Since Indian buyers are more inclined towards buying compact Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), the rising demand led to more and more car manufacturers entering the fabled segment. Major car makers like Ford, Mahindra & Mahindra and Renault have already stemmed their presence in the segment while things have been tough for Indian brand Premier, which has Rio compact SUV to its credit. The car of Indian home grown company has not performed as per the expectations of analysts whereas Ford EcoSport has made serious inroads in the country till now. So to assess the competition between the two, an assessment has been made.
Talking about the engine and performance of both the vehicles, Ford EcoSport is offered in three engine options that comprise 1.0-litre EcoBoost, 1.5-litre TiVCT and 1.5-litre TDCi. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine gives away 123 bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque whereas 1.5-litre TiVCT powertrain generates 110 bhp of power and 140 Nm of torque. On the other hand, the 1.5-litre TDCi has an ability to churn out 89 bhp of power alongside 204 Nm of torque. In case of Premier Rio, three engine options are present with 1.2-litre MPFI, 1.5-litre turbo diesel and 1.3-litre CRDi4. The petrol version of Rio generates 76.6 bhp of power while the 1.5-litre diesel unit gives away 64.8 bhp. The other CRDi4 has an ability to produce 72 bhp of power. So clearly, the car of Ford leads its counterpart in terms of engine and performance.
Coming to appearance, Premier Rio has recently undergone a facelift which makes it certainly more good looking as it was earlier. However, Ford EcoSport looks sportier and edgy, owing to its intimidating design characterised by bigger front grille and aerodynamic rear spoiler. The ground clearance of both the vehicles is same at 200 mm. However, the EcoSport boasts of water wading height of 550 mm. The compact SUV of Premier appears more like of conventional SUVs having definitive design. With its attractive appearance, Ford EcoSport maintains its supremacy over Premier Rio.
In terms of interiors, both vehicles feature ample space that is required for seating 5 people with ease. The interiors of Rio combine simplicity and comfort as no clutter of buttons is present on the instrument console. On the other hand, the cabin of Ford EcoSport exudes style and practicality. The dual tone of black and silver colour gives an edge to EcoSport's cabin over Premier Rio. Also to mention, the ice blue illumination light of the instrument panel of EcoSport gives it a premium feel. For pricing, the car is placed from Rs. 5.82 lakh which further goes up till Rs. 9.37 lakh for the top-spec trim. While Premier has positioned Rio from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 7.24 lakh (all prices are ex-showroom). Although the car of Premier is priced aggressively as compared to Ford EcoSport, it still does not match the standards set by its rival.
