2017 Ford EcoSport Review
Car Tested: 2017 Ford EcoSport; Road Test No. 871; Test Location: Goa
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 8.46 – 12.93 lakhs
The Ford EcoSport is a very good all-rounder and a strong contender in the compact SUV segment in India
The Ford EcoSport was launched in 2013 and fetched extremely good sales for its maker. It enjoyed a good run in the market until newer rivals like the Maruti Vitara Brezza came and stole the limelight. Recently, Tata Motors impressed us with the Nexon but competition in this segment is all set to get even more hotter thanks to Ford who is dropping the bomb with the new EcoSport that gets a lot of changes in this mid-life facelift.
Motor Quest: The Ford EcoSport got a facelift in global markets recently too. However, Ford removed the tail-gate mounted spare wheel in the European version of the EcoSport but thankfully they decided to retain it in the Indian version based on feedback.
There are very few changes to the side and rear
Exteriors – As it is with facelifts, the new EcoSport gets a revised front fascia with muscular and sporty elements. The side and rear profile remain more or less identical to the previous car save for the new alloy wheels and the newly designed tail-gate mounted spare wheel cover. The front gets a new and sharp hexagonal grille, the headlamps see a minor tweak in design and now feature projector units with LED DRLs. The fog lamps get a new design and aren’t the round ones like before. The Titanium S variant gets black detailing in the headlamps, alloy wheels, roof panel and roof rails.
The cabin feels much more upmarket with the new styling
Interiors – Now, this is where the EcoSport felt dated and Ford has addressed this issue. The dashboard layout is entirely new and so are the steering wheel, aircon vents and the instrument console with the multi-information display. The centre console and the door pads get orange finishing that breathes freshness into the cabin. There is an 8-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on offer. The new touchscreen is super responsive and also feels very smooth to use. The steering wheel houses controls for the infotainment system and cruise control etc. The quality of materials used inside the cabin is just impeccable.
Space at the rear is limited but comfort is very good
The interiors are well-built and quality is also good; EcoSport gets a lot of features
The EcoSport gets all-new seats at the front and these are far more comfortable and supportive. The cushioning has been made softer too. At the rear, space is still limited and it is a difficult task to make 3 people sit. Knee room is less while head room is good and shoulder space is good enough too if only two passengers are sitting. However, the rear seat is still very comfortable and provides good support to the body.
The diesel engine is known for its peppy nature
Performance – While the older EcoSport used to come with 3 engines – 2 petrol and 1 diesel, the newer car comes with only 2 engine options. The diesel engine is the same 1.5-litre, TDCI, 4-cylinder unit producing 100 PS of power and 205 Nm of torque, mated to the same 5-speed manual gearbox. NVH levels on this engine are good but some clatter does filter inside the cabin. Power delivery is punchy and the EcoSport never really feels underpowered, even on the highways. Turbo lag isn’t very bothersome too. Gear shifts are still very notchy though and even the lever feels heavy, but the clutch is very light. On the fuel efficiency front, you can expect 16-18 km/l.
The petrol engine scores high on refinement and power delivery
The Dragon petrol engine offers very good driveability, diesel engine is good fun too
However, it is the new petrol engine that got us more interested in the new Ford EcoSport. This is an all-new 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder, Dragon series engine that replaces the older Sigma and EcoBoost engines. The Dragon engine produces 123 PS at 6500 RPM and 150 Nm at 400 RPM. While the power figure is similar to the EcoBoost engine, torque has gone down by 20 Nm but that isn’t a concern because the EcoBoost unit was turbocharged and this one is naturally aspirated. The engine is extremely refined despite being a 3-cylinder unit and feels very responsive to throttle inputs. The manual gearbox engined model reaches from 0 to 100 km/hr in 10.91 seconds as per our VBOX tests. Power delivery is linear all the way to the redline and this engine actually makes the car fun to drive.
The automatic gearbox is a torque converter unit
The petrol engine gets two transmission options – 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic. Do note that this AT is a torque converter unit while the older AT used to be a DCT. However, the gearbox has been matched very nicely to the engine and gear shifts are pretty smooth. It feels even more responsive in Sport mode. There are no manual shift buttons on the gear lever this time but what you do get are steering-mounted paddle-shifters. Fuel efficiency from the petrol engine isn’t that high, you can expect 9-11 km/l under regular driving. However, when I was giving it the beans, the display showed an average of just 4.5 km/l. Overall, the EcoSport scores high on the mechanical front with two very strong engines.
The EcoSport boasts of an engaging fun-to-drive nature
Driving Dynamics – The Ford EcoSport has always had a fun-to-drive nature and the new car doesn’t miss out on the fun factor. The steering continues to feel light enough at city speeds while it weighs up nicely on the highways. It also offers a good amount of feedback. The suspension has been softened a bit which makes the ride a lot more better, though it is still a bit on the stiffer side. The new low-profile tyres on the top variants also add to the stiff ride while lower variants with higher profile tyres may make the ride feel a bit more softer. Grip from the new tyres is very good and braking performance on the EcoSport is also well-suited to the weight and size of the car.
Service costs are cheap thanks to the child parts policy
Safety and After Sales Service – Ford is offering 6 airbags on the top variants of the EcoSport while the base and mid variants get dual front airbags. Apart from that, you also get ABS and Traction Control. The AT variant also gets Hill Start Assist. Talking about the after sales service of Ford, it does have a good reach across India and moreover Ford cars these days are known to be cheaper to own and maintain. Ford has stated that the EcoSport will cost Rs. 39,000/- to maintain over period of 1 lakh kms for the petrol variants while the diesel counterpart will cost Rs. 46,000/- to maintain.
The Ford EcoSport is one of the best buys in the sub-4-metre SUV segment
Verdict – Even though this is just a mid-life facelift, Ford has made a lot of major changes and thus the EcoSport comes out as an extremely good offering in the compact SUV segment. In fact, it is one of the strongest contenders in this segment now. With low running costs (on diesel engine) and lower service costs that Ford is aiming for, the EcoSport won’t burn a hole in your pocket over the long term. For those who want something other than the Maruti Vitara Brezza and the Tata Nexon, we definitely recommend the Ford EcoSport to you.
The top variants get 17-inch 205/50 tyres
What’s Cool
* Redesigned exteriors make it look bolder
* New interiors look and feel modern
* Seats are very good, impressive comfort levels
* None of the engines disappoint; ride & handling balance is well-sorted
What’s Not So Cool
* Limited space at the rear
* Manual gearbox is not the slickest one around
Alternatives: Maruti Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Honda WR-V
The EcoSport can be termed as a good “urban SUV”
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Further Reading –
2017 Ford EcoSport Video Review