Ford Ecosport

Ford introduces new Ecosport as its first global compact SUV in Brazil and later in Asian markets. Recently, Ford of Europe did the same designed for global market but announced it was his first Kuga compact sport utility vehicle. Both Ford Ecosport and Kuga offer passenger car-like comfort and SUV versatility that deliver superior fuel efficiency, class-leading safety and cutting edge technologies.

Ford of Europe announced that their "experts identified the varied and often conflicting tastes around the world to create an intercontinental call to the first compact SUV the company's global." This applies to both Ford models but Kuga is more comfort and technology inclined in most matured countries as opposed to Ecosport version which is a much simpler and cheaper SUV. So the EcoSport is intended for emerging and is unlikely in mature markets such as Europe, North Amercia and Asian countries where the Kuga will be sold.

The cheaper Ecosport is more welcomed in Brazil in view of the high taxes that slowdown in selling luxury SUVs. Kuga is badly hit as consumers are more likely in search of fuel efficient small SUV. However, in China Kuga is selling as good as Ecosport due to lower taxes. In fact Kuga attracted more attention than Ecosport and apparently selling more when the two compact SUVs were exposed, one beside the other, in the Hall of Beijing during the show.

To create an SUV cheaper and profitable to do in Brazil, Ford designed the EcoSport B on a platform, a compact hatchback with spare tire from the outside. This could save space with this approach but at the same time it also challenges most SUV manufacturers since most of them now no longer carry the spare tire from the outside.