The Ford EcoSport is a subcompact crossover SUV that started life in 2003 in certain markets. The second generation launched in 2012 and it took off worldwide from then. The car is based on the 2011 Ford Fiesta B2E platform. The South African EcoSport models were produced in Ford's Chenai, India plant, featuring a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine with a power output of 88 kW and 170 N⋅m of torque. The little subcompact has a very respectable towing capacity of 700kg.
The car has safety features like ABS with EBD, front dual airbags, front seatbelts with pre-tensioner, seat belt reminder, speed sensing auto door locks, rear parking sensors, crash unlocking system, approach lights and home safe headlamps, emergency brake light, door ajar warning, rear child lock and high-speed alert system, making it a wonderful small family run-around. The 2018 facelift EcoSport comes powered by 1.5-litre and 1.0-litre petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engine is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The diesel version is only available with a manual gearbox. EcoSport is a refined, fun-to-drive car, offering the best dynamics of any compact SUV in this segment.