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Some other reviewers have also complained about the steering but this is the first time I've read it being compared to a Hyundai. Is it because we were expecting a better steering from a Ford or is it really as bad as the Verna?

I know people who love Hyundais and Marutis because "the steering is so light and wonderful". Guess Ford is playing right to the market here.

Reading the other reviews I was almost sure about the Ecosport as my next car but now I'm in a doubt. Coming from a Palio, handling and feedback is very important. Heck, I even think the Honda city's steering is too light.

The rest of the negatives mentioned seem par for course I think. Nothing that wasn't really expected.

Very very good report. Trumps all other reports as usual. Thanks to vidyut for the highest level of details ever described in any other ecosport review. 5* rating

A wonderful review

I guess Ford has a real winner in hand.

BTW that A pillar will cause lot of accident involving two wheeler, from my SX4 experience.

Wish they launch a AWD or 4WD version also, will make it an all rounder SUV.

Excellent review as expected. :)

I am a bit skeptical about the rear seat space. A let down for someone looking for at least five to sit. But perfect for someone who looks at i20 or polo and better alternative

Is this the most detailed review EVER to come out from TBHP? Damn the details are mind boggling!
Ecosport might just turn out to be the perfect cross shopping excuse from premium end hatches and C segment sedans.
Don't think it would make the cut for serious offroad enthusiasts, because all in all, this is just a very well designed urban softroader.
Speaking of the urban jungle - that mammoth A pillar, 5+ meter turning radius and sideways opening hatch spells trouble in narrow alleys and tight corners!
Hope it does well - Ford has really tried hard this time, and should complete it with some decent pricing on the board.

please:Vidyut and GTO,

thanks for an excellent review. When can we expect a review of the Ecosport with 1.5 diesel and petrol engines??

Awesome Review! The much awaited review of this season for the much awaited car of the year. Great Attention to Detail guys ! Thanks for the exhaustive description.

Is the steering so light not to inspire confidence? How is it when compared to Duster please?

We have a Fusion from 2007. Considering that the engine & gearbox are basically imported (CKD but from EU parts) I have found the service & spares replacement costs reasonable. As far as overall quality goes i would rate Ford Fusion better that Maruti SX4 & lower than Santro.

Thanks for the excellent review. The Ecosport definitely looks good. I initially disliked the front grille design but it has grown on me now. Its good to see Ford coming out with futuristic designs. But still my grouse is that no manufacturer is able to match the timeless designs offered by Mitsubishi. They add some character to their cars.

My cousin recently bought a fully loaded Duster in Mangalore but he could have waited for the Ecosport to launch. I'm forwarding this link to him right now. Need to wait and watch how they will price the Ecosport.

A superb detailed review of Ecosport form our team.
IMO this will be the ideal vehicle for India where bumps and potholes are serious heartbreaker, especially person like me who drive Figo and ANHC.
It is now clear that Ford has not made this vehicle with costcutting in mind, like the Duster. All the doors are with proper rubber lining.
The front seats seem to be like Jetta and Passat with massive side bolsters, which can hold you in fast turning.
Rear seat seems short on width but has a huge back support for comfortable feel, with variable headrest.
Boot is really small and overall road presence seems to be dull compare to Duster from the rear view.
If Ford has to win this game of small urban SUV, price it well.

Vidyut and GTO, wonderful and crisp review. :thumbs up
I think I will go with the Duster AWD, if it's launched because of the following reasons.
Space - I own a Santro and a Figo and I don't think the Ecosport is really an upgrade from the Figo. I need more boot space and cabin space.
Ride - from the reviews, it is pretty clear that the Duster's ride is better than the Ecosport's.
Handling and Steering - A Hyundai steering from Ford, thank you but no thank you. If I have to have a steering like Hyundai, I would rather have a Hyundai with even more gizmos.
The news of AWD is also pulling me towards the Duster.

I own a Santro from 2006 and all I can say is that the ride, especially at the back is horrible (better if it's loaded). The other sore point is the pedal position. My right foot starts aching after a 5km drive, more so after I got my Figo. I am having lower back problems and Figo is 100 times better than the Santro in this respect. The ride in Vento is also much much better (I've driven my friend's Vento for quite some distance)

The steering in the Santro weighs up better than, say a Wagon R. But after I got the Figo, I never took my Santro outside the city. The weight of the Figo's steering is so linear that I think it's bettered only by the Fiats. Santro gives you a medium feel and almost no feedback, but the Figo gives you great feel and feedback. This is the primary reason why I'm disappointed with the Ecosport after the review. Because once you drive a Ford or a Fiat, it's difficult to adjust with others, if you love to drive.

Finally our own review here :) Congrats on the detailed view unlike what we saw on the other sites.

Agreed, this is the most waited launch of the year, but I feel there are significant shortcomings which need to be considered seriously:
- "tree trunk" pillars: That photo with zero visibility between the verna & the tree is scary to me at least. In a country where we have blind corners and people/animals/vehicles loving to park themselves at the corners on the road, this can be dangerous.
- all said, the interiors look cramped! or rather not airy enough esp. the 2nd row seats from the pictures. Can carry 2 comfortably in the back is a saving grace. We, in India, always want that 5th seat unlike elsewhere.
- missing grab handles - I think it is a must have. But then, the compactness of the interiors (if you get my pun here) may pack the passengers well enough not requiring any additional support.
- black color on the dash - not a preferred choice (grey would help) in a bright sunny country like ours. Leave your baby in the sun & the interiors will bake.
- smaller tapered windows at the back - unlike an SUV which should be airy & open. Good part is, the windows roll down fully.
- all leather seats with perforations - reliability aspects? Will the covers last for the cars' lifetime? if leather is not of great quality, you can see it all cracking up (due to the perforations) due to the weather/climatic conditions.
- ingress/egress for aged people because of the rear door not opening fully?
- FE becomes an important parameter here. For interiors, we compare it with hatchbacks, for exteriors, we compare it for SUVs. If this delivers a FE of a SUV for a hatch like features (or slightly better than a hatch), I am not sure how well it will fly with us, Indians, who always look for money value along with the snob value. When cars are talking of 15-20 kmpl FE nowadays, it will be a heartburn if our SUV-hatch combo delivers us 10+ kmpl FE (IMO - I buy this for a hatch like FE performance, but I get a FE lower than a sedan).
- lastly, ecosport engine reliability. 3 cylinder engines are not truely proven yet. Chevy's beat's diesel 3 cylinder engine is not a great one. Read somewhere online about the concerns on the ecosport engine's long term reliability. Can be argued that its running in Brazil for last 1+ year (I assume ecosport is already launched there), but I am looking from an Indian handling & driving conditions.

In addition to these points, who will buy an Ecosport? People who want to buy a premium hatchback / b segment car, will tend to look into this segment (in addition to the ones, who are sold on its looks or who only want a SUV and not a car). When I want to buy a B-segment car or premium hatch, I am open to 6-7-8 lakhs on-road pricing. If Ecosport offers their car at this price point, then people will shift blindly to this segment.
- What trims with what features at what price?
- How quickly can ford deliver the cars? (3 months wait? a deal breaker)
This holds the key.

@vids: read somewhere that you did an elaborate test with the duster after the ecosport shootout. Would be great to see more detailed comparisons of the two from an India angle/average joe perspective. The positives given for Duster in the comparison section makes me sway towards Duster compared to Ecosport. Also, performance & FE of other engine variants will really help :)

Yes, apart from Titanium (O) all other variants of EcoSport will have grab handles. Following is the Titanium variant which was on display at malls. You can see grab handles for both front and rear passenger.

Absolutely brilliant right-up Vid! Rated the thread a well deserved 5 star.

Like I mentioned elsewhere, the Eco-Sport will sell just because of the way it looks. Its just fascinating to the eye and has such a well proportioned overall design that few cars can boast of. The Eco boost petrol looks good but I doubt it will sell very much in our diesel skewed market.

So I presume both of you are getting the Eco-Sport as your next buy!!

I wouldn't blame you either, its a looker this car surely is...

Many thanks Vid6639 & GTO for a brilliant review.

I am seriously considering the Ecosport 1.5AT. It fits our requirement for a basic 2 seater long distance SUVish tourer. The only thing that may hold me back is that they are not going to offer 6 airbags package on the AT. I would not mind paying a premium for this as a special order & wait a month or so for the car. Auto folding mirrors would also be a welcome extra.

Could you convey to the higher-ups in Ford that there are a few cases like me (some may say nut cases :Dbut seriously I do not mind one time payment for safety!) who would like the 1.5AT with the Titanium Option pack & would not mind placing it as a special order with substatntial advance down payment.

A few other points come to mind:-
Possibly a sports variant with the ECU remapped to better steering feel & better tyres?

Re. the thick A -pillar I look on it as a blessing in disguise. Will be adding a lot of safety during frontal crashes & rollovers. This is obvious from he photos of the vehicle that crashed & rolled during the media drive. The front glass is intact and the A pillar does not seem damaged at all.