Ford launches the Ecosport to compete with the Opel Mokka and Nissan Juke
- As a consequence of its sharp decline on the European market (-23.3% in January 2013 compared to January 2012, after a very bad -27.3% in December 2012 compared to December 2011), the Ford group decided to market earlier in Europe (first sales were initially planned in late 2013) its small crossover Ecosport (already available in South America since last year)in order to position itself at the earliest on the growing market of compact crossovers.
- This market which develops rapidly, especially in Europe, is already occupied by the Nissan Juke (150,000 vehicles have been sold on the European continent last year), and more recently by the Opel Mokka, the Chevrolet Traxand in a few weeks by the Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur.
- The Ford Ecosport uses the same engine and platform as the Fiesta and the B-Max. It should not be available in 4-wheel drive, but only in 2 wheel drive. It is to be noted that only 5% of Nissan Juke are sold in 4-wheel drive, which doesn’t prompt the carmakers to provide this type of vehicle in this configuration.
- The model Ecosport sold in Europe will come directly from the Ford plant in Brazil (Sao Bernado). This is the first crossover of this size in Ford range.
Data source: File #103 - Production in Americas with data detailed by make and model from 2005 to 2017