Ford Ecosport Production

[Eye of the Tiger]

If it's going to ride that high, then it better have a real 4wd system, some beefy tires, and a tiny engine with low gearing so it can't go fast enough to tip over. Otherwise, this is just plain dumb.

[280Z Turbo]

It's not that bad. Kinda weird, swoopy, and scrunched up looking in a Korean sort of way. I've seen worse.

[280Z Turbo]

If it's going to ride that high, then it better have a real 4wd system, some beefy tires, and a tiny engine with low gearing so it can't go fast enough to tip over. Otherwise, this is just plain dumb.

Ecoboost V6. 365 hp.

[Colin]

The back has a certain resemblance to the latest ML Mercedes, and the front.......... words cannot describe what I think of the front (well, not polite  ones!). The gaping gob on he Focus ST is bad enough, but that is truly appalling. And where are they going to stick the licence plate? Right in the middle, I assume?

I don't know what car designers have been smoking, but this week we have seen a series of truly appalling new things - and if the artists illustration of Clio 4 is anything to go by, there is far worse to come (that car looks like Renault's suicide pill).

[Byteme]

The wheels and tires look tiny.  The car looks really unstable too, like it's sitting on top of the wheels and it would tip over just by looking at it.  The styling is brutal.

On my monitor those wheels are oval.  The picture has been compressed horizontally. 

[2o6]

On my monitor those wheels are oval.  The picture has been compressed horizontally. 

Adjust your screen.



They're perfectly round on all my computer and in on my iPod touch.



Even if it weren't compressed, it would still look terrible.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Ecoboost V6. 365 hp.

Do it.

[2o6]

I just saw two camo'ed prototypes (well, the same one twice) running around. Proportions look better in real life, but the wheels look tiny. And why is this thing testing in Akron of all places?

[omicron]

Lost.

[2o6]

I think it's a good idea.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/04/ford-ecosport-concept-new-delhi-auto-expo/

Production model. Not much changed, but these are more flattering shots. I think it's a good idea for the US.




Fast fact, that is a door handle integrated into the right tail lamp. Clever.


http://www.netcarshow.com/ford/2013-ecosport/

It also has the new 1.0L Ecoboost that will make its way to the Fiesta.

[AutobahnSHO]

Why don't they just make the Fiesta AND the Focus 10ft tall and call them "new cars"???

[2o6]

Here's a spy shot I took of this car running around (I saw it again, today!)





Why are they testing a model that is/should be done by now? Methinks they're doing some suspension calibration for the US market.


It looks better in person, not as gawky and frumpy in the photos.

[2o6]

Oh, and looks to be a twist axle out back, and this model didn't look like it had AWD.

[AutobahnSHO]

Looks dumb.

[TurboDan]

Wow, just what we need. Another RAV4. Ugh.

[2o6]

Wow, just what we need. Another RAV4. Ugh.

RAV4 is a great vehicle...

[TurboDan]

RAV4 is a great vehicle...

Have you ever driven one? I had one as a rental and I was scared for my life. Cheapest-built vehicle I've ever driven. Felt like a strong wind could have whipped it off the road. Terrible handling, tons of creaks and rattles, light-closing doors, totally unrefined engine, atrocious interior, cheap plastic everywhere.

Wouldn't trust it offroad anywhere.

[2o6]

Have you ever driven one? I had one as a rental and I was scared for my life. Cheapest-built vehicle I've ever driven. Felt like a strong wind could have whipped it off the road. Terrible handling, tons of creaks and rattles, light-closing doors, totally unrefined engine, atrocious interior, cheap plastic everywhere.

Wouldn't trust it offroad anywhere.

Most modern SUVs aren't meant for off road.

[2o6]

Which RAV4 are you talking of? All of them are pretty quality vehicles.

[TurboDan]

Most modern SUVs aren't meant for off road.

Drive my Landie. Can go wherever a Defender can go without the baggage .

But honestly, isn't this the problem? If a "RAV4" can't do shit demanded of 4WD vehicles? Even if it can't, OK, cool... but the vehicle was one of the cheapest, low-quality POS cars I've ever driven. No excuse for the terrible execution of that truck at all.

[2o6]

Drive my Landie. Can go wherever a Defender can go without the baggage .

But honestly, isn't this the problem? If a "RAV4" can't do shit demanded of 4WD vehicles? Even if it can't, OK, cool... but the vehicle was one of the cheapest, low-quality POS cars I've ever driven. No excuse for the terrible execution of that truck at all.

None of them can. Freelander/LR2 is much more expensive; and without the trick differential it's just as useless as everything else. I have driven a Freelander MK1; I hope it's not as bad on road as the new one. I by no means dislike the LR2, but its in the same vein as other compact CUV's; just its a little nicer and is decent off road.
The RAV4 is a compact CUV. It arguably one of the best on the market...

[TurboDan]

"Best" and "RAV4" shall not be used in the same sentence.

Price has nothing to do with anything. The next Defender will be priced cheap and it will destroy all. The old Cherokee did the same thing. The RAV4 is a cheaply built POS if there ever was one.

And as the LR2 goes, the New Jersey pine barrens' deepest roughest trails, the deep-sand beaches of Island Beach State Park and the deep-mud of a national Superfund landfill site have yet to sink her, so I feel pretty confident.

[2o6]

"Best" and "RAV4" shall not be used in the same sentence.

Price has nothing to do with anything. The next Defender will be priced cheap and it will destroy all. The old Cherokee did the same thing. The RAV4 is a cheaply built POS if there ever was one.

The old Cherokee was also atrocious on road, and the defender won't be affordable (LR is a luxury make). The Defender is great off road, but very very crude.


The RAV4 is a well made small SUV; delivering exactly what customers want.

[ifcar]

I think your standards are just off again for mainstream-priced cars. If you hate the RAV4, you'd hate anything else in its class that provides any similar qualities. I've driven three RAV4s, one for a week, and can't share your complaints at all.

[GoCougs]

3rd (current) gen Rav4 redefined the class, and otherwise changed the way soft roaders as a whole are built. Mega kudos to Toyota shoving the 3.5L V6 in there too.

[TurboDan]

I think your standards are just off again for mainstream-priced cars. If you hate the RAV4, you'd hate anything else in its class that provides any similar qualities. I've driven three RAV4s, one for a week, and can't share your complaints at all.

Not really. I don't hate the CR-V. I don't hate the Escape. I don't hate the Liberty. I don't hate the Tiguan (even though that's pricier).