Ford announces new Mondeo and new EcoSport SUV

The EcoSport combines the running costs of a small family car with the practicality of a SUV

Ford has announced a raft of new models and technologies for the European market, including the impending arrival of the Ford EcoSport SUV and details of the all new Ford Mondeo.

The new Ford Fiesta was unveiled yesterday.

The Ford EcoSport sports utility vehicle will be available in Europe within the next 18 months, the car manufacturer announced at its Go Further event in Amsterdam.

Ford believes the EcoSport offers the affordability, fuel efficiency and agility of a small family car, combined with the style, flexibility and spaciousness of a SUV.

The car company expects the small SUV market in Europe to double over the next five years and alongside an all-new Kuga, it also has plans to introduce the Ford Edge.

The bigger and more premium Edge vehicle is already popular in the North American market.

The Ford EcoSport will be equipped with the company’s SYNC in-car connectivity feature, which includes Emergency Assistance, the system which directly connects the car to local emergency operators in the event of an accident.

Prices and specifications will be announced closer to the launch date.

The new Ford Mondeo, which will carry inflatable rear seat belts, is due in Ireland next year

Meanwhile, the new Ford Mondeo will be the first car in its class to carry the award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. That is expected to produce best-in-class fuel economy.

Four-door, five-door and estate versions of the model will be available, with a first-in-class petrol Hybrid Electric Vehicle on offer in the four-door version.

The Mondeo HEV is Ford’s first venture into the hybrid passenger market in Europe and combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine with a 35kW lithium-ion battery.

In another first for the Mondeo, a diesel all-wheel drive model will also be available and the new model will feature Ford’s rear inflatable seatbelts, which are designed to minimise head injuries for rear seat passengers in the event of an accident.

Barb Samardzich of Ford of Europe said: ‘This is the most premium Mondeo we’ve ever built and the most premium vehicle Ford’s loyal European customers have ever been offered.

‘It raises the bar in its segment in terms of style, technology and quality.’

The new Ford Mondeo is expected to arrive in Ireland in the latter half of 2013.