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Over the last few years, the small and compact SUV segments have seen a lot of action and there is definitely much more to come. Indian car buyers seem to be captivated by the sports utility body style, presumably for the mix of practicality and macho road presence that it offers. Though many of them may not be true-blue off-roaders, there is no denying the advantages offered by the SUV body style. There are now multiple options available in the ₹7 lakh to ₹15 lakh price range, and in both, the sub-four-metre to compact SUV segments. With its Ford DNA, the raised stance and seating position, and the rugged ‘spare-wheel on tailgate’ looks, the Ford EcoSport has been a popular choice in the sub-four-metre category
Ford launched the EcoSport in 2013 with three engine options, including the famous one-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine. With very low volumes for this powertrain, Ford later discontinued the variant. Now, with competition in the segment heating up and with customers looking for more choice, Ford is bringing back the EcoBoost engine with some modifications and paired with a new six-speed manual transmission.
Stylish variants
Coinciding with the return of the EcoBoost, Ford has chosen to bring new trim variants for the EcoSport, which only recently received a substantial facelift. Both the new variants, EcoSport S and EcoSport Signature Edition, get electrically operated sunroofs, in addition to a number of new design features for the exterior and the cabin. Meant to boost the exclusivity quotient, these top-of-the-line variants get additions such as chrome surrounds for the bonnet grille, new diamond-cut alloy wheels, black fog lamp bezels and matching colour accents on the dashboard, centre console and seat stitching.
Earlier this week, I test drove the new EcoSport S fitted with the new EcoBoost engine and six-speed tranny. I was heading away from Chennai on the East Coast Road and towards Pondicherry. The EcoSport S is now the top-spec model in the line-up and gets a few more premium features that are exclusive to this trim. New smoked HID headlamps (high-intensity discharge) with dark trim inserts and similarly dark bezels for the fog lamps, black painted contrast roof and roof rails are a few of the new elements. The whole blacked-out theme extends to the bonnet grille and the 17-inch ‘smoke’ alloys.
The test mule I was driving sported orange body paintwork, so the orange accents in the cabin and the contrast seat stitching seemed like a perfect match; the same accents are however standard for the EcoSport S irrespective of the body colour. The new model also gets the bigger 4.2-inch digital information display within the instrument cluster with the addition of a tyre pressure monitoring system (first in the segment). Also in the cabin is the eight-inch infotainment screen mounted right at the top of the centre stack. This crisp, high-res touchscreen display is also the control centre for Ford’s SYNC 3 connectivity system, which offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Performance
The EcoBoost engine from Ford is famous for its ability to offer a segment above level of performance while delivering the fuel efficiency of an engine in a size class below. The engine in the previous-gen EcoSport wasn’t delivering a significant improvement in mileage and was probably also weighed down by its higher price. The new EcoSport S now gets a similarly sized 999 cc, turbocharged, direct injection petrol engine, which also features variable valve timing for optimum fuel efficiency. Ford engineers claim that the secret formula to the EcoBoost’s performance is not so much the rather predictable coming together of the hardware, but the proprietary algorithms in the control software that makes them all work towards a peppier, yet greener performance.
On the road, the EcoBoost engine does feel very different in the new EcoSport S. There is a lot more torque and power available at lower levels. The 1.0l GTDi engine delivers a peak power of 125 PS and peak torque of 170 Nm. The engine also doesn’t quite sound like a three-pot, instead with a subdued growl, this EcoBoost mill can really be enjoyable to push all the way to the redline at about 6,500 rpm. Gear shifts in the new manual six-speed are clean and crisp, with only a hint of a rubbery edge. At lower rpms too, this new engine feels very unlike regular three-cylinder mills. There is more than the average level of torque available and nearly no annoying interference of knocking either. Ford claims a rated fuel efficiency number of 18.1 kmpl for the EcoBoost engine in the EcoSport S. During my two driving cycles, I got 11.1 kmpl and 7.7 kmpl (real-time mileage on the display), which I would venture to say is an improvement over the previous EcoBoost engine. The other parameters in handling and ride remain unchanged in the new EcoSport S compared to the other trim variants.
Bottomline
The overall build and cabin trim quality also remain the same as the current face-lifted EcoSport. The new S trim variant is also offered with the existing 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine. The EcoSport S with the EcoBoost engine is priced at ₹11.38 lakh and with the 1.5L diesel engine is priced at ₹11.89 lakh.
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