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Saw an Ecosport for the first time in the flesh


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Geez...my old Fiesta was riding on 13" wheels--and it had the "big" wheels. Of course, I was kind of wishing I had the 12" wheels every time I had to change a flat...which was way too often... :banghead:

 

And akirby, if you think 18" wheels look small on an F-150 (or F150), you ought to see the 17s my folks had on their '14 XLT. It's amazing how much visual difference 1" makes.

Raptors have 17 wheels, but it sure doesnt seem to affect those sales.

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Remember when the 5-stars came out on the Mustang GT in 1987 and everyone could not believe they were putting 16 wheels on a car?

 

Good times....

I remember when I bought a 93 Lighting new and people commented that the wheels were huge. They were only 17's then.

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The wheels/tires on the EcoSport are unusually small for the segment which typically go up to 20" like the Trax and Encore. It's also by far the shortest in the segment while retaining the same height which contributes to its peculiar proportions and MPV-ish look. Although its has the smallest interior in the segment, it's not that far off from the norm for something so much shorter than average so it's an unusually efficienct package thanks to that ugly shape.

 

I actually think the EcoSport is kinda "cute", certainly more crude looking than the Trax or HR-V but it has some charm because of it like a Jeep Renegade or Kia Soul. It's certainly overpriced but it's fairly feature rich for the segment with things like AWD, BLIS, 8" Touch Screen, Heated Steering Wheel and more. I think it will do fairly well assuming it's not a quality/safety/critical disaster but it's a good Escape facsimile which will probably cause enough cross shopping to keep it moving regardless. The biggest drawback will definitely be the swing gate, I'm sure that will stop quite a few sales unless quirkiness is the selling point.

 

Otherwise most US critics have remarked that it feels and drives better than it looks and it's often praised for it's comfortable seats and tight handling. It may not handle itself as well in comparisons which will be inevitable.

Edited by Assimilator
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I looked over the EcoSport at NAIAS because my Mom may get one in the fall. I noticed that while it looks slightly smaller than its competirors, only the Honda HR-V seemed bigger on the inside. I also thought its interior materials were far better than its competition, even the Encore. I too think the swing gate will scare off a few buyers, but I think it will be a hit. I just wish they had changed the name for North America...

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The biggest drawback will definitely be the swing gate, I'm sure that will stop quite a few sales unless quirkiness is the selling point.

 

Back in the 60’s, a swing tail gate was all the rage on station wagons. Ford came up with the idea (called “Magic Doorgate”) and GM and Chrysler quickly followed suit. I remember my mom loved the swing-gate on our old Mercury wagon. Much easier to get the groceries than leaning over a dropped tailgate. Now some view a swing-gate as a liability. Amazing.

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I see this car as a placeholder till the short C CUV comes out, which will be far better in tune with North American/EU wants in a product.

 

I'm also assuming the short C CUV and the next gen Escort will be partners like the Escape and Focus.

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Assimilator...why do you veiw it as a weakness...its quirky and is no more limiting in terms of space when open than a regular liftgate......AND its a talking point....called, find the release....but seriously, open it takes up no more space than a liftgate ( we measured ) only downer is if its raining...no metal umbrella as such....

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Assimilator...why do you veiw it as a weakness...its quirky and is no more limiting in terms of space when open than a regular liftgate......AND its a talking point....called, find the release....but seriously, open it takes up no more space than a liftgate ( we measured ) only downer is if its raining...no metal umbrella as such....

 

 

None of the issues are big but there are no advantages to a swing gate over a lift gate and quite a few drawbacks which just makes it more clumsy and an obvious disadvantage. The swing gate needs much more clearance than a lift gate which makes it challenging in parking lots, garages, or if you have a shopping cart behind your vehicle. It can only be approached from one side of the car when it's opened, in this case the passenger side rather than the driver side. It can't be partially closed when hauling longer items. It also poses a problem for bike racks or trailered items. Other minor issues include silly things like people who don't know how to operate the door for pickups and dropoffs. Although it's available in other markets I believe, the EcoSport doesn't offer a powered gate in the US either which is something you'll find on its competition. The reason the swing gate exists is to accommodate the spare tire.

Honda-HR-V-2016-rear.jpg

7d66f7061614dc2b86c40c35dd75c4fax.jpg

Edited by Assimilator
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Points taken/ acjknowledged....but with the arc it actually doesnt take up any more room and in some cases ( low roof garage) its actually advantageous....we literally measured the arc and estimated the difference between the side opening and an imaginary liftgate ( which if you look at your example whos going to repair the dents when its opened in a garage )...depth wise with arc, they are within hairs breath ( maybe 4 inches in depth ) the 4 inches in length still leaves of room in a garage....and it actually works BETTER if you have a kayak or bike on the roof....PS...you know the Honda competition isnt even avail with a power seat????? regardless, once explained to consumers that state what youre saying, it becomes a moot point...

Edited by Deanh
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Bigger wheels typically improve ride quality, performance, and durability over uneven pavement (especially potholes). The other thing worth pointing out is that the EcoSport is the only vehicle in the class with a 4-lug instead of 5-lug wheel. It's not a big deal but in addition to the small wheel well, it's another factor limiting the size of the tires that can fit on the EcoSport.

 

The smart thing about the EcoSport is that because they are using a more inexpensive foundation than it's competition, they are able to squeeze out far more profits for the same price while offering more amenities.

Edited by Assimilator
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The other thing worth pointing out is that the EcoSport is the only vehicle in the class with a 4-lug instead of 5-lug wheel. It's not a big deal but in addition to the small wheel well, it's another factor limiting the size of the tires that can fit on the EcoSport.

You know, it's funny, but in all the years I've been buying tires, I've yet to see any that say "5-lug wheels required"...

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The wheels/tires on the EcoSport are unusually small for the segment which typically go up to 20" like the Trax and Encore. It's also by far the shortest in the segment while retaining the same height which contributes to its peculiar proportions and MPV-ish look. Although its has the smallest interior in the segment, it's not that far off from the norm for something so much shorter than average so it's an unusually efficienct package thanks to that ugly shape.

 

I actually think the EcoSport is kinda "cute", certainly more crude looking than the Trax or HR-V but it has some charm because of it like a Jeep Renegade or Kia Soul. It's certainly overpriced but it's fairly feature rich for the segment with things like AWD, BLIS, 8" Touch Screen, Heated Steering Wheel and more. I think it will do fairly well assuming it's not a quality/safety/critical disaster but it's a good Escape facsimile which will probably cause enough cross shopping to keep it moving regardless. The biggest drawback will definitely be the swing gate, I'm sure that will stop quite a few sales unless quirkiness is the selling point.

 

Otherwise most US critics have remarked that it feels and drives better than it looks and it's often praised for it's comfortable seats and tight handling. It may not handle itself as well in comparisons which will be inevitable.

I remember when the swing gate was a big deal. This is how they should have done it.

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Bigger wheels typically improve ride quality, performance, and durability over uneven pavement (especially potholes). The other thing worth pointing out is that the EcoSport is the only vehicle in the class with a 4-lug instead of 5-lug wheel. It's not a big deal but in addition to the small wheel well, it's another factor limiting the size of the tires that can fit on the EcoSport.

 

The smart thing about the EcoSport is that because they are using a more inexpensive foundation than it's competition, they are able to squeeze out far more profits for the same price while offering more amenities.

 

 

I hope you meant bigger tires, not bigger wheels.

 

I was under the impression that bigger wheels with little tires was more flat prone when hitting potholes

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bigger wheels also weigh more which with the powerplants the eco-sport has would have a serious impact on acceleration and economy.....

Not necessarily. For the 17" LSE wheels I had on my LS, the tire actually weighed significantly more than the wheel (I once got to pick up the wheel sans tire, and it was very light), so the 17" wheel/tire combo didn't weigh any more than the stock 16" wheel/tire combo.

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Keep in mind that the design of the Ecosport's tailgate was to house a spare tire and cover like past RAV4,

I wonder if it could now be redesigned with a slightly bigger cargo space and a regular hatch like Escape.

 

That was the concession to India which doesn't count the spare tire in the overall 4 meter length.

 

I think with EcoSport now selling in decent numbers in markets like Europe, China, Australia, US etc. Ford should be able to justify two length of EcoSport next time around like they did with the Ka+/Figo Aspire sedan. India will still get the 4 meter version with swing gate and external spare tire while everyone else get the 4.2 meter version with bigger cargo area and rear seat room and conventional hatch and spare tire under the cargo area.

Edited by bzcat
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That was the concession to India which doesn't count the spare tire in the overall 4 meter length.

 

I think with EcoSport now selling in decent numbers in markets like Europe, China, Australia, US etc. Ford should be able to justify two length of EcoSport next time around like they did with the Ka+/Figo Aspire sedan. India will still get the 4 meter version with swing gate and external spare tire while everyone else get the 4.2 meter version with bigger cargo area and rear seat room and conventional hatch and spare tire under the cargo area.

While sub 4 meter vehicle was an important consideration for India, that dimension was already baked in

by South America and it's first gen Ecosport on B3 at 98" long, so continuing the basic size of the original

as well as being advantageous across BRIC and other markets in Australasia and Europe..

 

Perhaps that's where the short C Utility comes into play, leaving Ecosport unchanged...

Your Ecosport L is interesting and has a lot of merit.:)

Edited by jpd80
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