2018 Ford EcoSport S Review
Car Tested: 2018 Ford EcoSport S; Road Test No. 948
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 13.35-14.22 lakhs
The blacked out treatment on the headlamp, grille and the bumper give the EcoSport S’ front fascia a muscular look
The Ford EcoSport has always been a very strong contender in the compact SUV segment and to catch up with the competition, the automaker had launched the facelifted version of the car in late 2017. The 1.5-litre petrol engine was replaced by the 1.5-litre Dragon engine while the 1.0-litre EcoBoost was given a miss. Ford has reintroduced the EcoBoost engine with the EcoSport S which has now been launched in India as a sportier version of the regular EcoSport.
Exterior enhancements include smoked headlamps, 17-inch sharp-looking alloy wheels and a ‘fun roof’
Exteriors – The 2018 Ford EcoSport S is based on the Titanium+ trim and takes all the features from the said variant. To do justice to the S moniker, the American carmaker has incorporated new design elements like a matte black grille, smoked HID projector headlamps and blackened fog lamp housing. Besides, there are new 17-inch 10-spoke smoked alloy wheels, black painted roof with an electric sunroof on offer. The rear profile is identical to the standard EcoSport save for the black spoiler.
The black interior with a burst of orange accents makes the cabin a livelier place to be in
Interiors – While the dashboard layout remains the same as the regular EcoSport, the EcoSport S gets orange accents on the dashboard, centre console, door pads and even on the seats. The colour additions do make the cabin look more lively. The compact SUV gets a larger MID display and the instrument console also gets premium chrome rings. There is an 8-inch SYNC3 touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In terms of features, the EcoSport S, being the range-topping variant gets automatic climate control, premium leather seats with leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast orange stitching, height adjustable driver’s seat, automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control, Ford MyKey and push-button start.
Performance – At the heart of the 2018 Ford EcoSport S is the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine producing 125 PS of power and 170 Nm of torque and this time around, it comes with a new 6-speed manual gearbox. The EcoBoost engine is very refined with almost no vibrations but it tends to get noisy after the 3000 RPM mark. Some turbo lag is there upto 1600 RPM and there is a very healthy wave of power which propels the car all the way up to 6600 RPM. Power delivery is linear without any dead spots and overall the drivability is indeed very good.
The 3-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost engine is imported from Europe
The new 6-speed gearbox makes the EcoSport S more drivable and also enhances the fuel-efficiency
The clutch isn’t exactly light while the new gearbox offers very smooth shifts. The claimed fuel efficiency for the EcoBoost engine is 18.1 km/l but in real life conditions we expect the figure to hover around 12-13 km/l. The EcoSport S also comes with the same 1.5-litre diesel engine that churns out 100 PS and 205 Nm and it is known to be a strong performer and is quite fuel efficient too with figures hanging around 16-18 km/l.
The EcoSport S really feels at home on the smooth tarmac
Driving Dynamics – The steering on the EcoSport S gives very good feedback and the car remains fairly composed on corners though there is some understeer if you push it too hard. The suspension is very stiff and because of this the ride feels super bumpy no matter what speed you’re driving at. The 17-inch wheels with low profile tyres may not offer the best comfort but they have amazing grip and even the braking performance is brilliant.
The EcoSport S is loaded with a ton of safety tech
Safety and After Sales Service – The 2018 Ford EcoSport S gets 6-airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, Hill Launch Assist and Electronic Brake Assist and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard. In terms of after sales, the American automaker has a wide reach across the country and off lately has been emphasising on low cost of maintenance. For instance, the fifth year cost of service for the EcoSport is as low as Rs. 3675/-.
The EcoSport S is definitely an enthusiast’s car
Verdict – Ford is charging a premium of approximately Rs. 85,000/- for the S variants and honestly, I feel that the EcoSport S makes a lot of sense for someone who wants a quick petrol car that also offers an engaging driving experience because the EcoBoost engine is definitely better than the regular Dragon petrol engine. For someone who wants only a diesel car, even the regular Titanium+ variant should do fine because the S gets just cosmetic enhancements and a couple of extra features and if you really want the sunroof, you get the Signature trim too.
The MID display is larger than the standard EcoSport’s and gets a tyre pressure monitoring system
What’s Cool
* Exteriors are sporty and premium
* The EcoBoost engine is refined and the gearbox is quick too
* Metal foot pedals add to the sporty appeal
What’s Not So Cool
* Stiffer suspension
For those looking for a practical compact SUV, the EcoSport S is also available in a diesel version
Further Reading –
2018 Ford EcoSport S Video Review
2017 Ford EcoSport Review
2017 Ford EcoSport Video Review
[wp-review id=”214488″]