It is a known fact that sales in the Indian car market are driven majorly by price sensitive buyers, who look for vehicles that are compact, fuel-efficient and most of all, affordable. For a long time now, sales in passenger car market in India has been driven by hatchbacks, which have a huge share. Auto makers like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, who dominate the passenger car segment, depend to a great extent on hatchbacks to drive sales. Some of the most popular cars in the Indian market are hatchbacks, such as Maruti Suzuki Alto 800, Hyundai i10, Ford Figo and Maruti Suzuki Swift. However, the ever changing dynamics of India's auto market ensure that new segments enjoy success as well. The year 2013 has been one of the toughest periods that the auto industry has ever faced due to the slow demand and financial crisis. Nevertheless, there have been a few silver linings in the dark clouds hanging over the Indian car market with one of them being the launch of the Ford EcoSport, a compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that has made a huge impact. The magnitude of the success of this car can determined by the fact that it has kept Ford India afloat during extremely tough conditions.
In the current market scenario, several industry experts have described the Ford EcoSport as one of the top cars available for sale in India. It can be easily said that the good performance of the Renault Duster paved the way for the Ford EcoSport's success. The Renault Duster, immediately after its introduction, became a runaway hit among buyers and industry experts, who appreciated the power, performance and efficiency of this compact SUV. However, the launch of the Ford EcoSport has taken the progress of the segment to another level, the result of which can be seen in future plans of other car makers. There is a whole list of reasons why the Ford EcoSport can be a good buy for anyone in the current scenario.
To begin with, the EcoSport has a refreshingly new look, which has played a huge role in its success. Many experts feel that the Ford EcoSport has everything in its design that the Duster lacked. It has a striking appearance that automatically catches the fancy of the onlooker. One of the most notable features about the looks of the EcoSport is its wide radiator grille with a thick chrome strip and a bold Ford insignia in the middle. Along with this, the large headlight cluster, that flanks the grille, adds to the stylish looks of this compact SUV. The styling and design of the EcoSport is certainly of the its most attractive aspects. SUVs are generally said to be huge in size, which sometimes is difficult to cope with in congested traffic conditions in the city. The Ford EcoSport, to the contrary, is a highly compact utility vehicle that is ideal for driving in a metropolitan city where car density is quite high and traffic jams happen frequently.
The Ford EcoSport comes in both diesel and petrol variants, which in turn are available in several trim levels, such as Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium (O). There are two petrol variants of this compact SUV, which are powered by 1.5-litre and 1.0-litre engines. The 1.5-litre petrol version of the EcoSport generates a power of around 110 bhp whereas the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine variant churns out 123 bhp of peak output. On the other hand, the Ford EcoSport diesel, equipped with a 1.5-litre powertrain produces peak output of 89 bhp.
Ford has included a number of technologically advanced features in the EcoSport, which add to the convenience and comfort of buyers. The SYNC function facilitates hands free phone calling, wireless music playback, emergency assist and text listening. This compact SUV also comes with a cooled glovebox, numerous storage compartments and large boot space.
Apart from the interiors, exteriors and performance of the EcoSport, there is one thing that really triggered the success of this utility vehicle, the pricing strategy adopted by Ford. During testing times when sales were dropping, Ford played a smart move by pricing this car aggressively. In fact, numerous experts believe that the affordability of the Ford EcoSport has been the defining reason for its success. Customers, in the modern day Indian car market, are looking for vehicles that offer a combination of style, performance and driveability at an affordable rate, something that the EcoSport has delivered without a doubt.
If one was to summarise the reasons that make the Ford EcoSport among the best cars to purchase in India right now, the list would be quite long. Factors like stylish design, compact exteriors, advanced technological features, suitability for city conditions, efficient engine, aggressive pricing and decent fuel economy have combined to make it one of the most viable vehicles in recent times.
