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Originally Posted by oxyzen Pardon me for saying this but I am terribly disappointed with the car.
First of all is the weight. It is about 100 kilos heavier than the bigger and larger Duster. But if you really compare it with sub 4 metres hatchbacks like others claim, it is 300 kg heavier than Swift, Brio and 350 kg heavier than Liva. That means it is 40% heavier than Liva. The weight is the one thing that kills everything. It kills handling. It kills performance, fuel efficiency, braking pretty much everything you can think of. I find is surprising that the Eco boost engine variant weighs 60kg more. That is more strange when they claim that the engine itself is 97kg. I think since ecoboost engine is available in the top end version is is loaded (literally) with unwanted features.
The next thing is ride and handling. Nobody buys a SUV for craving corners. So there is no point in making the ride stiff to control body roll with such a high CG. The Duster has a perfect ride/handling balance. The main reason for buying SUV is dismissing bad rods without slowing down. Exactly what the duster does. Of course I dont mean it to be like SUMO or Safari but you get the point!
I must also say that I do not even like the looks that much. In isolation it looks fine. However I remember a visual comparison here itself between Ecosport and Duster side by side. The Duster made the Eco-sport look like a hatch on stilts.
The 1.5 Diesel is probably the one that is going to provide max volumes and that one is not fascinating by any standards if the Fiesta is anything to go by. The 1.5L petrol is hopeless and the idea of putting it in the sub 4m car is laughable. SO it comes to the one and only 1L Eco boost engine. And what they have done is make it unavailable in the base versions. It is like "you can have the Eco boost but then you shall also have to have the crap that we will sell along with it."
Coming to the eco-boost engine extracting 125 BHP from a 1L turbocharged engine has a drawback. It is called Turbo lag. And it amplifies with tall gearing. And these are all very well cleared up in the review. So thanks Ford Anyway.
The T-Jet, Polo GT, Vento TDi offer much better Engines and probably better handling.
For people looking for an AT, The Polo with the DSG is a superb choice.
As an everyday commuter there are cheaper options like Amaze & Dzire (most probably). The only way for the Eco-sport to have some success if they can price it on par with them which looks like to be a distant dream considering the level of equipment. Come on Ford nobody in India Syncs their phone before leaving for office. And nobody will use the stupid voice command once the initial euphoria dies down. |
You have made valid points.
However, I'd like to make a few just to put things in perspective.
- Yes, it's heavier that the Duster and much heavier than hatchbacks too. But you've got to remember that all these cars mentioned here aren't put together exceptionally. I mean, the fit is good but the quality of material used is average in all these cars mentioned, if not worse. It's ridiculously easy to dent a Swift or a Duster. All you need to do is lean on the body work and exert a little force for it to cave in. The Liva too feels flimsy in comparison. And frankly, the Brio is a notch below in terms of dimensions and weight. I believe it's 150 kgs lighter than the Jazz. Ford products are fairly strong and feel durable from my experience. They have that typical European-ness in their build-quality, even in their built-to-cost / budget products.
- I can't really comment on the EcoSport's ride and handling. But again from my experience with Fords, the suspension ought to feel stiffly sprung at low speeds so the ride may feel harsh, but once you pick up speed it's reasonably compliant with the road surface and provides adequate damping without throwing you around inside the cabin. Some cars like the Liva and i20 may ride nicely but their suspensions aren't compliant enough at high speeds thereby making the ride feel slightly choppy and disconcerting. But it isn't bad, that's for sure.
- Looks is subjective. While I do prefer the way the Duster has been designed, I do like the funky EcoSport and its stance on the road.
- Cars like the Linea T-Jet and the Polo GT sure do look tempting at their respective price points, given that the EcoSport will be in the same bracket. And I have kindled thoughts of a Polo GT in my driveway sometime in the future. But I thought twice about it when I was forced to wade through a knee-deep swimming pool and several branches / stones / speed breakers of different sizes / shapes, just the other day when the sky in Bangalore had opened up. I'm not sure if the tech-laden Polo GT would have got to the other side of that 'wipe out' obstacle course. But I'm positive the EcoSport would have tackled the situation reasonably well.
- Turbo lag is present in almost every turbocharged car. It's practically impossible to completely eradicate it. Engineers may try and shorten the lag and reduce it to a minimum, but it's still going to be there. This is why it is important to 'learn' the engine's characteristics and attempt to work around it. Staying in the right gear and in the meat of the torque band is important. Once you understand how it should be driven, I'd imagine that the lag won't be that big a negative factor.
From what I've understood, the EcoSport may be a competitor to the Duster, but it falls just short of the segment thanks to its smaller cabin and boot. This makes the EcoSport a great car to upgrade to from a small hatch. It's a good alternative to large hatchbacks like the Swift, i20, etc. It offers similar levels of space / equipment / performance with the added versatility of its 'on stilts' like stance and SUV-esque ground clearance.
The Duster on the other hand is the perfect upgrade from a large hatch like the i20 / Swift and is a great alternative to C-segment sedans like the Rapid, Vento and the like. It offers similar levels of performance, cabin / boot-space in a package that rides well over bad roads and handles rough surfaces with aplomb.