The Ford EcoSport was one of the pioneers in the mini SUV market and continues to be a popular choice for consumers in a very busy segment.
Active Eco
The Ford EcoSport has enjoyed much success in South Africa since its arrival in 2013. Ford enjoyed the lion’s share of the market until a few years ago when a slew of competitors entered the market. Having moved close to 80 000 units locally, their 40% market share has declined, but they still manage to move a few hundred models a month.
In February this year, their EcoSport models sold sat at 691 and have slowly declined to just over 550 units in September. Some decline can be attributed to the model just being older with a large part being competition from vehicles such as the Volkswagen T Roc, Suzuki Vitara Brezza, and Nissan Magnite, and a hefty chunk being due to the global supply shortage of parts and transport.
Supply chained
The production in India was halted in July 2022 and since then Ford SA has had to source the EcoSport from Romania. As global supply chain issues persist with a backlog of wiring harnesses, semiconductors, and ships to transport them being in short supply, the EcoSport’s that arrive in South Africa are just as quickly sold proving that despite competition from very quarter, the EcoSport remains a firm favorite.
Take your pick
Ford currently offers the EcoSport in 4 derivatives, them being the entry-level Ambiente, mid-spec Trend, top spec Titanium the latest addition, the Active. The Ambiente models are powered by the rock-solid 1.5l engine while the Trend, Active, and Titanium get the 1.0l turbo motor with all spec levels getting either a manual or auto transmission. You can search AutoTrader here to see what type of deals are available.
Ford EcoSport 1.5 Ambiente | R 311 400 | |
Ford EcoSport 1.5TDCi Ambiente | R 322 500 | |
Ford EcoSport 1.5 Ambiente auto | R 331 800 | |
Ford EcoSport 1.5 Ambiente Black | R 346 710 | |
Ford EcoSport 1.0T Trend | R 358 700 | |
Ford EcoSport 1.0T Trend auto | R 375 300 | |
Ford EcoSport 1.0T Active | R 393 700 | |
Ford EcoSport 1.0T Titanium | R 401 600 | |
Ford EcoSport 1.0T Titanium auto | R 416 900 |
Verdict
Historically speaking, It’s safe to say that the EcoSport is a popular car and will remain so, taking the fight to the newcomers to the segment until a new model or nameplate come south of Fords’ woodwork.
Lawrence MinnieLawrence has been involved with motorsports for almost 30 years. Whether it's two wheels or four, if it has an engine, he will try to race it. This love of motor vehicles has led him to ride, drive, film, photograph, and write about his passion. Freelance for a while but now a permanent fixture on the AutoTrader team for over 7 years, Lawrence contributes written, photographic, and video content for AutoTrader and AutoTrader Bikes.View News & Reviews
Keyword: How popular is the Ford EcoSport?