It’s got the right profile, the right size, the right attitude and the right credentials; but does the EcoSport have the right stuff?
Then, finally, salvation. A couple of speed breakers, a toll plaza, and
beyond it open roads. It’s a sight for sore eyes alright – perfectly
paved elevated road, perfectly marked wide lanes, long sweeping corners
and gently banked sections, all rolled nicely into the mix. Time to
loosen the reins on the 1.6-litre motor and see what the EcoSport is
really like. First impressions are quite good. There’s enough torque in
the mid-range to get the relatively light 1243kg EcoSport moving quite
effortlessly, the speedo needle climbs past 110kph easily and speed
continues to build as
I keep my foot down, the motor pulling hard quite happily. The road
ahead is empty, so soon the speedo is up to 140 and climbing.
Then, out of the blue, an 18-wheeler decides to change lanes on a whim.
I feel right at home; must be an Indian trucker. I get sharply on the
brakes in a straight line, bleed a lot of speed and steer smoothly into
the next lane. The Ford executes the change of track without a hiccup.
Yes, I know this car’s based on the Fiesta and that automatically means
good driving manners, but this is something else. The rest of the
expressway is traversed without incident, the Ford holding on to high
speeds as easily as a low-slung saloon. Wind noise is well contained,
the roar from the tyres is pretty subdued, despite the big lugs in the
rubber, and the kilometres just fly. Soon we are at our exit. Time for
some smaller roads and some corners.
As luck would have it, the road is a dream. Strung between sections of low-lying hillocks, it dips and rises, has both tight sections and free-flowing corners, and seems just perfect. I start slow; this is an SUV after all and there will be some amount of body roll. Ten minutes into said road, however, I’m left scratching my head. Sure I’m going easy, but the EcoSport just doesn’t roll like something with its belly floating 200mm above the tarmac should. As on the Fiesta, the steering is both light and feelsome, I love the fact that there is zero slack and this, together with the good body control and beautifully weighted brakes, makes this car an absolute joy to drive, even at a slightly relaxed pace. The light but very accurate gearbox is super slick, it’s a pleasure to use and the best bit is that it doesn’t mind being hurried too much either.
Inevitably the pace increases. I use more of the 115bhp on offer and
carry more speed into corners. But even though I’m pushing the EcoSport
much harder, there’s still no loss of composure, not much body roll and
not too much dive from the suspension. And the message from the steering
wheel is clear: ‘there’s plenty more grip, please push on’. And I do.
The front tyres are now scrambling for grip on the way into corners, the
EcoSport skating mildly over the road. And though there’s a bit of roll
and yaw on the way out, the steering keeps chattering, giving me
confidence all the time. It just feels special.
Eventually we get to a place where we can shoot. Time to stop, pull out
the cameras and admire the car; give that
just-rolled-out-of-the-motor-show look a once-over. And is there any
doubt that, in the flesh, out in the real world, Ford’s EcoSport looks
just insane? We’re used to seeing outlandish and futuristic designs
under the arc lights at car shows, and in that setting they don’t stand
out as much. But seeing the EcoSport on the road, barely altered from
the concept car revealed at the Auto Expo less than a year ago, comes as
something of a shock.
What sets the eyebrows floating, of course, is that
massive, open-mouthed grille. To give it a very different feel from the
Fiesta, the high bonnet line, machine gun pod-like fog lights and
heavily raked windscreen make the EcoSport look even more radical. The
slot-like headlights add further aggression, the flared wheel arches
give it a well-planted look and the rising beltline makes it look tipped
forward. Neutral grey cladding runs around the bottom of the car, the
16-inch alloys are reasonably large and Ford has done a good job with
the rear of the car as well. The C pillar and wraparound rear windscreen
mesh together well, the rear door handle is set in the tail-light and
the rear-mounted spare wheel is well integrated too. The placement of
the spare wheel, however, is key; it will help the EcoSport duck under
four metres; vital if Ford wants the small car excise benefit in India.
If you’ve spent time in the new Fiesta, you will be familiar with
this car’s interiors. Stepping into the cabin is quite easy because the
car is just the right height, there’s plenty of legroom for tall drivers
due to the higher seating position, and the cabin does feel slightly
airier in the front. The funky ‘wedgy’ styling works well here too. The
EcoSport’s dash is actually even more angular than the Fiesta’s. The
triangular vents are larger than the saloon’s, the gear lever is set
lower down, and though this car didn’t come with digital climate
control, we should get it in India. The digital ‘command centre’ on the
centre console is just as interesting and fun to use. Plastic quality
also seems to be slightly improved from the Fiesta. The material
covering the dash looks much improved, the build and quality of the
steering is fantastic and the leather seats on this car help lift the
ambience of the cabin. Another nice touch is the padded door pads,
especially if you happen to knock your elbow on the armrest.
The rear door is slightly smaller than the front, and as a result
ingress isn’t as easy. Passengers in the rear seats, however, have
sufficient legroom to be comfortable. There’s ◊ ∆ plenty of space for
your feet under the front seats and, though the seating position is a
bit upright, comfort is pretty good. But this is still a compact SUV, so
don’t expect acres of legroom, or a particularly airy cabin. You are
sat higher than in the front seat, so visibility out isn’t too bad, and
you can adjust the backrest, but the Duster still has more space in the
rear.
The car I was testing didn’t have all the kit on it, but EcoSports
can be specified with stuff like climate control, keyless entry,
rain-sensing wipers and automatic headlights. Boot space is at a premium
though – 362 litres, which is not much more than some large hatches,
and the opening is narrow too. You can, however, flip the seats to
increase boot space. Also disappointing is the fit of the rear door.
There’s quite a gap where the door meets the rear fender, and it looks
unsightly from some angles.
On the way back to Sao Paulo, I get to experience the EcoSport in
less extreme traffic over some back roads, similar to our own; roads
with plenty of potholes and ridges. The EcoSport’s sporty suspension
setup felt too stiff here. While smaller bumps are absorbed with just a
shimmy, larger craters register as thuds and upset the composure of the
car. Ford, as ever, needs to find a good compromise between comfort and
grip for India, but they’ve always done a stellar job, so we assume they
will get it right on the EcoSport too.
The first-generation EcoSport was a car designed and engineered in
Brazil for Brazil. This new car, however, will be exported all over the
world, with India being one of the first markets to get the car. It’s no
surprise – the appeal of the car is just massive. Very attractive to
look at, fantastic to drive, comfortable, sufficiently spacious on the
inside, well equipped and just the right size for city streets, the
EcoSport is just the kind of car Indian customers want. The Renault
Duster has recently proved just that. Equipped with a 1.5 diesel for
India, a modern direct-injection turbo petrol motor (the 123bhp
1.0-litre EcoBoost) and even the option of a twin-clutch gearbox, the
EcoSport has the potential, if priced somewhere in the region of Rs 6-8
lakh, to be the most successful Ford ever sold in India. Let’s hope Ford
gets it right.
Fact File
Engine
| Installation | Front, transverse |
| Type | 4-cyls 1596cc petrol |
| Power | 113bhp at 6000rpm |
| Torque | 15.9kgm at 4250rpm |
Transmission
| Gearbox | 5-speed manual |
Dimensions
| Length | 4250mm |
| Width | 2060mm |
| Height | 1670mm |
| Wheel base | 2520mm |
| Boot volume | 362 litres |
| Ground clearance | 1243kg |
Chassis & Body
| Tyres | 205/60R16 |
Steering
| Type of power assist | Electric |
Performance
| 0-100 | 11.9 sec* |
Economy
| Tank size | 52 litres |
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete