Read this Ford EcoSport review to know about the subcompact SUV in detail.
The pioneer of the under-4m SUVs in India, Ford EcoSport has been a consistent performer for the American automaker. The vehicle recently got mild-facelift with subtle tweaks to the design theme. However, the biggest change is done under the hood – two petrol engines axed for a new powerplant.
Know Ford EcoSport On-Road Prices
Over the years, the competition in the subcompact SUV space has soared up with the entry of new arrivals such as Hyundai Venue. It will further intensify once the Kia Sonet and Toyota Urban Cruiser are launched near the festive season. With the existing rivals consisting of Tata Nexon, Maruti Vitara Brezza, Mahindra XUV300 and the Venue, does the EcoSport stand a chance? We find out.
Exterior
In the mid-life facelift, Ford has done subtle tweaks to the exterior of the EcoSport. The trapezoidal grille has moved up a little. The round fog lamps are swapped with triangular ones. The front facia of the EcoSport was always a clean design which appealed everyone. The carmaker has done well by not playing with its sober looks. The side and rear profile continue to remain the same. It gets 17-inch alloy wheels.
Dimensions
Let’s have a look at the proportions of the American SUV.
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 3998 mm |
| Width | 1765 mm |
| Height | 1647 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2519 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 200 mm |
| Bootspace | 352-litres |
| Turning Radius | 5.3 m |
Interior
The update lends a boost to the EcoSport’s cabin’s look and feel. The dashboard has gone chic with a big 9-inch touchscreen unit in the centre with gloss black inserts. It gets an all-black interior with better cushioned front and rear seats. The front seats are wider. The rear row gets a foldable armrest with cup holders.
It gets a new instrument cluster displaying several key details such as tyre pressure monitoring system. The powerful AC is claimed to bring down the temperature from 50 degrees to 25 in a mere 15 minutes. The 60:40 split makes it easy to load more luggage in the cavernous 1178 litres of space.
Engine and Specifications
The updated Ford EcoSport has shunned the low-performing 1.0-litre EcoBoost and the other 4-cylinder petrol engine for a new 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder motor. The dual-clutch transmission is also axed for the conventional automatic gearbox. It is paired to the new engine. The transmission is more predictable and smooth compared to the omitted dual-clutch.
It continues to get the 1.5-litre diesel engine albeit with a different state of tunes. The fine-tuning of the engines has boosted the fuel efficiency of the car.
| Engines | 1.5-litre petrol | 1.5-litre diesel |
| Power | 122 PS @ 6500 rpm | 100 PS @ 3750 rpm |
| Torque | 149 Nm @ 4500 rpm | 215Nm @ 1750-2500 rpm |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual/ 6-speed AT | 5-speed manual |
| Mileage | 17kmpl | 23kmpl |
| Fuel tank capacity | 52-litres | 52-litres |
Features
The EcoSport continues to be rich in features and gets projector/HID headlamps, auto AC, power windows, front & rear adjustable headrests, electrically adjustable ORVMs, electrochromic IRVM, power folding ORVMs, push start/stop with smart entry, rain-sensing wipers, auto headlamps, paddle shifters, 12V power source outlet, electric sunroof, steering mounted controls and several more. The 9-inch touchscreen infotainment unit is compatible with Android Auto and Apple Carplay. The SYNC 3 with voice recognition is very intuitive to use and on par with the competition.
In terms of lighting, the updated Ford EcoSport gets courtesy lamps in front and rear, puddle lamps on ORVMs, multi-colour footwell Ambiente lighting, glove box illumination, boot lamp and theatre dimming cabin lights.
Safety
The Ford EcoSport was the safest car in the competition and continues to be so. It is equipped with 6 airbags, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Break-force distribution), crash unlocking system (door unlock with light flashing), speed sensing auto door locks, engine immobiliser, rear wash wiper and defogger, high speed alert system, cruise control, FordMyKey, EBA (Electronic Brake Assist), ESC (Electronic Stability Control), TCS (Traction Control System) and HLA (Hill Launch Assist).
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Striking road presence and tough built
- Calibrating petrol engine
- Great comfort & convenience features
Cons:
- Squeezed cabins as compared to rivals
- Diesel engines need improvement
- Slightly expensive that rivals
Conclusion
The EcoSport compact SUV is good for those who want to go beyond the regular Maruti, Hyundai and Tata brand cars. It is feature loaded, looks decent and also comes with calibrating petrol mills that give it an edge over the rivals. Though, it comes at a slightly expensive price as compared to some of its rivals, but the build quality and safety features offered in the car compensate. In short, our words are – go for it!
