Team-BHP - Ford EcoSport : Official Review

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksaurabh21 (Post 3154853)

EconomicTimes thinks that automatic transmission is for women: link

"We have added many new smart features like rear park assist and a complimentary emergency assistance service for all new owners, which will be a boon for women drivers," says Ford India MD & president Joginder Singh.

In case "women get into an accident"

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajshenoy (Post 3154634)

Typically Diesel should start at a 1-1.5L premium over petrol. So if this were to be believed, then Base diesel should be around 7.5lakhs and the Trend variant which most people will end up buying will be 8.5L That should keep it south of 10.5L even in Bangalore.

I seriously think ford will be making a mistake having such a > 1L difference between petrol and diesel model prices. I know that has been the trend recently, but with the gap in petrol/diesel prices, the manufacturers should stop charging hefty premium on diesel models.

It seems to me right now a case of who will bite that bullet first. Once even 1 manufacturer reduces the premium on diesel model, the rest will follow.

Been to Kairali ford at edapally, Kochin. They have dsiplay vehicles on the showroom floor. A titanium O D and Ambient varient D is on display out there. Lower variants get is lighter grey plastics, which indeed look better than darker shade of Titanium O. Car looks stunning, but even with sparewheel mounted on tail gate it isnt looking big. It is in the league of I20/Punto. I took a test drive of Eccoboost, I loved the vehicle. Engine noice is on the higher side, ride on good roads seems to be good and the MID was showing FE 15 kmts/litre.Though the steering is light it didnt feel disconnected like in a Hunydai. As per the showroom executive titanium diesel would be under 9.5 lks on road and petrol 1.5 sibling will be a lack cheaper and Eccoboost will cost as much as a diesel. Launch is on 26th, as they have overbooked (100 against alloted 70) there is a 3 months waiting period at the moment. Except white, black and grey all other colors will be available after 3 months !!!. I think white looks better on this car. I'm impressed, I would chose this over a duster as it has got almost everything I'm looking for, but it looks so puny when I parked next to my Scorpio.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomzi (Post 3154921)

Why should Ford do it first ? every manufacturer is going it currently.

Also the gap i mentioned is for 1.5 petrol vs 1.5 diesel.

Assumption is EcoBoost(titanium) petrol and the titanium diesel will be priced similar just like you want it :)

Yes all manufacturers will reduce the premium the day we stop going and paying advance without even test driving the car.

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Originally Posted by rajshenoy (Post 3154950)

Yes all manufacturers will reduce the premium the day we stop going and paying advance without even test driving the car.

Bang on! Not just in automobile industry but in other industries too. We, the customers are contributing to this problem in a large way, which results in high handedness of those running the show. I mean, why do you have to show them that you have fallen for their products already? Let them earn it. Classic example is Apple, who, for a long time exploited this weakness.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajshenoy (Post 3154950)

Well said. Any manufacturer is in the business to make profit. Not to run a charity. So prices MAY only go down, when the demand dries up i.e. we say "no I'll not buy this product at this price, i think it is unjustified" in masses. These co.s are sitting on such huge profits and cash piles that they can easily absorb the slow market for a couple of quarters without giving any realistic discounts / price cuts. Especially in a market like India, where there are always enough customers with ready money. So nothing wrong in any prices.

I think and hope the decisions like these petrol/diesel model price differences are very well thought out. All the factors like cost to manufacture, market survey, sales balance to keep both models moving off the line are taken into consideration to come to these figures.

1. Currently the swing towards diesel engines (after the MJD revolution) is in flow. So every manufacturer wants to make merry with profits.

2. If the diesel costs just a little over petrol, who would buy the petrol? Not many. And without sufficient sales, the R&D costs put into that version will not be recovered by that model itself.

3. At least some part of the price difference is justified. The diesels have much more components, they are much more robust in build. Supplier of each additional component has their own cut of profit involved.

Another thing I forgot to mention was the dealer was quite confident the Diesel Titanium will be priced in the range of 11 lakhs, plus or minus 50k was what they said. It should be a blockbuster in that case. He was reluctant to diverge any pricing details, but seeing our interest let it out. For those who are in a hurry to book the diesel variant atleast take a TD of the Fiesta Diesel before you book your Ecosport, should give you a reasonable idea though the Ecosport is about 100kgs heavier

For those who think Duster is bigger and ecosport is a hatch on stilts should go and see both vehicles in person first.

The dimensions are almost similar and the Duster "looks" bigger because of a fatter rear , butch front and bigger wheel arches. The boot is bigger in the duster but you compromise on leg room space for rear bench. With split folding seats the usability of ecosports boot is much better.

The interiors look more futuristic and better made in the ecosport. The overall space usage is much smarter than the duster.

Tyres are also 185 spec as compared to 205 of ecosport.

I fail to understand that people are willing to pay 13L (on road pune) for a 85ps (option) duster and find 9-10L ex showroom for diesel titanium is expensive? Ford with a better reputation and service network with all the gadgetry definitely sounds like a better option.

For those who think customers should not be pre-booking without knowing the prices should understand that there are many who have been waiting for a duster "alternative" for a long time and want to get their hands on the "alternative" car as soon as possible. Plus no one knows how long will the introductory prices stay. All manufacturers are jacking up the prices of their cars the moment its a hit. for a mere risk of INR3000/- (in case of cancellation) its a risk worth taking.

Have been to Both the dealers in HYD.
Mody Ford has both Diesel and ecoboost available for test drive, where as Fortune has only Diesel variant.

The EcoBoost test drive car is the Discovery campaign car.

I have test driven EcoBoost one.

Here are the extra things which I want to point out . firstly the front seats are no way comparable to the Fiesta's comfort. I was expecting the seats to give the same support.

Secondly I am 6'3", when I adjusted driver seat for my comfort and came back and sat behind. I could easily seat and I could place my legs under the front seat. Lot of leg room. Only one catch here, there is a small step under the front seat and that is little bit irritating.

For the city drive, the turbo lag is clearly visible and under 1400 RPM, the engine is struggling.

The steering offers a decent feedback, even though I was not able to take more than 90 KMPH due to city roads.

The Engine sound is clearly coming in to the cabin and the sound increases when the RPM goes beyond 3.5 K

I want to correct one thing which Vid said above, even trend variants are getting light grey interiors, not Beige. The display car is Trend variant

Can anyone among the BHPians confirm if they have test driven the 1.5 manual petrol version? please:
I see no discussion here considering that everyone knows that it will be priced very competitively (hopefully max 9.5 lacs on road here in Bangalore for the titanium manual version). I am certainly interested in it as my monthly driving is not more than 600 kms and with all the gadgetry/features seems like a great deal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by niks_devil666 (Post 3154993)

Tyres are also 185 spec as compared to 205 of ecosport..

The Duster wears 215 section tyres, not 185. If I'm not wrong.

Also, I have spent considerable time in various Dusters that belong to colleagues and friends, and I can say quite categorically that the Duster is roomier. The EcoSport feels a bit tight for 3 at the back but the Duster accommodates 3 adults in reasonable comfort. From the driver's seat, the EcoSport feels no wider than a Swift. The Duster does feel larger.

The Duster is a good alternative to entry level sedans because of its ability to accommodate 5 + luggage plus the added versatility of high ground clearance, whereas the EcoSport is a good alternative to premium hatchbacks as it provides similar levels of accommodation and the added versatility of higher ground clearance. :)

Did a TD of the diesel. Power seemed adequate. At low RPMs, the car does not move, so no option but to shift down. Coming from petrol, this was a problem for me. Also the steering is too light to my liking. I guess it takes a bit of getting used to since I am coming from a HPS.

The car definitely looks small, similar to the Yeti, but that doesn't matter unless you have an extended family to lug around. Boot space is not sparse as some would want us to believe. Can take at least one large baggage plus several small bags. Not great, but better than most hatchbacks. The flexible seating is there to help in situations where you need more boot space.

On a lighter note, the Duster trolls in this thread appears to be on Renault's payroll. Comparisons with Santro, Swift and what not. All lies.

This is one Ford that is worth owning. I can't wait for my copy to arrive.