Ford EcoSport was launched in India amidst great hype and since then, the company has been receiving high bookings for this compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). The demand of this aggressively priced SUV went way higher than supply due to which the waiting period was as high as twelve months. The latest offering in India by the American car maker affected the sales of its arch rival Renault Duster in a negative manner due its budget friendly price tag. According to a recent development, the American company will get away with a few features for its Titanium variant.
Ford EcoSport's Titanium model is said to have become costlier because of the pitiable condition of the Indian economy. When first launched, the cost came with the tag of 'introductory price' and this hike shouldn't come across as a shock, according to industry experts. Apparently, the company officials have stated that the high input costs and falling Indian rupee has compelled the company to take such an action.
As per reports, the high end version of this SUV, Titanium, will lose two key features- push button start and keyless entry. These two features would now be found only in Titanium Option Pack variant. The firm says that these changes have been brought in so as to portray a clear difference between the two variants, Titanium and Titanium Option Pack trim levels. The difference in between the pricing of these two models happens to be Rs. 15,000.
EcoSport has emerged as one of the most successful cars of the compact SUV segment in the Indian market, helping the company to reach greater heights. But this price hike has given a new set of problems for all those people who had booked it prior to the hike. Such customers are left with just two problems, either to cancel the booking and subsequently lose on to the booking amount in lieu of cancellation rates or shelve out some extra money so as to make the payment as per the new price. In any case, the customers will be at a loss with this recent price hike.
Ford EcoSport is equipped with 1.5-litre petrol engine that is similar to the one in Fiesta. Another version of this SUV is powered by the Ford EcoBoost 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which has generated a lot of hype. The 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine is another variant of this car that is quite popular among customers. This SUV is being sold in four trim levels, namely Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium Plus. There is an option of 1 Litre EcoBoost turbocharged petrol and 1.5 Litre Ti-VCT petrol engine along with the features of six speed PowerShift dual clutch automatic transmission in the Titanium variant of this model.
The 1.5 Litre Ti-VCT petrol engine delivers an output of 110 bhp and peak torque of 140 rpm. The 1.0-litre petrol version delivers a mileage of 16 kmpl whereas the diesel engine gives about 18 kmpl. On the exterior front, the EcoSport has a refreshing appeal and has key features like rear spoiler, chrome roof rails and body coloured bumper with chrome air-dam. The sporty looks, fuel efficiency and economical pricing made this Sport Utility Vehicle a hit among the buyers but whether the recent price hike affects the sales or not, only time will tell.
