Under The Spotlight: The First Mini SUV In The Philippines

Ford has enjoyed rapid growth over the years, which also results in a line up today that is one of the most vibrant in the ASEAN region. Take note, the Ford Mustang, Explorer, and Expedition, does not have a right-hand drive (RHD) model, which is partly the reason why it isn’t sold in any of our ASEAN neighbors. What’s amazing about this is that, the Explorer and Mustang are sold in good numbers, with the Explorer sold at around 200-300 units a month, and the Mustang at 30-40 units a month. Ford, it seems, won’t be loosing steam this year with the launch of the first mini SUV in the country, the Ford EcoSport.

A category that was trendsetted by the Nissan Juke (though the first generation 2-door Toyota RAV4 was the first small SUV, it isn’t until the Nissan Juke that the category became really popular to buyers) to satisfy the public’s desire for an SUV that has a footprint small enough to fit in a congested urban jungle, yet has the ride height, ground clearance, and versatility of an SUV, the small Ford EcoSport is the next big thing in human mobility.

                 

The Ford EcoSport ride on the Ford Fiesta’s platform. With a length of 4,000 mm (4,241 mm when including the rear spare tire), a width of 2,057 mm, and a height of 1,696 mm, the Ford EcoSport has a body that can be easily described as tall and short, but wide enough not to look as skinny as a Japanese kei car. Plastic cladding, a 200 mm ground clearance, and a 550 mm water wading capability further differentiate the EcoSport from the Ford Fiesta. Attention grabbing looks, and colors that can be considered an eye candy to most people complete the cheeky and cheerful looks of the Ford EcoSport.

Powering the Ford EcoSport is the same 1.5 liter 4-cylinder Ti-VCT engine from the Ford Fiesta, producing 108 hp at 6,300 rpm, and 142 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm. Power is delivered exclusively through the front wheels via a 6-Speed Manual, or Ford’s Powershift 6-Speed Dual-Clutch Transmission.

                 

                  

One of the reasons why Ford is on fire at the moment is because of their very generous equipment levels. All models come with ISOFIX Child Seat Fixings, Courtesy Lights, Multi-Function Display, Heated Rear Windows, Welcome Home/Leaving Home Lights, Halogen Headlamps with LED Daytime Accent Lights, and Dual Airbags. The top-spec Titanium variant, meanwhile, gets more sophisticated kit, including a Smart Key Access System with Push Button Start, Sunrooof, Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror, Rain Sensing Wipers, Automatic Headlamps, ABS with EDB and Hill Launch Assist, Lumbar Support for the seats, Automatic Climate Control, and Ford’s SYNC with Bluetooth and Voice Command. Leather seats complete the package of the EcoSport Titanium model.

Pricing for the Ford EcoSport are as follows.

Titanium 6-speed DCT – P975,000
Trend 6-speed DCT – P875,000
Trend 6-speed MT – P825,000
Ambiente 6-speed MT – P775,000