Ford India’s biggest launch in the Indian market will always be the EcoSport. The car opened an all-new segment in the country which was followed by every other major manufacturer in the country. EcoSport has remained one of the top-sellers for Ford in India and has helped Ford capture a lot of market share. Recently, the EcoSport was updated with minor changes to keep the product fresh in the market. Let’s find out how the new EcoSport feels and drives.
Looks
The EcoSport carries this majestic timeless look since start. The compact SUV is neither too short or too big when on road. Even though the car measures below 4-metres that gives the vehicle tax benefits, the rear-door mounted spare wheel makes the car look a lot bigger when compared to other vehicles on road. The changes or additions in front includes DRLs below the headlamps, while the fog-lamp housings are revised too. That’s the only two changes the car has received in the exterior.
The other change is the reposition of the button of the tail-gate. The button is now positioned below the handle instead of earlier position that was on the handle.
Interior
Not much has changed in the inside too. The dashboard gets ample chrome garnish all-around like AC vents, door, window switches, and instrument cluster. Other addition is the automatic wipers which now become part of automatic headlamps that were already available in the previous model. There is also auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror.
The seats are bucket type, and the top-end variant is wrapped in perforated leather. The seats seem to be bit hard during first few hours but is very comfortable and keeps your back intact even after long hours of haul. There is only one arm-rest in front and that too is not adjustable.
Ford has also repositioned the handbrake and the stock for indicator which used to be on the left-hand side of the steering. The audio system stays the same with controls on the steering wheel.
EcoSport is also heavily loaded with features. The instrument cluster shows information about instant mileage, average speed, average mileage and also, has a speed alarm, which can be set according to the need. The rear seats are good for two adults; the third person will not feel comfortable on the rear seat of the car.
Engine and Drive
The EcoSport is available with an option of three engines; two petrol and one diesel. The revolutionary 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is one the options. It produces maximum power of 125 PS and is fun to drive around. The 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine is another option, it produces a maximum of 112 PS. The diesel power mill gets an upgrade, which now produces 9 PS more than the previous model. The new engine has total output of 100 PS. There is no major change in the acceleration and it is very difficult to feel the extra power.
Safety:
The car now comes with 6 airbags on the top-variant while dual airbags are standard from the mid-variant. ABS and EBD are standard across all the variants except the base.
Should you buy this?
EcoSport is a good car to drive, it can fulfill your dreams of big car in lower budget. The EcoSport has all the boxes check in the right points. Only negative would be the missing All Wheel Drive system but people really would not take EcoSport for an off-road session even if it had an All-Wheel-Drive system. Starting at 6.99 lakh ex-showroom, Delhi, the EcoSport makes an excellent alternative for the recently launched Brezza. It is better to drive and offers better quality.
