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      Ford EcoSport : First Impression

      Aditya Chatterjee

      Aditya Chatterjee

      Opening

      The Ford EcoSport : First Impression

      If there is any vehicle in India which is the most anticipated in the real sense, It has to be the Ford EcoSport. The reason for that is Ford showed the vehicle at the 2012 Auto Expo in Delhi and it has been a long wait ever since.

      Recently, Ford in its attempt to tease people more with this compact SUV decided to keep the vehicle for public display in some of the popular shopping malls and let people have a firsthand experience of the look and feel of the vehicle.

      The EcoSport launch is well on time as claimed by Ford official as its delay is not a marketing gimmick but an outcome of a well devised strategy. All we know is the buzz generated around this suave SUV is enormous and people are really anxious on getting their hands on one. The EcoSport SUV will take on the likes of Renault Duster and Mahindra Quanto head on. Since it comes from a brand like Ford, expectations from the quality of interiors and trims would be a lot. Let’s find out more about this smart SUV in our first impression view.

      Appearance Exterior

      To begin with, the Ford EcoSport has looks ahead of its time and in India there would be no SUV rivaling it on the same lines as the EcoSport brings a fresh change in the otherwise mundane segment.

      The Ford Ecosport that was kept for display was in Mars Red which can also be seen in the premium Audi Q5. The EcoSport does not come as a throw it anywhere SUV but then it is more inclined to the urban contemporary SUV. It is a more of a Honda CRV of its segment. The EcoSport fits in the sub-compact SUV and naturally the benefits of the dimensions would be seen in the pricing as well.

      First thing that grabs attention is the open mouth radiator grille design. This one looks very similar to the one offered in the international Fiesta. Generous bling of the chrome is seen on the multi storey bars of the radiator grille. The Ford logo sits in between the cat eyes headlights which streak its way to the side panel.

      Not bulky but subtle flairs can be seen on the side wheel arches. The vehicle design has a very strong waist line with the hood flowing towards the A pillar and all the way to the roof line. Even the window line ascends towards the rear cluster and meets the extreme rear pillar.

      The wrap around rear tail lamps finishes the design in a very stylish way. Also embedded in the tail lamp is the handle to open the tail gate which is great. The rear tail gate mounted spare wheel adds to the aggressive styling and leaves a raw element in this urban looking SUV. When seen from the rear the wedges over the tail lamp bulges out but not in an obese way. Even the rear windshield has a floating design. The EcoSport may be positioned as a SUV but then it doesn’t look like one of those lazy SUVs. It looks like a tall hatch. The looks of the Ford EcoSport score heavily against the Renault Duster and Mahindra Quanto. We still wait for the vehicle to be on road for a more detailed street presence report.

      Appearance Interior

      Inside, the EcoSport apes the Fiesta heavily which is a good thing as the competition does not boast of exciting interior design and throws price point as a fair justification for it but the EcoSport interior design has been done very neatly.

      Premium and plush interior trims is what will really connect with the consumers of this segment. The upmarket feel of the design lines would be appreciated by all. The three spoked steering wheel offers controls to guide the music system as well as telephone options. Twin colour of black and Aluminum can be seen throughout the interiors.

      In the front row, the headroom and legroom is impressive. The driver position feels tall and the view from this point is very effective. The central console will keep reminding you of the Fiesta’s influence and is pleasant in nature. In the second row, the headroom is impressive due to the tall design but the legroom is decent. It can feel a bit cramped. The second row seats maxes out with 2 passengers and not more than that. The comfort of the seats was average as the cushioning needs more work.

      There are useful storage areas on the central console for the front and rear row passengers. The boot space as claimed by the company packs in a mini washing machine but then it looked decent for a mildly sized luggage.

      Ford | Ford EcoSport | EcoSport