2017 Ford EcoSport facelift: A closer look at new engine, design, prices, variants and more

Ford's EcoSport is the pioneer in India's compact SUV segment. Being the early bird, the EcoSport enjoyed fair sales and its success urged other carmakers to work on compact SUV model. Launched in 2013, the EcoSport's design is now outdated and the arrival of newcomers with younger look has prompted Ford to bring the new version.

On Thursday, Ford launched new EcoSport and let's find out what's on offer in the new package.

Design

Major rework on the SUV has been done at the front. The front fascia is a blend of bigger SUVs of Ford such as the Kuga and the Edge. It sports a one-piece hexagonal grille replacing the split grille. The new grille houses two horizontal chrome slats, while the headlamps, fog lamps and the front bumper have been tweaked. The side profile remains untouched barring new alloy wheels. At the rear, Asia-spec models retain the rear-mounted spare while global spec did away with it. The new EcoSport also rides on larger 17-inch alloy wheels in the top-spec trim.

Interior and features

The cabin is where you will appreciate changes. Even though the layout hasn't tweaked much, the vertically stacked touchscreen infotainment system alone brings much-needed freshness. It has been housed in the redesigned centre console and comes with Ford's SYNC3 support system compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In addition, the interior boasts of a new three-spoke steering wheel. The instrument cluster is more functional this time and Ford has incorporated an array of storage spaces all around the cabin. Ambient lighting, cruise control and a tyre pressure monitoring system on the top-spec model makes the SUV more premium.

Engine and transmission

Highlight under the hood is the all-new Dragon series petrol engine. The current 1.5-litre Ti-VCT has been replaced with the 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit. The new mill develops 123hp at 6,500rpm and 150Nm at 4,500rpm and can be mated to either a five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic.

The diesel mill, on the other hand, is the same four-cylinder turbodiesel which develops 99bhp and 205Nm. The transmission is a five-speed manual as standard.

Safety

All the variants of the new EcoSport come with two airbags at the front and ABS with EBD. The petrol-automatic model features paddle shifters, hill start assist, ESC and traction control. The top-spec Titanium+ trim also flaunts curtain airbags along with Isofix child-seat mounts at the rear.

Variants and price

Rivals

The new EcoSport locks horn against Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Mahindra TUV300 and the Tata Nexon. The Ford compact SUV will boast of petrol automatic option over its rivals.