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Changes are inevitable as they. A lot had changed in the last 7 years. We changed from a carefree spontaneous couple who got married after 6 years of courtship to meticulous planning parents of a toddler. The car started smelling of baby powder from cologne and occasional food. All the legendary singers and artists from Rammstein to Ghulam Ali made way to nursery songs. Weekend trips for trekking and jungle stays changed to play areas and malls. But in all this one thing which didn’t change was the ride itself.
“The Bull Ritz” was with us for about 7 years and had easily surpassed all expectations. There were lingering thoughts of upgrading but never gone beyond the odd discussion. But with Ritz production being stopped and also needing a safer car with the kid around – we finally decided to change the vehicle.
Interestingly only compact SUVs came up in our discussions.
Having owned three vehicles back to back from Maruti stable , without too much discussion/ research we decided to go ahead with Brezza and planned to book the vehicle in the new year. But the whole deal changed when I had to return earlier than planned from Christmas Vacation from my wife’s place in Shillong due to some work related emergency. Having two weekends with no specific plans prompted me to look around for other options
Requirements :-
1) Compact SUV
2) Passengers would mostly be 2-3 adults and a kid
3) Good highway cruiser
4) Decent City manners
5) Decent storage space
6) Good handling , steering slightly on the heavier side
7) Manual transmission
So the Candidates :-
Tuv 300 :- To be honest , was surprised with the features made available at the price range. Robust build and spacious. But as soon as we hit the road for the test drive all enthusiasm just faded away. Vehicle feels under powered and NVH levels were too much.
Tata Nexon :- Another vehicle which was surprisingly refreshing. In many ways it is not at all TATA , yet so very TATA when it comes fit and finish. While the engine is not refined when it comes to Petrol , there is no real shortage of power. But road manners, especially at high speed were too nervous. The plasticy white thingy which goes around the vehicle was an eye sore for me, especially at the rear end. Also the vehicle looked like an overgrown hatch than a compact SUV.
Honda WRV :- If I had to buy a vehicle without test driving it in traffic , WRV would probably be it. Vehicle is feature rich and solid built. Japanese precision visible in design . Sunroof is a real nice touch from Honda. Good Handling. Very spacious. But all this deserved a better engine than a 1.2L petrol. Shortlisted
Creta - Creta ticks a lot of boxes. Hyundai is known to have feature filled vehicles for any price range ,but for some reason Creta goes the other way. But it has a lot going for it especially when it comes to ride comfort and power. Also in terms of after sales Hyundai is probably the only manufacturer who can compete with Maruti’s spread – Shortlisted
Brezza - I was carrying a cheque leaf when Brezza turned up for the test drive. But somehow the vehicle failed to impress , especially after WRV and Creta. While the vehicle is well designed and spacious, turbo lag was a deal breaker for me. In addition, while I was not expecting the interior quality to match Honda / Hyundai ,felt Brezza doesn’t justify even a Maruti at that price range . That along with poor boot space meant the cheque remained in my pocket
Ecosport - Final stop was at Cauvery Ford koramangala to check out the Ecosport. My brother in law owns a 2014 ecosport and I knew what to expect – atleast I thought so. But the vehicle had matured . It looked better, suspension was softer compared to earlier version without any real compromise on handling. Good enough space for my use, though a larger family might find it too narrow. But the real surprise was the 1.5L dragon petrol. It was hard to believe that it is a 3 pot engine. Yes it shivers and shakes on start up, but even on low rpms it is smooth and silent. And of course the touch screen was excellent.Shortlisted
Final Decision – Ecosport eliminated WRV. It was between Creta and Ecosport. There was a sense of deja vu. When I picked the last vehicle my initial choice was the Jazz. However Ritz seemed to be more practical, as it could almost do all that Jazz could do at a fraction of its cost. It was the same scenario, Creta is probably a better vehicle, but Ecosport seemed to be a better package. Hence decision was made to go with Ecosport.
So on 5th February 2018 ,booked a smoke grey petrol titanium with Cauvery motors and the dealer committed delivery by 30th March. Was greeted by a message from Ford that vehicle is in production on 21st February, followed by a call from the dealer to remit the balance amount. Got another message same day evening from Ford that vehicle is on the way to the dealer
Vehicle reached the yard on 23rd and post PDI remaining amount was cleared. Vehicle was delivered on 26th February more than a month prior to the committed date. The entire sales process was smooth. SA was professional and transparent.
15 months with SAM
Never in fifteen months of usage which covered 11500 kms including a few highway trips , including one through Kerala roads during its worst flood in decades and the worse Kuthiran stretch could offer have I repented on our choice. The Ecosport, (named it SAM) is extremely stable even in high speeds and brakes have improved compared to the previous versions.
Ford has come up with a gem with the dragon engine. One of the most refined 3 pot engines I have experienced. May be to add to the intrigue factor , Ford came up with the most unorganized engine bay ever. Pop the hood and it reminds of my college hostel room. Power distribution from the 1.5L Dragon is very linear. Nowhere in the power band does it feel short of punch, but at the same time it does not give a kick in the rear acceleration. Overtaking is a breeze and never really felt the need of downshifting. With good low rpm output, city drive is not a real worry and it can pull from 2nd gear in most situations. Steering is perfectly weighted and gives good feedback at all speeds.
Though the suspensions have been made softer, the ride isn’t plush as some of the competitors, but not much of a bother to be honest. Steering and Seat adjustments have good range and new seats are better ergonomically especially when it comes to back support. But for some reason lumbar adjustment has been discontinued. Contoured front seat backs gives a few mm of extra leg room to rear passengers. Seats are easily foldable. You could feel the sturdiness in the built and doors close with a re-assuring thud. All those street Ronaldos and Messis who left their mark on my Ritz won’t worry me as much anymore.
While I had concerns about rear a/c vents being absent, the a/c motor has good throw and the cabin is cooled really fast. The real highlight of the vehicle is the sync 3 touchscreen with Android Auto / carplay support. Experience is at par with any high end tablet. Also positioning and screen size ensures driver needn’t really take the eyes of the road even with navigation running. Of course, would have been better if SD card support for maps was available.
Ecosport isn’t without its flaws and there are some irritants, and the MID is right up the list. It feels dated, poor and looks a total misfit to the overall character and design of the vehicle. Not sure how much Ford actually saved on it as export versions get a much better MID. A pillars are really thick, but having driven a Ritz for 7 years , I am pretty much used to it. Titanium+ petrol manual was not available when I booked the vehicle (nor was S version announced) , so no rear view cameras. Sensors are decent, but the vehicle needs a rear view camera.
Clutch play is a bit too much for my liking and Dead pedal could have been slightly wider. Front Armrest with a deep storage space is very useful as a storage space, but its positioning means you need be 6 feet or taller to use it well as an armrest. Bottle holders on the rear doors are weirdly placed and needs some effort to place bottles without having to open the door.
The speed sensing auto lock was not available, can’t really think of a logical reason why that was avoided.( It was enabled through firmware update later) . Really wish they had retained the cooled glove box.
It is not the most fuel efficient vehicle around, but not complaining as I knew what I was getting into. SAM runs about 10 KMs per litre in Bangalore traffic , but gave 19+ average on highway runs. My driving style is 80-100 on highways with a slightly early shift up. SAM has gone above 120 only a couple of times and highest we’ve hit is 162 which we held for a few seconds just for test.
The ICE not something which will blow anyone's mind , but is not bad either.
I am not a fan of too loud music being played while driving and for my personal use an upgrade wasn't warranted.
SAM came with MRF ZV2K which I had planned to change post the run in. My most recent experience with MRF was way back in the 90s on an MM540. But these tyres aren't too shoddy (Surprised). Yes , Its doesn't offer the greatest of grip and is definitely not silent , but after using them for about 2000 kms , I felt change of tyres isn't a pressing matter and probably can live with those for another 20-25K KMs. I feel these compounds will last 60-70K KMs , but by half of that life , noise and ride comfort would have definitely gone into the red zone.
Likes
- Handling
- Road Presence
- Touchscreen
- Front Seat Comfort
- Throttle Response
- Built Quality
- Storage options and cubby holes
Dislikes
- MID
- MID
- And MID
- Visibility
- Rear space
- Design issues (Placement of Armrest , Narrow Dead Pedal , Mould mark on steering where ignition switch would have been )
- Cost Cutting - (Missing Lumbar adjustment , Cooled Glove box , Reverse Camera)
Overall I will give it 8.5 out of 10 for the vehicle and 9 out of 10 for purchase experience.
Service
First free service was done by Cauvery Ford and was uneventful. Changed Engine Oil despite the SA trying to convince me other ways. For second service, had to go to PPS Ford. SAM had done 9500 KMs and I was planning to drive to my hometown. Up and down would be close to 1300 KMs , which would have taken it beyond the 10000 KMs. Booked the appointment with Cauvery Ford and they insisted on pick up and drop , but on the day of appointment driver didn't turn up.
After couple of revised time slots during the day , which was again not adhered to , I called up PPS Ford. They asked me to drop in the vehicle as drivers were not available , but guaranteed to deliver the vehicle home. The whole process was smooth and professional. Went to PPS again when vehicle was recalled for firmware upgrade and timing belt replacement. Planning to stick with PPS Ford for further services.
I would recommend this car
> If interior space is not a priority
> If you love long drives especially on highways and a bit of mild soft roading
> Service Network isn't a top priority (Though situation is improving)
> If handling and steering feedback is important
I wouldn't recommend this car
> If your driving style is quick acceleration and jack rabbit starts
> If you want a plush and soft ride
> If you are an inexperienced driver (Given the blind spots and overall poor visibility)
> If you enjoy racing on the highways
> If fuel mileage is critical | 
31st July 2019, 14:50
(13)
Thanks
. The final price came around 1330000 after discounts. I went with the dealer insurance.
. Given that it’s still very new, it doesn’t bother me very much. I’m feeling optimistic about better FE post the second service. 
