U.S. sales of company’s smallest SUV to end in 2022

Goodbye, little EcoSport.

The subcompact crossover SUV with a small but mighty following is a casualty of a decision to shut down Ford manufacturing operations in India, the company said.

The EcoSport will be built and exported to the U.S. through mid-2022.

Europe will continue to get its supply from a factory in Romania with no plans to stop, spokesman Said Deep said.

While the itty bitty SUV captured the hearts of some, it isn’t enough to continue production in the U.S., where it only entered the market at the end of 2017.

Ecosport went from 24 customers in the U.S. in the final days of 2017 to 54,348 in 2018, 67,708 in 2019 and 60,544 in 2020 during the pandemic.

But sales dipped 22 per cent from January through August of this year compared with a year ago, said Erich Merkle, U.S. sales analyst at Ford.

Upon hearing news of the demise, industry analysts yawned.

“Ecosport was never really a fit for the American consumer,” said Maeva Ribas, manager of design research and strategy at The Carlab Inc., an automotive product planning consultancy based in southern California.

“Ford is just rectifying a misconception. Ecosport does not belong in the U.S.,” she said.

Others expressed a similar lacklustre response.

“The demise of the Ford EcoSport in the U.S. comes as no surprise. It is made in India, where Ford has been winding down its business,” said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for the online marketplace Autotrader. com.

“Plus, the EcoSport was never a strong seller. It didn’t measure up to some very tough competition in the subcompact SUV segment.”

Sadly for EcoSport fans, more buyers have preferred the Chevrolet Trax, Honda HR-V and Nissan Kicks. Now, at Ford, there’s also a new kid on the block in the all-new Maverick, a hot little hybrid pickup built in Mexico. It costs about the same as the EcoSport at $20,000 US or so and gets better mileage.

Note: The vehicle is pronounced “EH-co sport,” not “EE-co sport.”

Karl Brauer saw the end of times for the Ford Fiesta-based EcoSport in the U.S. as inevitable, despite its early success after launch nearly two decades ago in Europe.

“It was one of the best sellers in Brazil and extremely competitive and desirable and successful. But Ford never did anything to update it,” said Brauer, executive analyst at iseecars.com, a car listing and data site.

“And it went from being one of the best-selling cars in Brazil to being outsold by all of its competitors. After it had become non-competitive in Brazil, Ford brought it here — to the U.S. It just can’t compete in this market,” he said.

U.S News & World Report gave the vehicle a rough review in May, saying, “The 2021 Ford EcoSport doesn’t compare favorably with most vehicles in the subcompact SUV class. It suffers from an underpowered base engine, a harsh ride and limited advanced safety features, which is why it ranks near the back of the segment.”

John McElroy, host of the Autoline After Hours podcast and webcast, said the EcoSport just never really caught on in America.

Still, he was a little surprised the company plans to abandon the vehicle in the U.S.

“I thought it was going to be a success. Small crossovers have been a real hot segment but maybe not that small,” he said. “They might see it as a potential competitor to the Maverick, which is like a crossover but with a bed.”

So the smallest SUV sold by Ford in the U.S. is quietly ending its run.

There will be no fanfare. “There are plenty of options for an extra-small crossover SUV,” Edmunds.com wrote in its review of the 2021 EcoSport.

“Some of Edmunds’ favorites include the Mazda CX-30, Hyundai Kona, Subaru Crosstrek and Kia Soul.

“All of those feel more upscale and refined than the EcoSport. They also provide more of the latest advanced driver aids and higher fuel economy.”