geronimo183

The Ecosport hasn't done very well in the UK so far. It is imported from India and unfortuanytely the build quality is very poor. The panel gap in the rear hatch door is huge, the rear light clusters do not fit flush with the panel work, the interior/dash board materials are very cheap rough plastic and it still uses drum brakes on the rear. It appears Ford rushed this to try and fill a niche gap but in comparison to its main competitors it is a very poor offering from Ford in this day and age.......

In this day and age there simply should not be this amount of recalls by Ford. Ford never seem to learn from its mistakes. Yes all manufacturers recall vehicles but Ford seem to be recalling over half a million cars each month for varying issues. In the UK this news really hits the Ford brand hard. I simply dont see this imrpoving for Ford, they need to focus on obtaining better suppliers, better parts and building vehicles that will last rather than building them on the cheap to sell them in their masses, this strategy simply does not work as well as it use to. The Mustang has already took a battering by the UK motoring media, so if it gets recalled in the UK it will kill it off before its started. I cannot believe that Ford evidentally does not conduct extensive heat and cold testing if it is having such basuc issues with its latest state of the art offering, this is a school boy error big time! Subsequently we have just had the New Mondeo (US Fusion) here which is already 3-4 years old, again it has come under great pressure from the likes of the New VW Passat which is a brand new car, and based on initial perception looks a better constructed car.

This must be hurting Ford really bad, how do they aim to progress and improve with such financial losses coming from regular recalls? How does Ford compare with other manufacturers with their recall rate? http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/04/29/uk-ford-motor-recalls-idUKKBN0NK1J720150429 http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/30/autos/ford-fusion-recalls/

Sorry Ford but its not overly impressive. The front looks foul and is let down by the 'slab' black plastic across he front. It also appears that the 'black plastic' theme has been carried over to the dashboard as well. Other than a bit of blue stitiching the obligatory 3 gauge set up on the dash and some bolted in Recaros, it looks like a basic Focus model. It has been let down by the over use of black plastic, there is nothing in there to make you feel you are driving something special. As per the video, apparently the engineers started on this once the last RS was signed off back in 2009. By the time it arrives in 2016 that is 7 years! Once again Ford make the same mistake of releasing a halo product at the end of its life cycle, as 2017/18 will see the replacement Focus arrive and with such stiff competition from Audi, BMW and Volkswagen I do not think it will have the impact Ford are hoping especially in Europe. Within 2 years after its relase it will be an obsolete model. Its also a shame that it will be 5 door, it just does not look right and this is another indication that Ford are still producing such vehicles on a budget along with the cheap 'bee sting' aerial.....very out of date on a car like this which is debuting new technology for Ford. People that are attracted to this segment are likely to be purchasing on a finance agreement e.g. Personal Contract Purchase so it will be tempting for buyers to push the financial boundaries to get themselves into the Golf 400 R or into a more premium brand such as Audi RS3, 1 series M or A-Class AMG. Another thing that I feel lets this car down is tha the angular front end is not in keeping with the smoother side panel creases, and the slab of plastic on the back end which houses a reversing/fog light just seems a simple after thought, very boring and cheap looking.

In this day and age I would expect a car like the ecosport to come from Dacia, not an established company like ford. The interior is appalling and the exterior fit and finish is as bad. The panel gaps are huge especially on the rear door/boot lid. Even on the interior rear doors of the new facelift focus ford is still using cheap plastics, along with bee sting aerials and drum brakes, all of which you would expect on a car from the early 90's. Ford constantly get slated in the uk for poor interior quality and the use if cheap plastics. I don't think ford will ever learn....

Yet another recall….. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/ford/2014/11/18/ford-fusion-recall/19213167/

How difficult is it for Ford to build a car and get it right first time? They are constantly dogged with recalls, this really isn't good, and if the Mustang gets a reputation for recalls in the US, European buyers won't give it the time or day when it finally arrives across the pond. However when that will be is a another question. We have already been waiting 3 years for the Mondeo (Fusion). The Mustang was also due around now byte has been pushed back to next summer. Ford's profits must be heavily dented with constant recalls and some for the most basic of things that should of been ironed out in the 70's.

Just read on Autocar that the Mondeo will now not arrive until April. Most of what has been published in the British motoring press has indicated that the Mondeo was to be launched first thing in the new year. By the time we do get it, it will be out of date…….This will make it easier for the New Passat to kick its ass. Ford are really missing the boat on this one and to think that Ford are under the impression that they can steal sales from BMW and Audi with their Vignale brand is pie in the sky. I can't see the residual values doing well on a Mondeo Vignale. The X-Type Jaguar never did any favours for Ford, I can't see Vignale doing that either….any thoughts?

More recalls for Ford, this will be another chunk out of their profits to cover this. More recalls = less profit = less investment for development = cutting corners on securing quality suppliers/parts and still using older technologies = devaluing brand image…..what will that lead to?….more recalls…. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/04/us-ford-motor-recall-idUSKBN0IO1HA20141104

UK reports indicate its FWD... http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/focus/89077/new-ford-focus-rs-edges-closer-to-2016-launch http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/development-under-way-new-330bhp-ford-focus-rs I don't know why Ford always leave it to the end of the product life cycle to introduce an RS model. This has happened for the past 2 Focus RS's. Ford really should get their finger out and introduce it earlier when the models are launched. It has put buyers off here in the UK as they know a completely new Focus is due not longer after the RS model so buyers don't want to pay big bucks to buy a model that becomes obsolete within a year to 18 months of purchasing. In this case a complete replacement is due in 2017.

I know one thing, following the last few months of major recalls ford cannot afford any more, not only does it eat into profits and reinvestment for better quality products, it also tarnishes the brand, something of which cannot be undone easily in the European market, especially with such competition from the likes of VW/BMW but also the Korean manufacturers such as KIA.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/ford/2014/10/06/us-opens-steering-probe-ford-cars/16797815/

The seats look poorly made……..

The quality of the seats doesn't look that great….the leather is already warping and the stitching looks questionable.

Yesterday Mark Fields was on UK breakfast television which was at the Paris motor show. When asked about the recall problems and the consequences to brand image and costs/profits, he never gave a straight forward answer, he babbled on about doing the right thing by the customer and acting immediately, which is all well and said, but constant recalls for basic fundamental components of a motor vehicle in such high volumes will not provide the opportunities for Ford to make decent profits and invest in better quality products and suppliers. Ford is just wasting whatever it makes on things that should have been picked up during testing, alternatively they are just using cheap suppliers. My only concern is, where else are Ford cutting corners? They have just launched the Ford Ecosport in the UK and it is the biggest pile of rubbish to come out Ford in a while. Its build quality is appalling, the spare wheel is bolted to the rear door, and uses basic cheap technology under the skin all wrapped up in plastics that would only be fit to serve a burger in, it would not pull the skin off a rice pudding, sorry Ford but it is terrible…..and as for Mark Fields, I do not hold much hope for this guy at all!