[justchells]

Originally Posted by blueeyed

Dear folks,

I am planning to buy an EcoSport but I'm a bit skeptical about the ecoboost engine.
I really likes the looks and features of the 'S' variant but doesn't need a diesel, hence the dilemma. Should i go for the 1.5L titanium plus or the feature rich 'S' variant?

I have a few questions that the ecoboost owners could answer.

I'm owning the 2018 EcoSport S EcoBoost variant for the last 8 months. Driven 6500kms so far. Happy to answer your questions that might help you finalize your decision. Apologies for the delay in response!

Originally Posted by blueeyed

How is the lag? Especially when loaded.
With 4-5 people + some luggage, will the engine show its lack of displacement? I will be driving around in mixed conditions(city+highways).

On the highway, I've done a few trips with family (2 adults + 1 child) and luggage. You won't feel any sluggishness and the engine can easily take you to 120 kmph and above. I've done both spirited & sedated driving, the engine performed admirably in both conditions.

On the city, I've had only a few occasions with fully loaded occupants (5 adults). Sluggishness is felt below 20 kmph in case you have engaged 2nd gear and going on an incline. Once the rpm goes past 2000 rpm, the engine is able to pull well. Being a turbo engine, you will get used to running it in the power band gradually over time.

Originally Posted by blueeyed

Have you at any point till now in your ownership period felt that you could have gone for the larger engine? If so why and when?

I guess the driving dynamics of a turbo engine is different from the other naturally aspirated one (Dragon). If you love spirited driving, then the turbo engine is the one for you. Even in the city, I find myself easily zipping through gaps as long as I'm in the right power band. You can literally feel the turbo rush.

However, in all honesty, you cannot unleash the full potential of this engine in the city. Apart from speed limit restrictions (40 - 60 kmph), I rarely find myself revving the engine beyond 4000 rpm. I guess this is where our Team BHP official reviewers have commented that the Dragon engine has more drivability in the city when compared to the EcoBoost. Being naturally aspirated, there is no turbo lag, power delivery is linear, and most of the time, you won't need to rev beyond 4000 rpm.

Originally Posted by blueeyed

How is the maintenance rate compared to the 1.5L engine?

Without a doubt, the EcoBoost will require more maintenance. You can compare the maintenance figures on Ford's website as well. (Ford Service Promise)

Originally Posted by blueeyed

I am currently driving a 1L 3cyl maruti WagonR. Although the engines can't be compared per se, my family especially my father is not convinced in buying another 1L engine for 13+ lakhs. He has in his mind the shortcomings of the Maruti engine. It really struggles with load on steep inclines. With AC its just dead!

Well, I wouldn't compare the WagonR 1L engine with this one. Its in a different league altogether. For one, the EcoBoost is a turbo, while the WagonR isn't. The EcoBoost is more advanced as well, the winner of many international awards. The expert reviewers at Team BHP can provide more (and better) technical details on the differences!

Coming to my previous car (Indica Xeta 1.2L Petrol), I can tell you that the driving experience is worlds apart.

[nirubhai]

Originally Posted by justchells

On the way back to Bangalore, I did an economy run with a mileage of 19.3kmpl (!!), which is my personal best on a petrol engine. Maintained a speed of 80kmph with cruise control at 6th gear for most of the trip. I was able to touch 21kmpl halfway through the trip, but as usual the choke points in Hosur and toll gates had me slow down to lower gears.

I have noticed that in some of your initial posts, you have mentioned it as 8.7 to 9.5 kmpl. And some places you haze mentioned that its improved. Can you mind telling me the current FE please? Also hows the car? Hows the performance? is it VFM

[justchells]

Originally Posted by nirubhai

I have noticed that in some of your initial posts, you have mentioned it as 8.7 to 9.5 kmpl. And some places you haze mentioned that its improved. Can you mind telling me the current FE please? Also hows the car? Hows the performance? is it VFM

Sure nirubhai. In the city, I typically get 10kmpl. On the highways, its anywhere between 14 - 19 kmpl depending on driving behavior as mentioned in my earlier post. Having said that, I don't feel this engine is meant to be driven in a sedated manner (at least not all the time). You will enjoy it more when you push it. My earlier post on highway mileage was more of an experiment, I doubt I will repeat that often.

If mileage is a priority for you, why not consider the diesel option?

Coming to the car itself, its running fine so far (touchwood!). I have to hand it to Ford on the ergonomics department, everything feels suitably placed including the feel of the buttons, they really take care of the little things. Except for the initial ownership issues with the sunroof (which eventually got resolved), quality is top notch.

Probably the only gripe I have is with the placement of the center A/C vent. On a really hot day, you might want a cool burst of air directly on your face, which is not easy with this. The A/C otherwise works fine, cools the cabin decently.

Performance is great. The engine is refined, I hardly hear it under 3k rpm, and beyond that, I've grown to like the sound of the engine! Please note that I've only driven 6.5k kms, engine is still young.

VFM - Assuming you are referring to the EcoBoost variant, definitely not. You buy this only because you really like it / want it.

[blueeyed]

Originally Posted by justchells

I'm owning the 2018 EcoSport S EcoBoost variant for the last 8 months. Driven 6500kms so far. Happy to answer your questions that might help you finalize your decision. Apologies for the delay in response!

Coming to my previous car (Indica Xeta 1.2L Petrol), I can tell you that the driving experience is worlds apart.

Thanks for the replies justchells. I have been actually waiting for a reply from you. Doesn't really needed an apology though!

In the meantime I was able to testdrive an Ecoboost variant along with my family members.Thanks to the dealership guys, it was a comparatively long testdrive. Me, and more importantly my father really liked the way it performed! The experience is actually worlds apart as you have rightly stated, especially if one is coming from other small capacity engines in the market.

Thought I would summarize my test-drive experience as it could help others who may be in a similar dilemma. As a matter of fact the experience isn't much different from what my fellow bhpians has described. The summary is based on the perspective of a 1L wagonR owner, so for someone who is used to big capacity engines/cars, it will be different.

1. Power! And a lot of it, if you are coming from a small capacity engine.
The way it pulls from around 2000rpm when the turbo spools up, will surely leave a smile on your face. The engine takes off without any accelerator input and then it goes on and on as you accelerate without giving up on you until the redline. Overtakes can be pulled off without much effort.

2. Drivability/turbo lag: The lag isn't as pronounced as in case of a DDiS engine from maruti. The engine doesnt feel dead at any point but the strong pull from around 2000rpm will remind you that you are driving a turbocharged engine. So the power delivery isn't what you call linear.
That said, it isn't much of a pain to live with it in the traffic. I could easily fill the gap in city traffic without giving any accelerator inputs. I could easily take off from traffic lights and inclines without the engine offering any form of struggle. Those rumble strips on the Kerala roads can be taken in the second gear even if you are way below 20kmph and is ready to give the engine some juice. Throughout the testdrive there were 5 people on board including the SA and AC on auto mode.

3. Gearshifts/Clutch: Clutch is hard for a small capacity petrol motor. It requires some effort. After a long traffic jam, it sure would have taken a toll on you. And the gearshifts cannot be called slick shifting. It has some notchiness to it and the throws are long compared to a WRV. I didn't quite expected the shifts to be such notchy. Don't know if its due to the car being a testdrive vehicle.

4. NVH: Inside the cabin, the engine is silent till upto about 3500rpm. After that you can hear the sound or rather the 3 cylinder thrum. As far as the testdrive vehicle is concerned the cabin can't be called silent.At triple digit speeds, wind and road noise are prominent. But compared to my K10B WagonR it miles ahead.

Regarding vibration, i could feel some vibes on the gear lever when I place my hand on it for shifting. Does anybody else experienced the same?
At high rpms there is some mild vibrations felt on the pedals as well.
Vehicle as a whole is smooth and none of your passenger would experience anything other than the engine sound at high rpms. Start/stop and idling is without much drama.
One other peculiar thing that I experienced is that there is a slight vibartion(very mild) on the pedals when you honk! Again, don't know if its peculiar to the TD vehicle. Anybody else?

5. Handling and ride comfort: Had taken it to some triple digit speed on the open roads. It attains the speed easily and mask it well to some extend. There was no nervousness felt at any time and the car felt sure footed even if there was some body roll, which is understandable due to its body type.
But on the bad roads you are sure to feel every undulations. But again the shocks, though stiff, does its duty without any cries or sounds. Along with the 17" wheels, you are bound to take the bad potholes/gutter roads slowly.

Steering felt light at city speeds and weighed up well at speeds. At speeds I liked it better than my cousins vento.

So overall to sum it up, I liked the car and engine for what it offers and ended up booking one. Engine is capable and would surely reward you with a smile when you drive it the way its meant to be driven (But then at that point, don't look at the MID for the fuel efficiency figures, your smile may just disappear).

So if you are someone who drives for the fun of it and is confused between the two petrol mills of the ecosport, this is the engine to go for.


Thank you.
Blueeyed.

[gsratta]

The 17 inch Bridgestone Ecopias in the earlier Titanium plus versions were associated with issues of bulging and cuts. The tyre and the rim size in the S version remains the same, so does the S version also suffer from the same issues?

This is a query for the owners of the S version, whether the issue has been resolved, as I could not find any issues reported by the S version owners. I want to change my 2015 Titanium plus with the new model, may be Titanium plus or the S version. Only due to this tyre issue, i may have to go with the Titanium plus.

I really like the looks of the S version, but I have to frequently travel on bad roads, can these low profile tyres be troublesome? What is the experience of the users, please respond.

[RedStallion]

Originally Posted by gsratta

The 17 inch Bridgestone Ecopias in the earlier Titanium plus versions were associated with issues of bulging and cuts. The tyre and the rim size in the S version remains the same, so does the S version also suffer from the same issues?
This is a query for the owners of the S version, whether the issue has been resolved, as I could not find any issues reported by the S version owners. Only due to this tyre issue, I may have to go with the Titanium plus. I really like the looks of the S version, but I have to frequently travel on bad roads, can these low profile tyres be troublesome? What is the experience of the users, please respond.

Dear gsratta,

Welcome to the dilemma buddy!

However, I am glad that you have posted your query before going with Titanium+ over Titanium+(O). (Here, Titanium+(O) is the S version only)

I was on the same boat as you and I went with the S version last year.

S version is quite a looker and IMO, it is overall a complete package.

On 17" Rims with S version, I haven't come across any tyre issues. This is mainly due to the updated series of Ecopia series. (namely DKK and coming since S version launch)

I have driven my ride for about 3.5k km in which significant part was on non-existent roads. The ride has performed well on that too.

Also, EcoSport FB groups have not reported tyre issues till date on S version.

You may definitely go ahead and book one of the best-looking crossovers in the market.

Hope it helps!

Happy Motoring!

[tp_dominator]

Past few days have been traumatising. Its always the question "What Car?" which makes us spend sleepless nights and mind you the decision is not easy what with the plethora of options we have today in the 10-12 lakh price bracket.

I always had a soft corner in my heart for the Ford Ecosport but it was necessary to judge the competition too. The only real competition IMHO is Mahindra XUV 300 (comparing just the features and price here) but it was rejected after the price reveal and also the Team-BHP meet at Lonavala where GTO mentioned the horrible suspension (although it turned out to be defective).

So, once Ecosport was decided, the quandary came in the form of Engine options and variant to choose. I just L-O-V-E the S variant but it was turning out to be a pricey affair. But since my last car purchase was a decision taken totally with my head (Hyundai Grand i10 1.1 Diesel), this time I decided to follow my heart and chose the S variant.

But you see, the quandary didn't seem to end here. From this thread it is evident that the Ecoboost engine with the 6-speed manual has greatly improved and it is one stonker of an engine. So, decided to try out both diesel and Ecoboost to end this dilemma. I first test drove the TDCi and having lived with diesels for quite a long time now, found it to be very easy in the city and punchy on the highway too. Then came the Ecoboost and boy-oh-boy what a delight it was to drive it out on the highway. I mostly was gunning the engine to judge its capability and it did not disappoint me at all. In the city too, it was liveable and for my driving style, I did not think it will pose any major concerns in the driveability department. However, one area of concern for me was the mileage and with my driving style and nature of job wanting me to travel within the city mostly, I am pretty sure the mileage is going to be in single digits.

So, again after spending two more sleepless nights, decided to go ahead with the diesel workhorse and finally booked my Ford Ecosport Titanium S TDCi in the Lightning Blue shade. Thanks to Team-BHP and particularly this thread which made me atleast consider the Ecoboost. The long wait starts now, since I am taking the delivery in May! (Yeah, the sleepless nights are not going to end soon )

[GTO]

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

I always had a soft corner in my heart for the Ford Ecosport but it was necessary to judge the competition too. The only real competition IMHO is Mahindra XUV 300 (comparing just the features and price here) but it was rejected after the price reveal and also the Team-BHP meet at Lonavala where GTO mentioned the horrible suspension (although it turned out to be defective).

Well, I drove a sorted XUV300 and will say that the EcoSport is still the better handler. So congratulations! Please do share a detailed ownership report.

[da.maulik]

Originally Posted by RedStallion

....Also, EcoSport FB groups have not reported tyre issues till date on S version.

You may definitely go ahead and book one of the best-looking crossovers in the market.

Hope it helps!

Happy Motoring!

Redstallion helped me a lot in choosing the Horses.

Thanks a lot for your efforts brother.

[BikerSuz]

Finally a TeamBhpian! Thanks to Admins/Mods for the membership approval.

Here goes a small intro about myself and my car.

Hi All,

I am Sudeep, based out of Bangalore. I have been a motorcyclist for the past 11-12 yrs, hence the UserID as BikerSuz. As far as my experience with driving goes, I would say, I'm quite new to this. Back home we have a Celerio VXi AGS which my dad drives and I have been driving whenever I go to my hometown (Kannur). In Bangalore, occasionally I have taken rental cars and driven around. Finally wanted to buy my first own car and the search for it started about 12-18 months back and I had various cars in mind. I was not in a hurry and took my own sweet time. And then, Ford EcoSport S ticked most of the boxes for me.

Became the proud owner of RedFox (my Race Red Ford EcoSport S EcoBoost) on 24th November 2018. Did a long trip (Bangalore to Kannur and back) in December and that's when I thoroughly enjoyed driving my RedFox. As on date, I have done ~ 2700 km in the last 4 months and have been a wonderful experience so far. Here are a few pics of my RedFox.









One thing that I was initially concerned was the 17" tyres about which I had read some horror stories here and on the facebook groups. I was extremely careful when taking my car to bad roads. But after taking it some pretty bad roads, I'm happy that the new batches (DKK) of 17" Ecopias are much better and Ford has taken those complaints seriously and worked with Bridgestone to get the issues sorted.

Will share more about my ownership experiences in the coming days.

P.S.: I still commute to the office on my Activa 125 or CBR250R.

[Prakritij]

Originally Posted by BikerSuz

..One thing that I was initially concerned was the 17" tyres about which I had read some horror stories here and on the facebook groups. I was extremely careful when taking my car to bad roads. But after taking it some pretty bad roads, I'm happy that the new batches (DKK) of 17" Ecopias are much better and Ford has taken those complaints seriously and worked with Bridgestone to get the issues sorted.

Will share more about my ownership experiences in the coming days.

P.S.: I still commute to the office on my Activa 125 or CBR250R.

Dear BikerSuz,
Heart Congratulations and wish you many many happy miles ahead.
My car too is shod with the DKK series of Ecopias. Haven't faced any issues in the 9300kms covered. Hope nothing comes up. Only grouse is that the ride quality is harsh owing to the low profile of the tyres. Suspension is stiff too and the ride is bumpy over the pot-holed roads. I really wished the ride quality to be comfier.

[BikerSuz]

Originally Posted by Prakritij

Dear BikerSuz,
Heart Congratulations and wish you many many happy miles ahead.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Prakritij

My car too is shod with the DKK series of Ecopias. Haven't faced any issues in the 9300kms covered. Hope nothing comes up. Only grouse is that the ride quality is harsh owing to the low profile of the tyres. Suspension is stiff too and the ride is bumpy over the pot-holed roads. I really wished the ride quality to be comfier.

Yes, totally agree on the harsher ride quality, especially on the bad roads. One thing I've learnt is that if the roads are not too bad (no big potholes and bumps), it's better not to slow down too much and just drive over it. This way it feels much better. It's when you slow down, you feel the roads and becomes bumpy.
But on the highways, it feels well planted and the ride quality is brilliant.

[blueeyed]

Has anybody fitted the engine guard(under the engine bay) on petrol/ecoboost EcoSport?

SA says the engine guard is only available for diesel models and can't be fitted on to the petrol models.
Isn't it just a bolt on work under the engine bay? Does it really depend on the choice of engine?

Please reply if anybody has fitted the same.
Thank you.

[sahilkhurana]

Slightly off topic. Do we know if Ford is planning to make Ecoboost BS VI compliant? Read in an article that they may not and instead go with Mahindra's 1.2 Turbo petrol which powers the XUV 300.
This would be bad for potential customers as it would limit the choices in this segment !

[Samfromindia]

Originally Posted by BikerSuz

Finally a TeamBhpian!

Congratulations and welcome to the club ! The main difference between members and readers of the forum is that members contribute. I am sure i will see a lot of threads and posts from your side having this red beauty in backdrop

Originally Posted by blueeyed

Has anybody fitted the engine guard(under the engine bay) on petrol/ecoboost EcoSport?

SA says the engine guard is only available for diesel models and can't be fitted on to the petrol models.
Isn't it just a bolt on work under the engine bay? Does it really depend on the choice of engine?
Thank you.

You can search the existing forum to get your answer. Only the diesel variants get a fabric kind of engine guard. The main utility of this is sound dampening and maybe keep the engine bay a little cleaner. It will offer almost zero protection which a conventional sump guard will do.

Ford also offers a aftermarket plastic engine guard which both petrol & diesel owners can buy. This will offer slight protection from small stone chips but no a proper guard either.

Now the main downer. Both these guards costs almost close to 10k. So its not worth getting one. Also its very easy to lose it if you do soft roading or drive in bad mountain roads (where sump guard is actually needed). My fabric guard got changed 2-3 times. A friend bought the ABS plastic one which fell off in Sikkim trip without him noticing

The best solution is to fabricate your own just like ecosport rules have done:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-...ml#post3198798 (My Silver Ford EcoSport Titanium (O) TDCi. First delivered in India!)