round out my career.  I'd much rather have another focus.  It sucks that the rest of the buying public don't like the same cars I do.  But seeing other companies do the same thing, well...

In reply to alfadriver :

Nope.  IT's a B class on the same architecture as the Fiesta.  The Kuga/Escape is the C class Focus architecture. 

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

Ok, so just the powertrain options are more Focus, then.  (the 1.0 is available in both, but IIRC, the 2.0 isn't in any of the Fiestas)

Odd that the actual size of the vehicle is more the up sized car- as our Escape isn't nearly has short as our Focus.  Doesn't make that much sense to make it that small- especially since the FE targets are wheelbase length based- so making it a little longer lowers the target.

Body of a fiesta, grill of a Chevy truck

Robbie said:

Body of a fiesta, grill of a Chevy truck

???  That's the Ford corporate grille, everything for years and years now has had the same grill.  Also, while the EcoSport may be new to the US, it's been on sale for years in the rest of the world.  The first Ecosport was launched in 03.  It's  not new or a copy cat.

Adrian_Thompson said:

Robbie said:

Body of a fiesta, grill of a Chevy truck

???  That's the Ford corporate grille, everything for years and years now has had the same grill.  Also, while the EcoSport may be new to the US, it's been on sale for years in the rest of the world.  The first Ecosport was launched in 03.  It's  not new or a copy cat.

I know it's a Ford corporate grill. Unfortunately that doesn't help much with the 'giant' and 'ugly'.

I'm a huge Ford fan but this car (do we call it a car?) has the odd look of a child body builder.

You could mount the spare tire straight to the front of the car and still have vertical surface above and below the spare!

Sat in one and it seemed Fiesta size.  We liked that it wasn’t too big, but was high so it’s easy for her to get in easy.  That seems to be a big plus with the crossovers. If you have bad knees/ankles they’re easier to get out of than sedans.  

The rear door is not a hatch but rather a swing door. The right tail light is the disguised handle. 

How much was MSRP on a 1.0 Fiesta? $15000? I bet most of the difference is just pure profit for Ford.

Wally said:

Sat in one and it seemed Fiesta size.  We liked that it wasn’t too big, but was high so it’s easy for her to get in easy.  That seems to be a big plus with the crossovers. If you have bad knees/ankles they’re easier to get out of than sedans.  

I'll straight up eat a club sandwich at a cottage and cottage cheese at the club I really don't give a E36 M3 anymore.

Shh, don't talk like a real new vehicle customer, that's heresy around here.  Your supposed to complain it's not a RWD Fiesta ST with manual trans and real LSD for $4,995 out the door.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

If it was for me I would complain but it’s for the wife who somehow felt that a Fiat 500 was plenty of car for one person to commute in even though everyone told her she was crazy.

BTW, I'm not (just) being an ass in this thread.  I've got a base spec 1.0L FWD S on order for our oldest.  It was built last week and should be here in late Jan/early Feb.  So in a while I'll be able to give some real world feedback on how it works for a young family.  

I think they are neat looking. I wasnt bashing. 

I am on the opposite side of things, I want a bigger SUV. The Grand Cherokee isnt cutting it. Maybe it will be roomier when the oldest goes into a booster seat.

That new Expedition looks great!

OK this may be drifting off topic a bit, but Ford is  an international company, and international pollution and crash standards are very similar at this point, so...... I presume that they will continue making small cars for other markets. Why not make some of them available for us? 

Kreb said:

OK this may be drifting off topic a bit, but Ford is  an international company, and international pollution and crash standards are very similar at this point, so...... I presume that they will continue making small cars for other markets. Why not make some of them available for us? 

 

I don't want to say anything I'm not meant to, but basically people don't buy enough of them to make the investment worth it.

Wallens was so excited for this "car" he forgot to include a picture. 

As they are, these little things are fine. Not good, not bad, just fine. Underpowered and top-heavy.

With an electric powertrain they'll be the bee's knees, because the skateboard has a low COG and way more torque. In other words, in BMW i3 form the echo sport is actually a great vehicle.