[Ford EcoSport News]

Toronto’s annual Canadian International Autoshow (CIAS) is underway and Ford has brought two 2018 EcoSports in different trims to the show; Titanium and SES.

On display is a black EcoSport in Titanium trim with a 1.0-liter three cylinder turbocharged Ecoboost engine and the other was an orange SES 2.0-liter four with optional 4WD and cargo management system. The EcoSport Titanium features heated, leather trimmed first-row seating for a luxurious feel and it makes up for the hard plastics used in the door and dash. On the other end of the spectrum is the SES model with black upholstery and orange accents running throughout the cabin.

No matter which trim you choose, passenger ergonomics are the same with well-padded front passenger and driver seats along with ample head and legroom in the rear. My five-foot-six frame can comfortably fit in the back seat with a few inches of headroom left over. Perhaps it may be a tight fit for those who are six foot and above. There’s even a lumbar adjustment knob for the driver seat to suit a multitude of spinal curvatures.

The center console is well organized with minimal buttons, two USB ports, a 12 volt outlet and a little cubby for your phone. On the other hand, the Ecosport’s steering wheel may seem a bit cluttered at first, but that’s something you will get used to in time.

By no means is the EcoSport perfect. If the rear headrests are not folded down they will block a portion of your rear view and the middle passenger, depending on how tall they are, may have to slouch down a bit. Also, a forum member inquired about the swing gate’s interior plastic and how scratch resistant the material is. Well, the orange display model’s swing gate had a few shallow and deep scratches so we can only assume that it’s somewhat soft.

Other features of note is the portable traffic cones hidden under the cargo floor, sliding front armrest, AC 110V outlet in the rear, and the swing gate handle which was designed to mirror the taillight on the left.

The Canadian International Autoshow is worth a visit if you’re close by, but for anyone who won’t be able to make it, we have a forum album you can peruse.

EcoSport Canadian International Autoshow Album
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[WeeSUV]

Not a fan of the orange, but I really like the small touches that Ford put a lot of thought into including the cargo door handle that blends into the taillight. Just not a fan of hard plastics when it comes to the dash and doors.

 

[GoGreen]

I see a button with an A and a circular thing on it. That I would presume to be auto Start/Stop ? Thankfully if it is, that button should be able to toggle it on and off so at least people have the option. Some love it, others despise it. Me... I can do without, but I'm sure it would aid into fuel savings.

 

[Econobox]

The auto Start/Stop is usually an "A" with a circle around it so that's good news for everyone who hates the feature. Personally not a fan of it. There's also a TCS off button under it; does that mean we can turn off traction control?

 

[Econobox]

I don't see an auxiliary jack, does that mean I'll have to play my music via USB and bluetooth only?

 

[WeeSUV]

It could be hidden in the armrest compartment, but these days most infotainment systems encourage you to connect via USB or bluetooth. What's I find somewhat useless is the small screen in the temperature knob. Would be better to just display the temperature on the infotainment system, but this is just me nitpicking.

 

[Econobox]

How do the rear seats fold down? Is it in three parts or the more common 60/40?

 

[GoGreen]

Yea.. that small screen is really unnecessary but I guess it's something to look "up to date". It is better than to see a knob with the temperature numbers surrounding them, that would have been erking.