Nissan, Ford plan to carve out Thai niche

Nissan, Ford plan to carve out Thai niche

Compact SUVs to debut next month

Nissan will join Ford in opening a new segment in the Thai car market with public launches at next month's motor expo.

The Nissan Juke, to be unveiled in Thailand next month, has a 117-hp, 1.6-litre engine and a CVT gearbox.

The Nissan Juke and Ford Ecosport B-segment crossovers will create a new class below compact sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) such as the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5.

The Ecosport already had its first public airing this year, but official sales will start at the 30th Thailand International Motor Expo, to be held at Impact Muang Thong Thani from Nov 28-Dec 10.

The Juke, meanwhile, will be previewed to the media on Nov 26, shortly before the show opens to the public on Nov 29.

Company executives from both marques have expressed confidence in their new products, which they say are aimed at urban motorists needing a style-led SUV, high-riding body and compact dimensions.

Prices have yet to be revealed for either SUV, although insiders have hinted that both makers hope to see prices kick out at less than 900,000 baht.

The Ecosport comes with a 110-horsepower, 1.5-litre petrol engine and six-speed automatic transmission, while the Juke gets a bigger 117-hp, 1.6-litre engine and a CVT gearbox.

Ford is building the Ecosport at its exclusive factory in Rayong province, while Nissan is using Asean Free Trade Agreement benefits to import the Juke from Indonesia.

The Juke has been sold globally for three years now, so the model coming to Thailand will likely have only minor changes.

Honda is reportedly planning to build a rival to these two SUVs next year at its new factory in Prachin Buri province, where the City sedan and Jazz hatchback will be made in next-generation forms.

The new vehicle will debut in Japan on Nov 20 but was first previewed last year as an Urban SUV Concept.

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