Had owned a Duster 110 RXL for 9 months & 20K kms and now awaiting delivery of Ecosport D TITANIUM OPTION in a couple of days, here’s my take on both the Vehicles (Opinions on Ecosport is purely based on the Two test drives I had undertaken)
Duster Good Points:
- Unshakable at any speed, No pitching and Bobbing at all
- Terrific mid-range punch and Refined Engine
- Butch Looks
- Usable GC
- 6 speed gearbox
- Nice Boot Space and neat parcel tray with additional Charging point
- Rear seat width
- Great mileage at steady speeds of around 90 kph, Got 17-18 kpl as per MID
- Good braking
- Top marks for MRF wanderers for Good Grip levels and braking
Duster Negatives, Niggles & Irritants
- Hard and non-progressive clutch
- Poor interior design and Hard Plastics doesn’t make cabin a really nice place to be in, never liked the interiors right from day one
- No Climate Control & AC couldn’t cope with peak South Indian Summer
- Poorly kitted and Down on Safety Kit, No Airbags & ESP
- Doesn’t Have Alloys wheels for a car costing Rs.12.6 Lacs On Road in A.P
- Ride comfort not as good in Non Alloy wheel versions due to greater Unsprung weight
- Poor front seat lower back support
- Tiring on long non-stop journeys due to not so comfortable seats, heavy clutch and constant wind noise.
- Turbo lag below 2000 rpm
- Fuel efficiency is extremely speed sensitive 90 KPH- 17 to 18 kpl, 100-110 kph 14.5-15 kpl, 110-120 kph 12.5 to 14 kpl, above 120 10.5 to 12.5, never seen such variation in fuel average in any Vehicle I’ve owned till now. Worst mileage is lower than what I used to get from 2 Ton 140 BHP 2.2 Liter Safari VVT at similar speeds.
- Really wide Door sill soils your clothes with accumulated dirt from the road and makes Ingress and egress difficult especially to the back seat.
- Rear leg space less than most Hatches
- Had steering rattle right from the day of delivery, service center failed to identify and rectify during first service so I didn’t even bother them at second service as the problem hadn’t got worse and I learned to live with it!
- Wheels were also not balanced properly from the factory, brand new vehicle had steering wobble at 100+ speeds, was taken care by the service center and was charged for the Weights which were supposed to be there in the first place, and probably wheel balancing weights do not come as part of the standard equipment on the Renault Duster
- MRF Tyres were silent till first 15000 kms then onwards started making very light drumming noise.
- Wider track leads in everything getting sprayed up by the front tyres landing on rear wheel arches and on rear door handles, which really feel yucky to hold specially after a drive in the rain,This also a problem with the rear boot release button on the hatch which gets dirty and there is not internal release mechanism.
Ecosport Likes:
- Nice interiors, proves lower cost doesn’t mean cheaper looking and poor design
- Loaded to the gills with features and safety Kit
- Offers a Really nice driving experience with silent cabin, light steering, refined engine, no turbo lag, nice gear box and progressive& light clutch
- Nice alloy wheel design
- Good OE sound system
- Concept car looks, though the rear is a little boxy and uninspiring compared to rest of the car
- Predictable and effortless handling till 100-110 kph
- Rear seat great on thigh and back support, though seat width is an issue question is how many times do most of us really have a third passenger in the back seat – Not me at least, maybe couple of times a year at the most.
- Compact dimensions, higher Seating and GC what more can one ask for in mixed highway and city usage.
- Great Expected mileage on par with fuel efficient hatch backs
Ecosport Dislikes:
- Combination of Short wheelbase and High vehicle height leads to a tendency to pitch specially at the rear, which also raises some concerns while tackling mid-corner bumps at high speeds, This definitely is not a Sporty vehicle as the name would suggest, I strongly advice people to go easy on the speed and be extra careful if are going above 110+ speeds
- Isn’t a real FORD when it comes to handling and doesn’t do justice to the legend
- No grab handles on Titanium Option variant can be a real issue for passengers as the vehicle has a tendency to pitch
- Rear parcel tray design has an ugly gap between the seat and the tray
- Blind spots abound, even the bonnet design contributes to it at a point where it visually meets the A pillar
- Except Mars Red lack of good colour options fit enough for such a funky looking vehicle, I wonder how Squeeze and Colorado red would’ve looked on Ecosport – Can someone do a paintshop job on the Ecosport?
- Front seats are supportive but seriously lack under thigh support (I am 6’1”), the seat base seems to have been lifted straight from the Figo, only visible compromise as a result of possible cost reduction techniques.
- OE Tyres didn’t inspire much confidence and seems to be less on grip levels, seriously considering an upgrade to 225/55 16 tyres after purchase but that size is getting difficult to source as of now.
- Fords dubious strategy to make dealers happy at the expense of customers: Non Uniform handling/Logistics charges, High insurance quotes (Higher by as much as 20K), supposedly compulsory accessories and extended warranty which itself if priced higher.
- Ford should have launched the Diesel with Dual Clutch Auto box which at a price of around Rs.13 lacs would have found many takers and made the already extensive Ecosport range complete. It would’ve won variant of the Decade award if any such thing was ever announced!
As someone who has owned a Duster and about to buy an Ecosport I hope I’ve covered most aspects for others to take a realistic and practical view on both the vehicles rather than going with the Flow.
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