Ford Escort returns, just not for US

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, China, Ford, Beijing Motor Show

Ford is set to give the burgeoning Chinese market its very own C-segment model, while also reviving one of the brand’s more notable nameplates. The new Escort, which will make its world debut at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show will be built in the People’s Republic at the Changan Ford joint venture facility.

The Escort’s exterior is best thought of as a mix of the finer points from the US market Focus and Fusion, with the Aston Martin-ish grille and narrow, wraparound taillights presenting a clean look at either end of the car. It’s all fairly true to the concept car from last year’s Shanghai Motor Show. That said, this exterior job is almost too clean. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of character or substance beyond the typical Ford looks.

There’s a similar issue in the cabin – it all looks pretty nice, but the design is rather plain, particularly when viewed alongside the display-filled cabin of a US-spec car. Still, there looks to be a fair amount of space in both the front and back seats, and the trunk isn’t exactly tiny, either.

Riding on the Blue Oval’s global C-segment platform, which underpins the US and European-market Ford Focus, the Escort is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder which Ford promises will deliver “outstanding” fuel economy.

Take a look above and below for the official images and press information from Ford.

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Ford Escort returns, just not for US originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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