MM Full-Review: 2018 Ford EcoSport
02-05-18, 11:36 AM
#31
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I disagree with the Trax, but yes, good point on the Renegade....I agree it could be considered an EcoSport competitor. In fact, I'll revise the opening part of the review.
02-05-18, 11:42 AM
#32
Lexus Fanatic
02-05-18, 11:45 AM
#33
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
IMO, slightly too large, and it comes with a standard in-line turbo-4 that is 50% larger than the standard turbo three used in the EcoSport. I'll admit, though, that the rather large number of vehicles in this (rough) size and price class blurs the boundary lines somewhat. And I do respect the opinions of those who do consider the Trax a competitor. 
02-05-18, 12:03 PM
#34
Lexus Fanatic
IMO, slightly too large, and it comes with a standard in-line turbo-4 that is 50% larger than the standard turbo three used in the EcoSport. I'll admit, though, that the rather large number of vehicles in this (rough) size and price class blurs the boundary lines somewhat. And I do respect the opinions of those who do consider the Trax a competitor.
02-05-18, 12:29 PM
#35
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I (briefly) sampled a top-line Camry XSE V6 on the test-drive circuit at the auto show, BTW.
02-05-18, 12:47 PM
#36
Yes, I would consider Camrys and Accords with the base, normally-aspirated fours to be clear competitors. With upmarket versions, though, and the Camry's V6 vs. the Accord's turbo 4, the line gets more blurred. Personally, all else equal, I consider even a normally-aspirated V6 to be a better power plant, and not in the same class, even though turbo 4s (sometimes) produce more torque.
I (briefly) sampled a top-line Camry XSE V6 on the test-drive circuit at the auto show, BTW.
I (briefly) sampled a top-line Camry XSE V6 on the test-drive circuit at the auto show, BTW.
02-05-18, 02:28 PM
#38
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
02-05-18, 02:54 PM
#39
Lexus Fanatic
It is ridiculous I agree. Bewildering might be a better word. I did just look up the Trax and the Ecosport. They are 99.9% identical in size. The headroom is identical right down to the mm. (I used the Canadian site). And fullly loaded models top out at $32k and $33K. That is a lot of cake for these small models. I believe the Honda and Toyota mini cuvs are not offered in AWD.
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 02-05-18 at 03:01 PM.
02-05-18, 02:55 PM
#40
Lexus Fanatic
02-05-18, 03:31 PM
#41
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I didn't say it did. What I did say was that, IMO, in response to Jill's question, I didn't think a turbo-4, even with marginally more torque, competes with a naturally-aspirated V6.
And, no, in my book, a V6 Camry does not compete directly with a turbo-4 Accord. IMO, Honda made a mistake dropping the V6....so did some other manufacturers when they dropped the V6s in their mid-size sedans. And that's also why, when I ordered my Lacrosse, I had to re-order the car when Buick changed the standard power-pant from the nice 3.6L V6 to the four-hybrid....I wasn't going to get stuck with a four.
We're getting off-topic, though...the EcoSport and its competitors.
Last edited by mmarshall; 02-05-18 at 03:35 PM.
02-05-18, 03:42 PM
#42
Lexus Fanatic
I didn't say it did. What I did say was that, IMO, in response to Jill's question, I didn't think a turbo-4, even with marginally more torque, competes with a naturally-aspirated V6.
And, no, in my book, a V6 Camry does not compete directly with a turbo-4 Accord. IMO, Honda made a mistake dropping the V6....so did some other manufacturers when they dropped the V6s in their mid-size sedans. And that's also why, when I ordered my Lacrosse, I had to re-order the car when Buick changed the standard power-pant from the nice 3.6L V6 to the four-hybrid....I wasn't going to get stuck with a four.
We're getting off-topic, though...the EcoSport and its competitors.
And, no, in my book, a V6 Camry does not compete directly with a turbo-4 Accord. IMO, Honda made a mistake dropping the V6....so did some other manufacturers when they dropped the V6s in their mid-size sedans. And that's also why, when I ordered my Lacrosse, I had to re-order the car when Buick changed the standard power-pant from the nice 3.6L V6 to the four-hybrid....I wasn't going to get stuck with a four.
We're getting off-topic, though...the EcoSport and its competitors.
Does a Cadillac Escalade compete with a Lincoln Navigator? One is a V8 NA while the other is a turbo 6
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 02-05-18 at 03:54 PM.
02-05-18, 04:08 PM
#43
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Well, again with respect, wrap your head if you want....but that's my opinion. The Trax, though close to the Ecosport, is, in effect, one-half-size larger....and has a more significant (but still paltry) base engine.
Does a Cadillac Escalade compete with a Lincoln Navigator? One is a V8 NA while the other is a turbo 6?
Statically, I was quite impressed with the new Navigator at the D.C. show, but, as I've stated before, will withhold final comments until I test-drive one. I will say, however, that, wth one or two exceptions, the interior and general fit/finish of the new Navigator appears to be markedly better than the current-generation Escalade.
BTW, though Cadillac has not officially announced it, I wouldn't be surprised if the next-generation Escalade has a TT V6.
02-06-18, 07:15 AM
#44
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
There were a couple of negative posts in this thread about the swing-away tailgate. It's not necessarily my favorite, either, but one must remember that, like the early Toyota RAV-4 and Honda CR-V models, the EcoSport was originally developed in countries and environments where a real spare tire was included, mounted on the back of the tailgate. At least, unlike early CR-V models, the EcoSport's tailgate-hinges are mounted in a manner that allows the tailgate to swing out (leftward) in a manner suitable to American parking conditions, not those in Britain and the Japanese market. Honda designers admit they goofed, and simply did not take that into consideration when they started selling left-hand drive CR-Vs in the U.S. The Ford engineers said they considered putting the hinges on top to create a traditional lift-gate instead, but it was nixed as costing too much (it was more of a job than simply moving hinges). Remember, base versions of this vehicle start at a mere 20K, without much profit for Ford on each one.
02-06-18, 07:40 AM
#45
Please look at what you wrote
The Accord does not have a "normally-aspirated" four. The base engine in the Accord in a 1.5L Turbo. So are there no "clear competitors" within the Camry and Accord lineups per your rigid definitions and delineations?
This all goes to the point that, quite often, your own specific views segmentation and competitors is at odds with industry developed and media recognized norms, including the EcoSport and its intended and actual competitors.
Even dealers understand exactly who this product will help them try to win
From Detroit News story on EcoSport
This all goes to the point that, quite often, your own specific views segmentation and competitors is at odds with industry developed and media recognized norms, including the EcoSport and its intended and actual competitors.
Even dealers understand exactly who this product will help them try to win
“This is something we really have needed,” Charlie Gilchrist, the president of SouthWest Ford, a dealership near Fort Worth, Texas, said of the EcoSport. “We’ll see customers that were looking at the Chevrolet Trax that we’ve never seen before. We didn’t have anything for them.”