New Delhi, 28: Ford India's next big thing, the compact sports utility vehicle EcoSport, is all set to hit Indian markets, competing against the hatchbacks like the Hyundai i20 and Suzuki DZire. Reports suggest that SUV will be launched in June and will carry a price tag of around Rs 5.9-6 lakh, which is much lower than Renault Duster's launch price of Rs 7.19 lakh. The high-end variants of the model are expected to be in the range of Rs 9 lakh.
The aggressive pricing of Ford's entry-level SUV is sure to challenge the dominance of already established players like Maruti and Hyundai and will set the tone for competitive pricing in the fast growing compact-SUV segment. Fitting perfectly in this segment, the EcoSport makes a good choice for the Indian consumers due its compact size, optimum ride height along with riding and handling of a sedan. The EcoSport was first unveiled in the concept form at the 2012 Auto Expo and is already on sale in Brazil and China. The potential of the steadily growing segment is immense and is already evident with the rising popularity of Renault Duster. Even other carmakers like Honda (with their new Earth Dreams diesel engine), Nissan, Hyundai and Chevrolet, are aggressively planning to tap into the segment with their new offerings. With EcoSport, the company is keen on replicating the success of the Figo, which had undercut Maruti Swift's prices by a handsome margin.
