Ford EcoSport Caught testing again

Ford has gone the bolder way to test the upcoming EcoSport. Instead of covering it with badges and using marking tapes the American car maker seems to show the full and make a loud noise which we feel is : Guys wait for me, I am coming very soon, So don’t go and just buy a SUV, Buy the All New Ford EcoSport.

Like the previous scoops, The EcoSport is undisguised without any body cover to hide the design. It is amply clear that ford has nothing to hide and though the launch date is not announced as of yet we expect the launch to happen soon, maybe during the festive season.

The spy pics reveal the muscular design of the Ecosport. We have already described the design of the car in our previous post so I will only stress on the other details. Interestingly the car spied was the top of the line Titanium variant. One of the striking features is the stunning looking alloy wheels. The spare wheel too unlike most cars has alloys. The rear gets a black colour bumper with built in reflectors. The tailgate is quite low so loading luggage will be easy. The rear gets a spoiler with built in brake lights.

The car also gets roof rails. The ORVM get side turn indicators and we expect them to be electrically retractable like the one on the fiesta. A surprising omission is the lack of Fog lamps, but we expect the car, at least the top end to get fog lamps during the launch.

The interior of the EcoSport seem to be inspired from the Fiesta Global sedan on which it is based. The steering wheel as one can see is directly lifted from the Fiesta. The interior design will be similar and we expect the EcoSport to share parts such as power window switches, nobs and stalks with the Fiesta. The Central console will have a multi information display like the one found on the fiesta and similar arrangement for the different controls like audio, bluetooth, Air con etc. The Voice command feature from the fiesta too is likely to be carried over to the EcoSport.

The EcoSport will get the Award winning 1 litre 3-cylinder turbocharged Ecoboost petrol engine which recently won the International engine of the year award. Giving it company will be the familiar 1.5 ltr diesel engine from the fiesta.

The EcoSport will compete with the Renault Duster in the compact SUV segment. This segment is very important for car makers as these cars offer high seating position with good ground clearance like the Larger SUVs which is what SUV buyer’s desire.

At the same time compact dimension make manoeuvring the car easy. There is good space on offer and add to that good boot space, frugal engines and the premium hatchbacks will have more than one reason to get worried. The sedans too might find their going tough as the compact SUVs will offer good space, comfortable seating, good performance, plush interiors and ride and handling too will be car like. This segment is surely here to stay and The Ecosport has the potential of being a game changer for Ford in India.

Image Source: ACI

About Viraj Nayak 69 Articles
An automobile enthusiast and avid follower of Formula 1, Viraj is an graduate from Goa College of Engineering and presently lives in Goa. His other interest include driving, traveling, photography, quizzing and cricket. Favorite cars are RR Phantom and BMW X5.