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The petrol engine on the EcoSport is more powerful and offers better driveability
Performance – The Ford EcoSport comes with a 1.5-litre petrol engine while the Nexon gets a 1.2-litre mill. The engine on the EcoSport has more power than that of the Nexon while torque is a bit lesser. Both the powertrains are 3-cylinder units but are pretty much refined. The EcoSport petrol has very good driveability and the engine is also free-revving while the Nexon’s petrol powerplant has a very poor low-end and the mid-range isn’t all that responsive too. It needs to be revved all the time to extract the maximum output. This results in poor driveability, especially in the city. Fuel efficiency isn’t very high and the Nexon gives around 9-10 km/l in the city while the EcoSport is slightly better at around 11-12 km/l.
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Tata is soon going to launch AMT versions of the Nexon petrol and diesel
Fuel efficiency is equally good on both cars here, only Ford offers an automatic transmission option for now
The EcoSport petrol has 2 gearbox options – 5-speed manual and 6-speed torque converter instead of the older DCT. The manual gearbox isn’t all that slick on either of the car and the clutch is fairly light while the torque converter on the Ford is also a good choice for someone who wants convenience. It isn’t meant for a sporty drive but offers adequately quick gear shifts and there’s no lag as such. The AT also gets a manual mode.
Both these compact SUVs get 1.5-litre diesel engines. Tata’s engine is all-new and it provides pretty good driveability with a powerful mid-range but it isn’t as exciting an engine as Ford’s TDCI unit which is just a beast and accelerates in a wild manner. The Nexon’s turbo lag feels a bit more pronounced than that on the EcoSport. The Nexon gets different driving modes which alter the power delivery and the car feels best in Sport mode on highways, while City mode is good enough for regular usage. Eco mode robs the car of a lot of power. The Nexon’s clutch is lighter than the one on the EcoSport but the EcoSport’s gear lever gives out more feedback. Fuel efficiency is similar for both cars, ranging from 14-16 km/l in the city and going all the way to 19 km/l on the highways.
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The Nexon’s ride quality is no match for the EcoSport
Driving Dynamics – When it comes to ride quality, Tata Motors is hard to beat and the Nexon is very comfortable with its supple ride with its dual path suspension. The EcoSport now comes with a softened suspension but the ride is still on the stiffer side. What is surprising is that the Ford now comes with 17-inch low profile tyres which add to the stiffness of the ride.
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Staying true to Ford’s genes, the EcoSport is the most fun-to-drive car here
Both the cars have good steering but the wheel on the EcoSport gives out a bit more feedback but is very light otherwise, even at high speeds. In comparison, the Nexon has a light steering but it has been tuned to weigh up as speeds gather. The EcoSport also feels pretty easy to drive around. Braking performance is very good on both these offerings, but the brakes on the EcoSport are a tad better than the Nexon.
