Ford EcoSport Review & Pictures

[1989rs500]

I will be interested in ES only if pricing is less than Dzire/Amaze, else it is not worth, no matter how one emphasises on high GC & 550 mm water wading. And forget car, do we even walk on road if there is 550 mm water with our amphibious legs ? Not to forget that cabin space in ES is far less than Dzire. As said before, if Ford is looking at Duster as its competition, it will fail miserably. Ford should rather look at Dzire, Amaze, Quanto, Rio & i20 as its competition.

## The 16" wheels & Microsoft Sync is available only in top end Titanium version, so no point in going ga-ga over it as it is not present across the range.

I totally disagree with you sir, i have comprehensively posted the reason for this in some of my posts a few pages back
1.)If ground clearance is not a priority for S class it is for some other buyer who likes the feel
2.)Looks i challenge all other brands except Volkswagen to make a car like Ecosport and it will be full of flaws dynamically,built quality wise, because Ford is globally the FWD cousin of BMW
3.)just look at the sheer design theme going on with the Ecosport, it looks fabulous and how come even an Amaze or i20 come close to the SUV looks, they are normal sedans and hatches Ecosport is a different creature, it will be the most distinctively styled car among the crowd
4.)The rear legroom of Ecosport is adequate its the best one can have for a car under 4m mark(shoulder room is the disappointment)
5.)Ecoboost is the worlds best petrol engine as of now and its an import as well
6.)Fords ride quality is legendary no way Honda or i20 can come close to it, i mean while taking curves at high speeds we need to be confident in the car right and nothing can beat Ford except other fords in that department(its stiffer than Duster though)
7.)The seats recline,there is SYNC as standard,the best Audio system,one of the best steering and gearbox,one of the quietest cabin in class,The best AC by a mile ahead of competition,60:40 split seats etc
I HAVE BEEN IN dEZIRE,Etios,Sail,i20, etc and i am sure that none of these cars will have the solid secure feeling that Ford provides because ford is built tough, Etios was horror for me, it was like a plastic car, SWift and Dzire was like rattling even with 35k kms on the odometer,i20 was a great car but handling was like a Tata Nano such horible steering and 0 steering precision and that spoiled the full image of car from top to bottom for me because on the highway i felt i20 would kill me if a cat suddenly jumped over and only the Ford classic was better than these cars, but Classic is getting too old and looks really dated, so except for the 5th passenger room Ecosport has no major flaws according to me so pricing between 7-11l on road is justified as far as i am concerned
Even the Honda Amaze i test dove a few weeks back, it was not worthy of Honda badge, engine was very noisy and unrefined and cabin insulation was very poor even Ford classic had better insulation, the beige interior looked good but it was like somehow over practical and the built was not what i expected from a honda but Ford didnt compromise Safety,built,dynamics,features,driver comfort,looks, etc even with this tallish appearance and i would appreciate Ford for their effort

S Class I absolutely agree with you. I guess its only me and you in this forums who are stating the price should be at Amaze/i20 level. only then it would be a hit.

Hii Anisin84 you are absolutely right, If Ecosport wants to be a phenomenal hit it needed to be priced in the price range as per by you, but if its priced higher too the product is descent enough unlike new Fiesta which is not justified whatever its price tag maybe

 

[1989rs500]

Re: First Drive: Ford Ecosport Test Drive Review

Ford EcoSport exhaustive road test report now on air. Thanks for reading the review.

Drive Safe,
350Z

hii this is doubt that creeps my mind as an enthusiast, How is Ford Ecosports steering in terms of feel precision etc, i found the steering of the VW polo the best in terms of directness for a car under 10 lakh with EPAS, so is Ecosports steering better or equal or worse than Polo, some reviews in some other website again quote that steering feel of Ecosports is not typical ford and they are complaining of feedback and weighing up which didnt really stack up to Ford standards, so between Polo and Ecosport which do you think has the better steering?

 

[Raja]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

@ 1989rs500
Are you sure SYNC is across the range in the ES ?

 

[GM88]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

Yes SYNC is available on every variant. And I beg to say some members keep reporting stuff with either half knowledge or without any prior research here. Please stop misleading others. Get your facts right first. SYNC feature is available across the range.

I totally agree with 1989rs500. If someone feels he would rather buy a Dzire or Amaze for the same amount of money. I would say "Hello Mr. , wake up and stop dreaming. " First of all Ecosport will be anyways priced above the two ugly ducklings(sorry for those words, but that's the harsh reality). I would readily pay 2 Lacs more sheer for the looks of the car even if Dzire and Ecosport came from the same manufacturer with same engine,even the same A.S.S. and everything. But this car comes with even better set of Engines(Wold engine of the year too), better ride and handling, better features,looks,ground clearance and add a few more and the price will surely start going northwards than few have been comparing it to.

Just have a look at this thing.


And then have a look at this



Although going a little Seeing this I think I have self-answered a question which keeps coming in my head, as to why on earth do some people fall for ugly looking chics. Happened to my best friend, and I keep irritating him about the same.

Now coming to the Ecosport,

1. Ford hasn't compromised over any of the safety features and this car will be filled with all types of techs and gizmos. Class leading safety features - Emergency Assist, ABS, EBD, Option of 2 & 6 Airbags. Hill assist on the AT.

2. SYNC feature with in built voice commands are a segment first. Its far more advanced than the one on the Fiesta.

3. Amazing ride and handling which comes inherent in a Ford. Can vouch for it as I have had 2 Ford's in our garage over a span of 7 years. I am infact a little happy that Ford engineers have tuned the steering to a slightly Lighter side as compared to the likes of Global Fiesta. I have got the best of both worlds in my garage when it comes to the steering feedback, The Fiesta Classic is as precise as it gets out on the highways, though it feels a tad heavier than my liking in city runs, the Hyundai Fluidic Verna's sterring is as bizarre as it can get. Totally lifeless out on highways and gives you a little nervousness about the ride, in city its a child's play to swing this car around. Volkswagen Polo which happens to be my daily ride, is the best I feel. It's steering is light and peppy at low city speeds and weight's up just about right out on the highway(Fiesta owners will disagree with me here, so does my Dad). If the Ecosport, is tuned somewhat like that, I am sure it is a kind of win win situation along with the amazing ride and handling package.

4. Looks - the sheer looks of this car is phenomenal and unique. Happened to see it for the first time on road today in Chandigarh, it was one of the Urban Discovery Challenge team one going past me. And one word comes to my mind, it was a Looker in that Mars Red color. Comparing it with the likes of Dzire is just not right. That car is a design disaster in today's age of automobile designing. Still astonishes me that car sells close to 20k every month. Haha ugly chics come to my mind again.

5. If people start comparing size vis size and that to from hatchbacks to the few wannabe sedans like they have been doing it since this car too undercuts the 4 meter mark , then please go ahead. But overall designing wise, its a brilliant overall package.

6. Ground clearance of 200mm will be its USP. That would be really handy on our Indian roads. Small amounts of soft off-roading capabilities are very much welcomed.

7. Built quality from what i have been hearing is superb. The boron steel used and the thick metal sheets should be anyday better than the metal sheets used by Japanese manufacturers in their cars.

8. I am happy that Ford is providing us with the black and grey dash. I am no fan of the Beige interiors. They do look lively, but maintaining them is a real pain in our Indian conditions. Black looks sporty, and with that red stitching on the leather upholstery it just adds to the sportiness.

9. Comfort wise I guess if 5 on board is a priority, then people should look at cars like the Nissan Sunny or Tata Manza/Vista for the acres of space they provide. Heck I feel uncomfortable in the backseat of any of my 3 cars(Polo,Verna,Fiesta Classic) if there are 5 on board and I am sitting in the rear. Duster can seat 5 in comfort too, not Swift,i20,Dzire,Polo.

This car is in direct competition to the Renault Duster and Mahindra Quanto (Another design disaster).

Only negatives I feel for this car are a smaller boot size as compared to the Duster and seating of 4 comfortably as compared to 5 in the Duster. Rest its ahead in fit and finish,built quality,ride is comparable, handling would be better in the Ecosport and the tonnes of gizmos and safety features will be add ons. Pricing it around 1-1.5Lacs cheaper than the Duster will hold the key.

Though for some reasons I can already see a few members crying whenever the Ecosport's prices will be revealed. But for me a starting price of 7.4Lacs for base diesel will be an excellent pricing. Anything lesser than that, Kudos to Ford!

P.S. - References made specially those ugly chics one are just to add some amount of humor. Nothing personal intended.

 

[raj_5004]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

Just because a car is under 4m in length, it should not be compared to all the budget sedans in the market!

Ford may have reduced the length to avail the excise benefits, but that does not make the ES a "budget car" like the Amaze and Swift Dzire. Infact, the ES looks atleast 2 generations ahead of all the budget sedans in our market.

Be it features, performance, ride, safety, etc... the ES just trumps all the budget cars and it is weird to compare them both.

 

[1989rs500]

@ 1989rs500
Are you sure SYNC is across the range in the ES ?

As far as i know SYNC is standard for all Ecosports and it has development module as well which means the software is a free source for developers, so if someone does some great applications for Microsoft SYNC that application can be installed in Ecosport as well, its like an android software where updates can be installed, how cool is that!

Yes SYNC is available on every variant. And I beg to say some members keep reporting stuff with either half knowledge or without any prior research here. Please stop misleading others. Get your facts right first. SYNC feature is available across the range.
................

GM88 I am happy to see people like you in the post, I really liked your point on biege interior where one of my friends Ford Classic Titanium biege interior was biege when i saw it with odometer around 4000 kms and turned brown and some ugly colours at some regions of seats after 26000 kms and i believe black and gray can mask them well
Also your Polo s steering comparison, thats one i was waiting to hear about, i dove polo and fabia and fabia had a slightly better steering than Fabia as per me, but you told the right thing, polo dosent have the best electric steering in the class but i believe Ecosport with Polo like steering will be a GRAND SUCCESS
Also one note to make regarding gearshift, fords gearshift wont be butter smooth if not driven by one person, if more than person drive it, it feels a bit clunky

 

[vicky90]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

@GM 88
To make your point clear I would like to add SYNC will be avalable in Titanium and Titanium Options pack Variants of all Engine types ( 1L fox, 1.5 P, 1.5 D, 1.5 P (AT) )

 

[manojodungat]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

While Ford India continues to play hide and seek with Ecosport, autojunction says the launch is on the 11th June.

As far as SYNC Infotainment System is concerned, my logic says, it isn’t going to be available in ALL variants. In China specific Ecosport, both Sunroof and SYNC are only available in Titanium variants.

As India specific Ecosport is already devoid of Sunroof and those classy LEDs, it is hard for me to expect Ford to incorporate SYNC across all variants.

 

[Raja]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

Yes SYNC is available on every variant. And I beg to say some members keep reporting stuff with either half knowledge or without any prior research here. Please stop misleading others. Get your facts right first. SYNC feature is available across the range.




P.S. - References made specially those ugly chics one are just to add some amount of humor. Nothing personal intended.

Iam confused because some said sync is only in top models . Rest all your analysis +100. And for gods sake pls don't compare the ES with dezire

Just because a car is under 4m in length, it should not be compared to all the budget sedans in the market!

Ford may have reduced the length to avail the excise benefits, but that does not make the ES a "budget car" like the Amaze and Swift Dzire. Infact, the ES looks atleast 2 generations ahead of all the budget sedans in our market.

Be it features, performance, ride, safety, etc... the ES just trumps all the budget cars and it is weird to compare them both.

+100

As far as i know SYNC is standard for all Ecosports and it has development module as well which means the software is a free source for developers, so if someone does some great applications for Microsoft SYNC that application can be installed in Ecosport as well, its like an android software where updates can be installed, how cool is that!

Do we have any specification sheet from ford confirming this , because I was told by a ford dealer it will be only in top models ,hence the confusion .

@GM 88
To make your point clear I would like to add SYNC will be avalable in Titanium and Titanium Options pack Variants of all Engine types ( 1L fox, 1.5 P, 1.5 D, 1.5 P (AT) )

See here is the confusion.

While Ford India continues to play hide and seek with Ecosport, autojunction says the launch is on the 11th June.

As far as SYNC Infotainment System is concerned, my logic says, it isn’t going to be available in ALL variants. In China specific Ecosport, both Sunroof and SYNC are only available in Titanium variants.

As India specific Ecosport is already devoid of Sunroof and those classy LEDs, it is hard for me to expect Ford to incorporate SYNC across all variants.

Sun roof and all that would have escalated the price I think so ford choose to avoid it . Don't know about the exact date but June is sure that they will launch the car .

 

[vicky90]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

@Raja I am 100% sure about it. Hopefully they will launch the car on 11 June . Having my cheque book ready for it

 

[Raja]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

@Raja I am 100% sure about it. Hopefully they will launch the car on 11 June . Having my cheque book ready for it

100% sure about ? Sync in only top models ?

 

[vicky90]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

Ya I am cent percent sure about SYNC coming only in top end variants.

 

[GM88]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

Ford officials handling the Ecosport facebook page on 17th May had replied to a query saying that the SYNC feature will be available on all variants. Here is the picture of the same. I don't know if they are confusing with all the engine options or the various variants. Even I was of the opinion that Ambiente variant won't be getting the SYNC feature, but going by this post, it should be there on all variants.

 

[Raja]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

Ford officials handling the Ecosport facebook page on 17th May had replied to a query saying that the SYNC feature will be available on all variants. Here is the picture of the same. I don't know if they are confusing with all the engine options or the various variants. Even I was of the opinion that Ambiente variant won't be getting the SYNC feature, but going by this post, it should be there on all variants.


View attachment 92839

Thanx for sharing ." Kanoon saboot mangta hain " and you provided

Now even if they don't provide by any chance , its ford which has to be blamed for wrong communication .
You stand correct . Thanx for the effort .

 

[manojodungat]

Re: First Drive: Ford EcoSport Test Drive Review

While Ford India continues to play hide and seek with Ecosport, autojunction says the launch is on the 11th June.

As far as SYNC Infotainment System is concerned, my logic says, it isn’t going to be available in ALL variants. In China specific Ecosport, both Sunroof and SYNC are only available in Titanium variants.

As India specific Ecosport is already devoid of Sunroof and those classy LEDs, it is hard for me to expect Ford to incorporate SYNC across all variants.

Ford officials handling the Ecosport facebook page on 17th May had replied to a query saying that the SYNC feature will be available on all variants. Here is the picture of the same. I don't know if they are confusing with all the engine options or the various variants. Even I was of the opinion that Ambiente variant won't be getting the SYNC feature, but going by this post, it should be there on all variants.

View attachment 92839

Oops.
Thanks for the information.