Europe to get Ford EcoSport without the boot-mounted spare wheel in May

The Europeans don't seem to have liked the exterior spare wheel on the Ford EcoSport. So to cater to bring out a sleek-looking vehicle, Ford will remove the tailgate mounted spare wheel from the compact SUV and will launch the modified version in May this year.

The spare wheel at the back offers a rugged look to the EcoSport, a USP of the product. It is well accepted in markets like India and Brasil, but not in Europe where buyers prefer a sleek look for their vehicle. This is the reason why the EcoSport didn't sell in good numbers there and customers preferred the Opel/Vauxhall Mokka, Peugeot 2008 and the Renault Captur over the EcoSport.

Now, Ford wants to change this and offer the Europeans what they are looking for. With that in mind, the manufacturer will launch a revised car without the exterior spare wheel. The wheel can be opted for no extra cost, but the vehicle will get a revamped rear end. The bumper will be revised and the registration plate will be shifted to the tail gate. The rear door will still be hinged to the side and the tail lamps will be the same.

We don't think this model of the EcoSport will be introduced to the Indian market soon. The sporty looking, feature-loaded and aggressively priced car created a huge excitement when launched in 2013 and topped the sales charts for Ford India. It will be interesting to see what changes the carmaker can bring in for a facelifted model for Indian consumers.

Ford EcoSport