Ford EcoSport was responsible for more than half of the American manufacturer’s domestic sales tally last year
Ford’s India division endured a disappointing 2019 with 25 per cent Year-on-Year negative sales growth as 73,636 units were sold against 97,804 units during the same period the previous year. The major share of Ford’s volumes came from the EcoSport as nearly 40,000 units of the grand total were for the subcompact SUV over the last twelve months.
Compared to the January to December 2018 period, Ford registered 23 per cent YoY sales slump for the EcoSport as well. The second-generation EcoSport helped in expanding Ford’s wings across the globe mainly in emerging markets and unlike the previous model sold predominantly in Brazil, the latest version of the SUV was first showcased as a concept at the 2012 Auto Expo.
The EcoSport set the early benchmark in the sub-four-metre SUV space and harbingered an array of new models to come in. The Vitara Brezza took full advantage of the segment and became a stable leader since its arrival in early 2016 while the EcoSport continued doing good numbers. However, the Tata Nexon in late 2018, and Hyundai Venue, as well as Mahindra XUV300 in 2019, made a huge difference.
They have certainly eaten into the sales figures of the EcoSport and the Venue, in particular, did quite a lot of damage. Hyundai introduced the Venue in May 2019 and it attained leading status in just a couple of months from the Vitara Brezza. The Venue continued to be on top of the monthly subcompact SUV sales charts for July and August and 70,443 units have been sold thus far.
It munched up the tally in just eight months while EcoSport has been facing the slack for being on the market for too long without a generation change. Recently, the supposed third-gen EcoSport’s pictures were leaked online and it will first go on sale in Brazil in 2021. Since the EcoSport plays a huge role in the overall sales tally for the Blue Oval, enthusiasts may crave for its arrival.
But, it does not appear to be the launched here first as Ford concentrates on its partnership with Mahindra instead for any future growth as it transfers its local operations to the JV including the working personnel and plants in Chennai and Sanand. Their JV agreement is said to come into effect this year and a range of new products, mainly SUVs, appear to be in the pipeline for the near future.