Ford Begins Testing New Compact SUV, Could be Next-Gen EcoSport
The test mule could be of the next-gen Ford EcoSport, which is due in a couple of years, or an all-new compact SUV positioned above it
A mysterious high-riding test mule disguised as the new-gen Ford Fiesta was spied recently. At the moment, it is unclear what Ford is hiding under that weird looking Fiesta. But, if we were to guess, we would place our bets on the next-gen EcoSport or an all-new compact SUV that Ford recently teased before its debut at the 2018 New York International Auto Show (Mar 30 - Apr 8, 2018). The American automaker calls the latter ‘Ford Off-Road Small Utility' (check out the picture below).
Pictured: Ford Off-Road Small Utility concept
The current Ford EcoSport, which had received a facelift in late 2017 globally, borrows its platform from the previous-gen Fiesta.
Pictured: Previous-gen Ford Fiesta
Even the current-gen Fiesta (that you see in the spy shots and in the picture below) also underpins the same chassis with slight modifications.
This might mean that Ford has begun testing the next-gen EcoSport, disguised as the Fiesta and with chassis modifications.
The wheelbase definitely looks longer than the hatchback and the track appears wider too. The current EcoSport also has a slightly longer wheelbase than the previous Fiesta's.
Ford has heavily localised (more than 85 per cent) the current EcoSport in India, which is also one of the production hubs for the SUV. It would be fairly easy for the automaker to bring in the new-gen model here since the platform will largely remain the same.
Pictured: Ford Off-Road Small Utility concept
The test mule could also be the new Ford Off-Road Small Utility concept that looks rugged courtesy a similar design to that of the upcoming Ford Bronco. The concept is believed to rival SUVs such as the India-bound Jeep Renegade, which in turn will go up against the Hyundai Creta and the upcoming Renault Duster. If that's the case, the Fiesta's platform will spawn a new compact SUV that will sit above the EcoSport globally.
Pictured: Ford Bronco Teaser
Like the next-gen EcoSport, it would again be easy for the automaker to introduce this compact SUV in the Indian market as the platform has already been localised here. Meanwhile, Ford is also ‘evaluating' co-development of a compact SUV with Mahindra in India, using latter's platform. However, if the new compact SUV would be sharing the platform with the new Fiesta/EcoSport, Ford might just use the same instead of Mahindra's.
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