Ford’s Urban Discovery!

Finally we have something that we have been waiting for since it made its first appearance in the Auto expo 2012 held in the capital. Calling it the most awaited or eagerly anticipated will be quite of an understatement since it is a lot more.  Some say it as neuvo ecosport and to some in Brazil it’s known as nuvo ecosport and it took almost 18 months for ford to Indianize it so that we can call it as The Ecosport.

First things first, it’s a spectacular looking masterpiece. The rectangular Audi inspired headlamps looks brilliant and certainly a lot of chrome is used on the front to add to its flamboyant character. At the back it looks even better with good proportions. The beauty to behold but that beauty is much more than skin deep. It has got 3 engine options two with petrol and one in diesel. As you steep in your senses feel nice due to plush interiors and upholstery quality. Centre console looks staggered with so many buttons but you get used to it pretty soon. Mind you, voice command system does recognize your voice (Indian Accent). Six air bags, cooled glove box, charging point in the rear, foldable seats makes up for the less boot space and extendable tray at the back makes a lot more sense than its competitors.  Microsoft sync system is another ace on practicality.  If the airbag deploys or the fuel tank gets cut off in a crash, Sync will automatically connect to 108, convey to the helpline your car’s longitude and latitude coordinates and allows you to talk to a person on the other side.

Talking about the ride quality of the diesel - it has got the perfect balance of comfort and fun, the response you get is quick and turbo comes in at low revs, in response to which steering command and the overall drivability of the car impresses you. And you don’t have to downshift again while overtaking. And you want to just hold on a while and cruise on highway, it’s comfortable as well.

But certainly the masterstroke comes in the form of pricing from Ford. The million dollar question – Will Ford end Renault’s dream run? We would say, with petrol starting as low as 5.59 Lac and diesel ranging from 6.69 Lac to 8.99 Lac, for top end it has got a huge field to play with. Certainly it will attract every buyer who is ready to spend between 5 to 10 Lac. It has got the fun of a Swift, ease of i20, strength of Vento, practicality of Dzire and Amaze, looks that could very well counter Verna and last but not the least everything Duster gives at a much higher price. The pricing was all possible due its under 4 meter body frame and economy of scale achieved by making Chennai the export hub.

We guess Ford has got everything right; it will take Ford to an altogether different league and will establish its name like never before. No doubt Ecosport is a breakthrough ‘discovery’ from Ford which would help establish itself as a forerunner in the challenging automobile space in the subcontinent.

(Author - Anshul Chawla - Is an automobile enthusiast who love and live cars! Can be ignited at anshul_chawla@live.com)