Taking over from Ford’s much loved hatchback the Figo, the EcoSport has been christened as India’s most awarded passenger vehicle ever with 30 awards to its name. The EcoSport has been an exceptionally lucrative product for Ford India, with the compact SUVs demand outrunning its supply. MotorBeam’s SUV of the year for 2013, the EcoSport managed to please its passengers with smart ergonomics, powerful engine options and compact external dimensions.
The Ford EcoSport tapped into the sub-4 metre SUV segment offering a whole lot more to offer at a lower price point. With India’s love for SUVs, the EcoSport is the most preferred candidate to opt for with lower running costs and an SUV body shell. The EcoSport is powered by the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine producing 125 PS of power and 170 Nm of torque. The 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine on the other hand produces 91 PS of power and 204 Nm of torque. You also get a 1.5-litre petrol engine producing 112 PS of power and 140 Nm of torque for the base variant. All engines are mated to a 5-speed manual as standard but the 1.5-litre petrol comes with an option of a 6-speed PowerShift automatic transmission.
Ford also offers a host of features like the SYNC connect, hill launch assist, keyless entry, ABS, EBD, six airbags and much more on the compact SUV. The success of the EcoSport comes at a time when manufacturers are finding it difficult to push their products out of the showrooms. This only goes forward to showcase the capability of the product. With extensive delivery delays, hiked prices and a small scale recall as well in the past, the compact SUV had its fare share of issues too but has still managed to emerge as a competent product. Even with other manufacturers gearing up to launch sub 4-metre compact SUVs, the EcoSport is definitely here to stay and won’t be so easy to bring down.
