Books may not be judged by their covers but the 2015 Ford EcoSport can certainly be judged by its striking good looks. Its bold lines, contemporary shape and sophisticated interior all reflect its credentials as a capable, flexible and practical urban SUV.

The Ford EcoSport provides roomy space for five, a high driving position with outstanding visibility, a refined cabin environment engineered for quiet operation, carefully selected and matched materials, and a modern design ethos. It all adds up to make the Ford EcoSport a compelling alternative to the run-of-the-mill compact car.

The 2015 Ford EcoSport was designed for, and around, the customer, said Ehab Kaoud, chief designer, Car Exteriors, Ford North America, who led the design of the compact urban SUV. The choice of materials and the execution of the design elements were all made with the end user in mind.

We designed the Ford EcoSport to go where you need it to be as you progress through the adventure of life. It is the urban SUV you will be proud to drive and own.

Evocative exterior
At first glance, the distinctive and aerodynamic Ford EcoSport looks like its ready to pounce. The fluid, dynamic and refined lines of the compact SUV are clearly defined by Fords global design language.

A wide hood sweeps into sculpted bodylines, conveying a dynamic spirit of energy in motion. Modern, slim headlamps frame a high-mounted trapezoidal grille which gives the Ford EcoSport an element of pride and a signature Ford face. The lines of the headlamps stretch towards the rear, allowing the air to flow around them and improving the SUVs aerodynamics. At the same time, the dynamic line that stretches from the hood to the A-pillar adds to the urban SUVs contemporary appearance.

Moving to the side, blacked out B-pillars unify the windows into one elegant shape. The muscular beltline, formed by the windows and door creases, ascends as it runs to the rear of the car, adding to the sense of movement on the vehicle.

At the back, the large rear window wraps around to the sides along with oblique tail lamps. To keep the rear profile sleek, the tailgate handle was built into the tail lamp. A small black access button on the tailgate handle can be used to unlock the boot.

The spare tyre is mounted on the tailgate as a classic SUV cue, as well as for practical reasons. This results in more available cargo space in the vehicle, and makes it easier for customers to lift heavy loads into the vehicle over the lower bumper.

Inviting interior
The inside of the 2015 Ford EcoSport follows the contemporary and creative lines on the outside. Controls and knobs are ergonomically placed while soft-touch fabrics, tight gaps and the global Ice Blue dashboard illumination all reinforce superior quality and craftsmanship.

The design team paid great attention to the smallest details inside the cabin, from seat fabrics to the grain on the door trim, to create an interior that appeals to the senses. If you look at the grain up close on the instrument panel and door trim, youll see little squares of varying sizes breaking up the uniformity and monotony of the dots. Inspired by cellular structures in plants, and named Squareflec, this grain gives the interior a very modern look.

Supportive seats
Soft enough for comfort and firm enough for longer journeys, the seats on the 2015 Ford EcoSport have been designed using Ford global standards which have been refined after intensive anatomical research. Customers will feel as though the seat is wrapping around them.

The engineers shaped the seat contours to give enough support for the thighs and from the lower back to the upper back. They focused on giving the hips more support as that will help keep the driver stable in the seat instead of sliding around in it when taking corners or changing lanes at high speeds.

The high position of the drivers seat offers good visibility as well as easy and comfortable access to the panel's controls. The drivers seat has four-way adjustment, along with lumbar support that can be customized to the exact millimetre to provide the precise lower back support that the driver needs. The anatomical cut-outs and side bolsters add to the ergonomics of the comfortable seat.

The rear seats are what set the 2015 Ford EcoSport apart from its competitors. Unlike typical cars that use shoulder strikers to support the rear seat, the urban SUV has a free-standing rear seat. This means that passengers at the back can recline their seat for greater comfort.

Alternatively, if customers need more cargo space, they can adjust the rear seat back forward, or just fold and tumble the entire seat up for a flat load floor and class-leading cargo area. With the shingle head restraints, the driver doesnt even have to remove them before tumbling the seats. And for those who want to carry both passengers and cargo, the rear seat can facilitate that by splitting 60:40 on Trend and Titanium models.

The engineers reinforced the rear seats and the floor with high-strength steel to meet the strictest global safety standards. All the seats have been tested to the max for durability, strength, stress as well as comfort to ensure that they have just the right level of support to cushion and hold the occupants even after extended use.