Ford has unveiled its new European market Ford EcoSport, a compact SUV with a range of advanced equipment and options.
The EcoSport, launched at the 83rd Geneva motor show, is Ford’s second offering into the SUV market. It sits just below the freshly updated and larger Kuga in its product range on the B-segment platform, sharing underpinnings with the Fiesta. It will host a range of frugal petrol and diesel engines, topped off by a 123bhp EcoBoost petrol unit.
Ford is set to introduce several innovative new technologies on the upcoming EcoSport crossover, including smartphone-car connectivity, as well as emergency communications systems in the event of a crash, called ‘SYNC Applink’ and ‘SYNC Emergency Assistance’.
The technologies, which base around integrating the smartphone craze into the driving experience using in-car connectivity, were showcased at the Mobile World Congress, Barcelona. The MWC is an extremely important mobile technology show, featuring the most current updates and announcements from technology firms and their affiliates; an ideal place for Ford to show off these new ideas.
Ford’s ‘SYNC Applink’ is a feature which will allow the driver to connect their smartphone to the car’s internal systems, and activate apps via voice-control. Not only is this useful for drivers, it reduces the risk posed by drivers illegally using their mobile phones at the wheel considerably. These features allow the driver to “enjoy the same level of connectivity in their cars as they would do at home” said Ford’s vice president of research and innovation, Paul Mascarenas.
Also to feature on the new Ford Fiesta-based crossover will be ‘SYNC Emergency Assistance’; a safety application which allows the driver to contact the emergency services after a crash. The system also relays information about the whereabouts of the vehicle to the local authorities, in the appropriate language for where the car happens to be; meaning more rapid response times from emergency teams as the language barrier is removed from the situation.
A similar concept has featured on BMW’s iDrive system, as well as cars from PSA and Volvo, however, Ford says that the EcoSport will be one of its first to offer SYNC technologies, as the brand introduces them across its model range.
These technologies are just some of the options available on the EcoSport, as the car is claimed to boast a ‘comprehensive package’ of safety and driver assistance features.
Jimi Beckwith
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Spare wheel on rear door
This is a car to pull you through the Amazon Jungle. It even comes with a spare on the rear door. Does that mean its side-hinged?
Looks are of course
Looks are of course subjective but after the bile and vitriol directed at the new Jeep you wonder where the same posters are when it comes to this thing.
Plainly it should have a curfew.
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Ford's equivalent of the Pontiac Aztec.