Is Equator Sport ready to fit in Ford Malaysia lineup?

A few months ago, Ford unveiled the Equator Sport at the Guangzhou Auto Show, which has now been launched in the Chinese market. The new SUV is a smaller, sportier, and more affordable cousin to the Equator and is locally manufactured by Jiangling-Ford. Well, the Malaysian market is deprived of many new Blue Oval models, and these two SUVs are among them. So, today we will try to explore the gap in the local Ford lineup where the Ford Equator Sport can fit in.

Unlike the Equator, the new Equator Sport is a two-row SUV that offers seating space for five passengers. Looking at the Ford Malaysia models range, we find that the American automaker retails only a single SUV in the local market, which is 7-seater Ford Everest. That means a five-seater SUV can easily fit in the lineup to challenge the likes of the other 5-seater SUVs on sale in Malaysia.

The long-standing Ford Everest comes equipped with a 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel engine delivering a maximum power of 213 PS along with a peak torque of 500 Nm. The engine is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, letting you conquer any terrain. 

In contrast, the China-spec Ford Equator Sport gets energy from a 1.5-litre turbocharged EcoBoost engine pumping out 168 PS and 260 Nm of torque. The power is channelled to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. As per the local media, a PHEV variant will be introduced in the near future.

With the engine specs comparison of the two SUVs in question, we can say the lower-spec Equator Sport can sit below the Everest in the Ford Malaysia lineup. 

In China, Ford is offering the Equator Sport at a starting price of ¥139,800 (approximately equal to RM 92,629) which goes all the way up to ¥165,800 (RM 109,842). Adding local taxes to the price band brings the SUV into competition with the Japanese 5-seater SUVs such as the Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail, and Mazda CX-5.

So, does the new Ford Equator Sport offer anything better than the existing competitors or not? 

Model	Ford Equator Sport	Honda CR-V	Nissan X-Trail	Mazda CX-5
Headlights	LED	LED	LED	LED
Tail lights	Full-width LED bar	LED	LED	Bulb
Wheels	18 or 19-inch	18-inch	17-inch	17-inch
Panoramic sunroof	Yes	No	No	No
Screen display	Two 12.3-inch screens with Carlife/Huawei HiCar, OTA upgrades and Tencent TAI 4.0 automotive intelligent system	7.0-inch infotainment with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay	7.0-inch infotainment with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay	4.6-inch TFT instrument panel, 7.0-inch infotainment unit with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
Upholstery	Leather	Leather	Leather	Fabric
Air-conditioning	Dual zone	Dual Zone	Dual Zone	Dual Zone
ADAS	Ford Co-Pilot 360	Honda Sensing	Nissan Safety Shield 360	Mazda Active Safety Technology

Coming to the mechanical bits, the top-spec Honda HR-V is powered by a 1.5-litre 4 Cylinder, DOHC VTEC turbo engine that kicks out 193 PS and 243 Nm. In contrast, the Nissan X-Trail comes fitted with a 2.0-litre mill 4-cyl, DOHC mill with Twin CVTC, Direct Fuel Injection generating 144 PS and 200 Nm. At the same time, the Mazda CX-5’s 2.0-litre SKYACTIV-G DOHC 4 Cylinder mill delivers 162 PS and 213 Nm.

On comparing the new Ford Equator Sport with its rivals in Malaysia, we came to know the Ford SUV is more hi-tech as it’s the recent one in the pack. But it does not create any great remark when it comes to mechanicals.

So, would you like to see the new Ford Equator Sport in Malaysia or not? Let us know in the comments.

Also read: Ford plans to roll out 7 new EVs in Europe by 2024