2021 Ford EcoSport Active, the rugged version debuts

This is just-unveiled 2021 Ford EcoSport Active, a more rugged version of the EcoSport compact SUV, which by the way, is still very much alive and well.

The Active series has been a success for Ford, which has sold over 55,000 units of the Fiesta Active, the first model to get an Active variant back in 2018. Around one in five Focus sold in the first half of 2020 was an Active, and the company recently expanded the range to include the Transit Custom, Transit Connect, Tourneo Custom and Tourneo Connect vans.

Based on the EcoSport facelift that surfaced in 2017, the Active gets a thick slab of black plastic cladding that goes one full round of the car lower portion, only broken by the front bumper’s “fangs”. Accented with black on the roof, grille and wing mirror caps (already available previously), Active is a good look for the EcoSport.

There are Active badges on the car’s front wings and ‘A’ embroidered into the front seats, which are trimmed in black leather with white contrast stitch. Like non-Active top spec variants (the sporty ST-Line was introduced with the facelift), the kit list comes with 17-inch two-tone alloys and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

“Customers tell us they love how EcoSport’s bold styling, practical interior and versatility fits into their busy lives, so we’re excited to enhance the SUV with an Active version that delivers even more of those qualities. The EcoSport Active will be a new addition to the Active series that offers extra capability and rugged style for customers who want to take their outdoor adventures to the next level,” said Roelant de Waard, Ford of Europe’s VP of marketing, sales and service.

Powered by a 1.0 litre EcoBoost turbo petrol engine with 125 PS/200 Nm, drive goes to the front wheels (no AWD, just increased ground clearance) via a six-speed manual gearbox in Europe. In the UK, the Ecosport Active is priced at £21,645 (RM117,331), which is a £2,950 (RM15,991) premium over the base EcoSport and essentially the same price as the newer and more sophisticated Puma.