Ford EcoSport First Drive

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It seems like hardly a week goes by without another compact crossover popping up on the automotive scene. Case in point, Volkswagen's Up!-based Taigun concept recently made its debut at the Sao Paulo auto show. VW reckons there's also space to squeeze another Polo-based model between the Taigun and the Tiguan. Mercedes has the GLA on the way; Audi the Q2 -- even Porsche is getting ready to downsize with its coming Macan.

But Ford has beaten all of them to the punch with its Ford EcoSport, which is aimed emerging markets. Shown for the first time almost a year ago at the Delhi expo, it will be built in India, China, Thailand, and Brazil before being rolled out to more than 100 markets worldwide in line with the Blue Oval's one-size-fits-all One Ford strategy, although we don't expect it to make it to the U.S. So while in town for the Sao Paulo show, we took the opportunity to test one out.

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Based on the same global B-segment platform as the Fiesta, the EcoSport is around 11.5 inches longer (with a 1.3-inch longer wheelbase), the same width, and some 8.5 inches higher than the Fiesta hatchback. The clean-sheet design includes roof rails standard, a side-hinged tailgate, and a spare tire attached at the back. Apparently Brazilian customers love the rugged, spare-tire look, but for the rest of us who no longer live in the 1990s, fear not, it's easily removable.

Narrow headlights and a gaping grille giving the EcoSport an uncanny resemblance to a goldfish gasping for air, but for a small car it commands attention. Driving through the Sao Paulo rush hour, everything from camera phones to thumbs were waved in our general direction, confirming the Brazilians see the EcoSport -- which was designed, engineered, and is now built in Brazil -- as "their" car.

Anyone who's driven a Fiesta won't have a problem navigating the interior. The same cellphone-inspired (and entirely confusing) dash design is carried over untouched, although the quality of the plastics seemed to have taken a small dive. The equipment levels are not to be sniffed at, though. Our top-spec Titanium model came with climate control, push-button start, and leather seats. There was no sat-nav on our tester, but Ford's Sync was on board with the usual suite of connectivity options to help Brazilians pass the time while sitting for hours in Sao Paulo's infamous traffic jams.

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We didn't find the time to count them, but a Ford representative pointed out proudly there are more than 20 individual storage areas, plus USB inputs in the front and rear. The tall trunk space is usefully large at 12.8 cubic-feet, increasing to 24.9 cubic-feet with the rear seats folded down. Those rear seats can recline in two stages, perfect for sleepy rear passengers.

This being Brazil, the engine options are unique. Whereas buyers elsewhere in the world will benefit from Ford's pocket-rocket three-cylinder 1.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine and strong 1.6-liter TDCI diesel, Brazilians get a pair of naturally aspirated gas engines, converted to run on gas, pure ethanol, or any combination of the two. Drive past a gas station in Brazil and you're guaranteed to see drivers making quick calculations to see which fuel is better value -- ethanol is cheaper, but a liter takes you roughly 70 percent as far as the same measure of gasoline.

We drove the larger, 147-horsepower 2.0-liter unit (the other is a 1.6), which promised much on paper but delivered very little. Sluggish throttle response, stupidly long gear ratios, lackluster acceleration, and a sensation of excess weight sloshing around in the nose almost spoiled the driving experience, but in the end the Fiesta's infectious personality shone though.

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Ratios in the five-speed manual we tried (a six-speed Powershift auto option will be introduced in Brazil at the end of 2012) might have been badly judged, but the snappy gear lever action was hard to fault. The same goes for the steering. Light but precise, the electromechanical system varies weight with speed, offering ease of use around town and a little extra control on the highway.

Throw the EcoSport into a corner and its slightly higher ground clearance translates into a few degrees more body roll than the Fiesta, but there's still plenty of agility. Less body control is a fair trade-off, though, for a wonderful driving position, allowing you a much clearer view of the road ahead -- especially useful when attempting to pick which traffic-clogged lane is moving the quickest.

Ford's official line is that there are no immediate plans to bring the EcoSport to the U.S., but don't rule it out. It's been confirmed to go on sale in Europe within the next 18 months -- featuring the improved engine lineup mentioned earlier and high-quality interior materials -- so if the U.S. market demands it, a ready-made Westernized model will be good to go.

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