Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Official New Car Reviews (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/)

-   -   Ford EcoSport : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/136854-ford-ecosport-official-review-555.html)

But the manufacturing date will generally be mentioned on the registration certificate. Few make it as an excuse when you sell it, Especially dealers.

Folks,
We picked up a Ecosport Titanium AT for my wife on Diwali this year, the car has covered about 1000 Kms in just over a month. A few observations.

Build: Built very heavy and solid feels more like a SUV than a hatch.

AT: I found after research the transmission is a Getrag 6DCT150 good for 170 NM and runs a wet clutch. The good part is the wet clutch the bad part is that it operating at almost the top end of the design range, the engine develops 150NM.

AT Tuning: It is tuned completely for fuel efficiency and it stays a gear higher than what you would generally be in. It will take time to get used to the logic they have used. Pressing the throttle you expect in gear acceleration but the Ecosport cuts a gear or two but there is a slight lag.
Fuel Efficiency: Currently indicated is 7.7KMPL (tank to tank 7.6) in peak Bangalore traffic it started with an indication of about 6kmpl, I hope this will improve over time. The average speed over this 1000km has been 16kmph.
NVH: Is not that great my 11 year old Baleno runs quieter, my sister bought an Amaze AT and I cannot even compare the NVH on that car. The engine itself has a nice gruff note which is fun if you are revving.
Steering: I felt the material is extremely hard and even the leather does not feel great, need to see if it gets better or get a leather wrap over the current one.
Doors: The doors are extremely stiff and need a lot of effort to open or close. Need to see if it is greasing or something else.

NVH levels of Amaze AT better than Ecosport AT ? :Shockked: ! Please provide more details e.g. at what speeds/revs etc

Congratulations - an AT is one that I was torn between choosing, before setting for the EcoBoost.

I wouldn't worry - this combo has done duty in the 2012 Fiesta and I've not heard of any issues. Besides, its not like how Skoda used a 250 Nm-limited DQ200 paired with an engine making that same amount of torque - in your case you have that headroom.

Are you pressing the throttle so much that you're activating kick-down mode? I have heard that this Getrag box is slower on downshifts than upshifts, which could explain the lag you're seeing.

I have to agree - my 2006 Getz feels as good (if not quieter) in terms of NVH damping. I found the sound of heavy rain on the EcoSport's roof very loud in comparison to the Getz, for example. This was a bit of a disappointment.

Again, I've noticed the same, and have considered a leather cover (for only the rim, not the airbag section). Both these points are something I noted in my ownership review too!

Thanks for sharing your observations/experience. Like you I have also just completed 1000 kms on my Ecosport AT. The car does feel reassuringly heavy.:) And the engine has a kind of dry growl - very different to my earlier Honda City but I am getting used to it. The doors, as you say, are indeed a bit hard to swing shut - as also the tailgate.
To me the NVH levels don't appear too bad.

Yes the petrol Amaze is much quieter and smoother, partly you can attribute it to the torque converter. The Ecosport engine is quite loud and you can hear it most of the time. I have this habit of driving with the windows up and ac on without the stereo so happen to notice all the noises in the car.
This one also has a resonance rattle at about 2000RPM.

The car runs on one gear higher than it should, so gentle pressure on the throttle does not result in the (in gear)acceleration we require. A little more pressure will make it drop a gear and surge forward but there is a lag to downshift. The S mode works better in bumper to bumper city traffic and I personally feel it might result in better fuel economy, I know for sure that using the manual shift results in better fuel economy.
Also realized the you are saving the maximum fuel when you are coasting without throttle input.
Planning to take the car on a 1000km plus highway run in late Dec will be able to comment more after the run.

Ah ok, it appears that Ford have tuned the software/firmware with a focus towards fuel efficiency by shifting up quite quickly - which works fine for calm driving, but hampers in-gear driveability, necessitating a slow downshift. Sadly, I think this is due to a majority of the Indian market being very focused on mileage.

Yep, totally agree. I've seen the same behaviour with the EcoBoost engine, and have found the EcoSport in general allows comfortable coasting in gear, without losing much speed.

We look forward to your report after your upcoming trip, particularly around quick overtakes, and any other observations.

Mine doesn't do so at all, I find the up-shifts occur later than what I'd personally do driving in a manual in a relaxed manner, but only slightly slower than when I'd up-shift while accelerating hard. Unless I'm coasting in gear RPM is never below 2200. Even on a slight gradient on an open road I face regularly where I usually cruize with my other cars at about 60 in 5th I find the ecosport downshifting from 5th to 4th, and RPM going above 3000.
Even on express highway runs, 6th gets engaged at about 75-80 and at times even later.

I have noticed this, I get about 11 KM/Lit in city using S to upshift, against 9.5 in D.


Rahul

My city driving RPM hangs around 1500 and the Ecosport shifts at 2000 at my throttle input. In my other car the city driving RPM hangs around 1200 as the car can lug from 800 (Ecosport downshifts at 1000).
I have noticed the best way to get it to upshift is to apply throttle and ease off after it shifts up.
The other reason it shifts down is because it is a heavy car with poor aerodynamics and the engine does not have enough torque. The shift points are related to the the throttle position. The logic used seems to be the if the throttle is open 60% you want to reach 80kmph and how you get there is decided by the mapping. If you just feather the throttle it will keep you one gear higher and if you are more assertive it will keep you one gear lower. The logic is completely different from the way a manual or a automatic behaves. The only way you can accelerate in gear is using the manual mode.

@ ssingri.
I got mine just two months back, and haven't fully run in yet, but I have never seen an upshift at 2000. With a feather touch on the throttle it is still above 2200, and any thing more than that it is at 2500.
If I apply throttle and ease off at any thing below 2200 the car slows down due to engine breaking. Yes as you say it is sensitive, with my dad driving the up shifts are far later than when I am driving.

Rahul

What gift is offered with EcoSport? When I checked they said gifts are there only for Figo and Classic (old model Fiesta)

The Ford India site doesn't indicate that the gifts are for all cars. That is what a Kochi dealer also confirmed. Gifts are like Microwave ovens, Refrigerators, Washing machines etc or a 50% discount on accessories.
.

Lathangi in Bangalore is offering gifts like washing machine, refrigerator etc or cash discount of 10k between dec 3 to 7

Wanna swap? :-)

Mine is always a gear higher that that I would like. And with regular throttle input happens just above 2000rpm. How I wish it could wait till 3000rpm.