It is interesting to see where Ford is going with their vehicle lines this year. They have introduced the Ford EcoSport to the American market as it seems they are phasing out cars. The 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium is a compact economy CUV that is small in stature. It does give you features that most would want out of an SUV with a taller roof line than a car and slightly better rear cargo space.
When I say small, it is small. Here is a size comparison to the Ford Escape.
As you can see it is definitely compact. The room inside the cabin is also a little lacking length wise. I had trouble getting comfortable in the driver’s seat while still allowing my daughter space for her legs in the backseat. Since she is still in a booster, her legs hit the back of my seat at a weird position. As an adult, my feet hit the floor and could wedge in a little better than hers. Width wise, the space was better. Both kids weren’t on top of each other in the backseat and you don’t feel like you are right next to your passenger.
One way that Ford tried to maximize space and make the rear more efficient is the use of a swing door for the back versus having a lift gate. It allows you to access the rear with a little more ease and less likely for items in the back to fall out. When the load floor is at the bottom there is a slight lip that helps keep cargo inside. The cargo space is not functional for our soccer games though. I was able to fit a couple of my bags in the back, but our wagon would be a little more difficult to put in and definitely no room for the tent.
I did like the Sync3 and some of the features that it presents to the driving experience. One of those was the fun mood lighting for the cup holders, doors, and foot lights. Can I just say that I do like having lights at my feet at night. Hey, you never know what might be down there or if you happen to drop something you can easily see it.
This would be a great starter vehicle for a teen with the smaller engine performance and being slightly easier to drive than some lower cars. It would also make a great commuter vehicle with the good fuel efficiency that I was able to get without really trying. During the week I had it, I averaged about 24 mpg and that was mostly suburb driving and not much highway.
I can see the Ford EcoSport being their answer to the eventual phase out of their car line. It gives people the look of an SUV while still being smaller and easier to drive like a car. The Titanium version that I drove had an MSRP of around $25K since it is more “full-loaded” version of the EcoSport.
2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium in Lightning Blue Metallic:
- 1.0L EcoBoost Engine
- Ebony black leather seats
- Moonroof
- Swing Gate
- Smart charging USB port
- 110v AC power outlet
- Auto start/stop
- B&O Play® Premium Auto
- BLIS
- Hill start assist
- Rear view camera
- SYNC3 with 8″ touchscreen
- Voice activated navigation
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