Ford Ecosport

Overview

The Ford EcoSport is Ford’s 5-door subcompact crossover SUV, originally developed under Ford's global product development in Brazil to service emerging markets in South America and Asia. Based on Ford’s global B2E platform that also underpins the popular Ford Fiesta, Imported as a CBU unit directly from Thailand, two trims levels are made available to the local market, the baseline Trend variant and the top-of-the-line Titanium with all the bells and whistle. Both variants are powered by the same 1.5 litre powertrain paired to a dual clutch automatic transmission.

History

The Ford EcoSport is a mini MPV originally made by the Brazilian Ford Motor Company since 2003 at the Camaçari plant. The second generation EcoSport was launched in 2012 and is also assembled at the new factory in Chennai, India. The second generation of the EcoSport is launched globally. Based on the 2011 Ford Fiesta B2E, it first appeared as a concept car at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2012 India, January 4, 2012 and then The Ford EcoSport was launched in the Philippines back in January 2014 for budget-conscious car buyers who want a flexible vehicle in a small package. In August 2018, Ford Philippines launched the refreshed version of the EcoSport.

Price

The Ford EcoSport price in the Philippines starts at P938,000.00. The lowest price is the Ford EcoSport 1.5 Trend MT, ranging all the way up to the Ford EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium AT priced at P1,190,000.00.

 Exterior

It is essentially a Ford Fiesta with a raised ride height and a chunkier exterior, designed primarily with affordability in mind and for markets where ground clearance could be a crucial factor. The front features a massive polygonal grille with three distinct horizontal slats, painted in black and accented by chrome trims. Black plastic claddings can be found in the front, side and the rear bumper, giving the car a rugged exterior.

The Titanium variants received chrome treatments on the grille and around the fog lamps housing while the Trend variant settle for silver trims and black plastic housing.Roof rails are standard across all variants, but the sunroof is exclusive only to the Titanium variant. Both variants come fitted with 16-inch allow wheels but with different designs.

The full-sized spare tyre housing mounted on the exterior of the tail gate is reminiscence of the old school design on the Perodua Kembara. And just like the Perodua, the tailgate opens horizontally as opposed to upwards, limiting rear access especially in tight spaces.

Although based on the Ford Fiesta, the Ford EcoSport is significantly longer (291 mm) and taller (186 mm) than the compact B segment hatchback. The wheelbase is also marginally longer by 30mm. 362 litre boot space is amongst the smallest between its rivals and pales in comparison to the Honda HR-V, the undisputed segment leader in terms of sheer size and packaging.  

Dimensions

Lighting

The trendy headlight design is also trendy through the adoption of LED headlights that are mounted upside down and resemble the letter L. To differentiate the EcoSport EcoBoost trim from the rest of the lineup, the HID Projector headlights have headlights.

Tyres

 Ford EcoSport tyre size of the Ambient and Trend variant measures 195/65 R15 and comes equipped with radial tubeless technology

Interior

The interior layout is almost similar to the one in the Ford Fiesta. Textured hard plastic is used extensively across the dashboard and the door panels, accented by silver trims and gloss black inserts. The Trend variant comes with black premium fabric upholstery while the Titanium variant adds black leather upholstery as well as leather wrapped multi-function steering and gear knob.

Interior storage is generous featuring front passenger under seat stowage, cooled glovebox and a sunglass holder. Originally designed as a left-hand-drive car, the hand brake is positioned next to the front passenger seat across from the cup holders, making it rather awkward to operate.

Knee room and head room is quite generous, but due to its narrow body, fitting three adult abreast comfortably may prove to be a struggle. Sunroof on the Titanium variant allows natural sunlight into the cabin, making the rather dark interior feels even more spacious.

Dashboard

In fact, we cannot compare the current dashboard design and the Ford EcoSport dashboard. The reason is, the dashboard design owned by Ford is quite luxurious in its day. All things are wrapped in luxurious materials wrapped in black and silver accents on the Head Unit panel. There are multiple receptacles at many points so you can put your keys, wallet or cell phone conveniently.

Space&practicality

Everything in the interior of the Ford EcoSport is designed to be comfortable for family needs. It can be observed that there are many features of containers and cable plugs to charge 12 Volt cellphones. the seats have adequate headroom and ample legroom. This is suspected because the posture of Americans who tend to be tall. The seats are also wrapped in quality leather and red stitching, giving it a sporty feel. The driver's seat is equipped with a Height Adjuster and a charger panel. Meanwhile, the rear seats, especially on the right side, are also pampered with 12 Volt Mobile chargers. Jumping into the steering wheel, you will be facilitated by the presence of the Tilt and Telescopic Steering features which make it easier for you to adjust the position of the steering wheel to suit your body posture. Not to mention, there is a multifunction button, namely audio settings. Of course, this is an ergonomic thing offered by Ford.

Boot

The luggage capacity itself has provided 362 Liters, which is enough to store family necessities. As for this one car, it also features a tray to minimize heat from the rear glass so that your luggage is well preserved. But unfortunately, when we wanted to increase the luggage capacity by folding the rear seats, we found that the seats could not be folded flat on the floor.

Features

Comfort features

Just like the Ford Fiesta, standard equipment includes the monochromatic multi-info centre display controlled using an old school Nokia style keypad on the centre console. It is connected to a 6-speaker audio system featuring Ford SYNC with Bluetooth connectivity and voice command.Titanium trim gets upgraded Electronic Automatic Temperature Control (EATC) air conditioning system, keyless entry with push-to-start, auto dimming rear view mirror, driver seat armrest and adjustable lumbar support.

Safety features

Standard safety features include Electronic Stablity Program (ESP), ABS with EBD, Traction Control, Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and Hill Launch Assist (HLA). The car structure also features side impact beams and collapsible steering column. Trend variant gets 2 airbags while the Titanium variant gets the full 7 airbags, scoring a total of 4 star in the Euro NCAP crash safety rating.

Infotainment features

The trending variants and below still retain the touchscreen infotainment system, but lack key features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but still have Bluetooth connectivity and On the other hand, the Head Unit panel also has a pretty old-school design. Even so, the panel is capable of operating audio via USB, AUX and AM/FM radio. The lower variant loses some of these features but in the end, the EcoSport is one of the most loaded crossovers in its class.

Powertrain Performance

Engine

Powering the front wheels is Ford’s 1.5 litre 4-cylinder naturally aspirated engine with Ti-VCT, developing 110 PS at 6300 RPM and 142 NM of torque from 4400 RPM. Unfortunately, the more efficient EcoBoost engine option like the ones sold in the UK is not made available in the local market.

Transmission

Power is sent to the front wheels via a PowerShift 6-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission. It promises convenience of an automatic transmission with the efficiency and performance of a manual transmission. However, the transmission fell short in terms of refinement, with noticeable jerking during stop-and-go traffic with hesitant gear shifts. Reliability has also proven to be an issue, prompting Ford to extend its transmission warranty after numerous complaints globally.

Riding&control

One of the advantages of American cars is the driving comfort in this car. The inside is sturdy with a material that is quite soft but doesn't look cheap. Convenience is the biggest advantage of this car. The suspension is soft and able to bulldoze bumpy roads without a hitch. It's a lot of fun taking this car on the road. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) feature is an important part of the enjoyment of controlling this car. ESP will work automatically to prevent understeer, thus making you safer when driving on wet roads or in the rainy season. 

As with most Fords, the seating position is really good. Despite its compact size, the raised ride height means that you will have a more commanding road presence. It is fitted with a MacPherson Strut up front and a twist beam at the rear. Although sitting on the same platform as the Ford Fiesta, it is nowhere near as comfortable or as dynamic as its hatchback counterparts.

Fuel consumption

The 1.5 L engine in the Ford EcoSport is one of the least economical engines in the segment considering its engine capacity with the low power output. Officially rated at 6.5 L/100 km, the fuel consumption is close to the 1.8 L Honda HR-V’s 6.6L/100km which has a higher engine capacity and produces significantly more power.

Conclusion

If you are a fan of the Ford Fiesta but has concerns about its space and practicality, then the Ford EcoSport is just the answer for you. The raised ride height with a high ground clearance makes the Ford EcoSport feels at home in the outback as well as in the cities. However, quirks such as the side opening rear tailgate and the external spare tyre may prove to be a hindrance. And you will be disappointed if you are expecting to find Ford’s legendary ride and handling in this subcompact crossover SUV.