India-made USA-spec 2018 Ford EcoSport will not have a CD player

Will go on sale in early 2018.

The second-gen Ford EcoSport in facelifted Avatar had its world premiere at the 2016 LA Auto Show and will go on sale in the U.S. market in early 2018. While full specifications of the future model are still months away from making it to the public domain, Ford has revealed that the U.S.-spec 2018 Ford EcoSport will not have a CD player.

In a release last week, Ford said that it has decided to not offer a CD player in the 2018 Ford EcoSport because Millennials, the targeted customers of the vehicle, prefer streaming and subscription music service over CDs. Instead of a CD player, EcoSport will now have a horizontal storage bin over the glove box for keeping smartphones in proximity. This layout also allows for a more upright touchscreen. Note that the deletion of the feature is only for the USA market.

With the facelift, the Ford EcoSport has gained the company's latest, SYNC 3 infotainment system with a high-resolution 8-inch touch screen and features like navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration compatibility. Other highlights of the 2018 EcoSport include HD radio, SiriusXM satellite radio and 675-watt, 10-speaker B&O PLAY sound system.

Also Read: Ford’s Craiova plant to put 190 new robots to work for Ford EcoSport

Ford will offer the 2018 Ford EcoSport with the 1.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine and a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder gasoline engine, both with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 2.0-liter model gets a four-wheel drive system as standard.

The USA spec 2018 Ford EcoSport will be manufactured in India from late 2017.