AS Brazil beckons for football fans next summer a little bit of the Latin American auto scene will be on its way here courtesy of Ford.

The EcoSport is the Blue Oval's latest world car and for the past 10 years it has been a top seller in South America.

Now it is coming to Britain as Ford plans to shake up the compact SUV market.

More a soft roader than anything else the EcoSport looks rugged and capable even though it is only front wheel drive.

Priced from £14,995 it is going to compete alongside established models such as the Nissan Juke, Vauxhall Mokka and Renault Captur to name but a few.

With a high standing body - there is eight inches of ground clearance - skid plates front and rear and a spare wheel mounted on the boot, the EcoSport looks the part and there's a taste of adventure about the design.

That gives it obvious appeal but realistically the EcoSport is an everyday model which is dressed to look the part.

Bumpy tracks and moderate slopes are achievable - and Ford flags up it can wade through water almost two feet deep - but the likelihood is that it will never stray off road.

As a family leisure vehicle it fits the bill and cars of this ilk are growing in popularity.

Three engines will be available when the EcoSport goes on sale in May and the line up includes Ford's award winning one-litre, three cylinder EcoBoost engine.

The others are new 1.5-litre petrol and diesels that have been developed from Ford's current 1.6-litre blocks.

With the EcoBoost under the bonnet it can lay claim to being the first SUV to be powered by a one-litre engine yet despite the diminutive size it is this version which shows the EcoSport at its best.

Top speed from the 125ps turbo is 112mph while 0 to 60 takes 12.7 seconds and Ford claims it is good for an average of 53.3mpg with emissions of 125g/km.

We managed to get 39 to the gallon which was not far off the 41mpg we achieved in the diesel EcoSport.

Officially the EcoBoost is the most economical engine - the diesel is rated at 51.1mpg but being an oil burner has better emissions of 120g/km.

Both versions we tried were five speed manuals although an auto box will be offered on the 1.5-litre petrol model priced from £16,495 which is the same price as the diesel.

The EcoBoost costs from £15,995 while the entry level car features the 1.5, 112ps engine which is rated at 44.8mpg.

Inside, the layout of the dash is similar to that of the Ford Fiesta and all versions come with automatic climate control, keyless entry and a starter button.

Ford's SYNC connectivity and automatic emergency call device is standard and a number of downloadable Apps will be available to add to the onboard entertainment and information set up.

Passenger space throughout is above average with good head and leg room, especially in the back, while storage room includes an underseat tray in the front and a cooled glove box - traits that are becoming a feature of all little SUVs.

Luggage capacity ranges from 333 to 1,238 litres but a point to consider is that the tailgate opens sideways to the nearside which is not all that convenient.

The tailgate is also supported by a hydraulic strut which extends from the car body to the bottom of the door which looks vulnerable given the action nature of the model.

The EcoSport can be fitted with parking sensors which are programmed to take into account the protrusion of the spare wheel but given the way the tailgate opens, extra room has to be left when parking.

On the road the EcoSport is mild mannered yet competent and vision all round is good thanks to its elevated ride height.

Although developed for the Brazilian market the EcoSport has spread its wings and is now also built in China and India from where our models will be coming.

As such it notched up four stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests, missing out on top marks because of a relatively low pedestrian protection rating.

Nevertheless the EcoSport is likely to fair well. It's competitively priced, looks the business, comes with plenty of onboard technology and, perhaps most importantly, wears the right badge.