New Ford EcoSport to launch in India in early 2017 - Report

Expected to boost EcoSport's sales in the market.

According to CarWale, the new Ford EcoSport (facelift) will launch in India in early 2017. The facelifted EcoSport was revealed in November 2016 ahead of the LA Motor Show, featuring a host of changes that refreshes Ford's smallest SUV. Ford India will ship the facelifted EcoSport to the USA.

Ford India is likely to consider fast tracking the launch of the facelifted EcoSport in India, given that it has lately been losing market share to the Maruti Vitara Brezza. A comprehensive facelift is likely to boost the EcoSport's sales, appeal to prospective customers as a newer product, and improve Ford's sales performance for the year 2017.

The EcoSport receives design changes that toughens the petite exterior, featuring bigger headlamps with bolder LED DRLs, new foglamps and a sharper trapezoidal grille with a mesh design. Unlike the model to-be-sold in the U.S and Europe, the new Ecosport will continue to have a tailgate-mounted spare tire.

Prospective customers are likely to appreciate the complete overhaul of its interior, which now looks more premium and simpler. Although the model showcased above is a pre-production concept for the U.S market, the India-spec model could also get a new steering wheel, wider instrument cluster with a large multi-info display, new HVAC controls and a floating touchscreen infotainment system with navigation (likely to be a Titanium+ exclusive).

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A quick search on Zauba reveals that Ford India has received an EcoSport prototype with the 1.5 TDCi diesel engine for R&D testing, which is likely to be the facelifted model. So far, it has not been spotted on Indian roads.

[Source: Carwale]