[ecosport]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

Odo reads 800 km, and my 2nd tankful-to-tankful gave me a mileage of 10.5 km/L with the MID showing 10.4 km/L. I'm reassured with this mileage, as it reflects travelling within the city at 9:30 am and 8:30 pm, with idling at signals, and 100% AC usage.

Are you working the turbo often? In bumper to bumper traffic, your engine is basically naturally aspirated.

[*]I found that heavy rainfall on the roof created such a din (like rain on a tin roof) that it cut short my conversation inside the car.

Ecosport has thin sheet metal on the roof and corrugation to add strength. Most manufacturers are going this way nowadays. Thinner the metal, the more sound it makes.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by ecosport

Are you working the turbo often? In bumper to bumper traffic, your engine is basically naturally aspirated.

In bumper to bumper traffic, in first gear, I'm in the turbo range as I hit 1500 rpm easily, due to the gearing used for first. In second, though, I'm outside the turbo range around 1000 rpm.

One thing I've noticed from the instantaneous mileage indicator is that being in the turbo range improves mileage, so I take care to try and stay there. However, there are occasions where I feel lazy to downshift to first, those times I press the clutch and rev a bit to get the gases moving

Originally Posted by ecosport

Ecosport has thin sheet metal on the roof and corrugation to add strength. Most manufacturers are going this way nowadays. Thinner the metal, the more sound it makes.

Given that you're in Bangalore, have you noticed this when we had having showers 2-3 weeks ago?

[ecosport]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

In bumper to bumper traffic, in first gear, I'm in the turbo range as I hit 1500 rpm easily, due to the gearing used for first. In second, though, I'm outside the turbo range around 1000 rpm.

One thing I've noticed from the instantaneous mileage indicator is that being in the turbo range improves mileage, so I take care to try and stay there. However, there are occasions where I feel lazy to downshift to first, those times I press the clutch and rev a bit to get the gases moving

Dropping to 1st is a pain. Even during the diesel TD, I had to drop to first, or else wait for the turbo to build up. The only reason i stuck with the 1.5AT booking - Too lazy to shift.

Given that you're in Bangalore, have you noticed this when we had having showers 2-3 weeks ago?

I don't remember. My daily commuter is still the Civic and might continue that way until I find a buyer. I will check next time it rains on the Ecosport. :-)

[sammyboy]

Fantastic review Arun, nice to see the Ecosport has turned you into an active member . How comfortable are you with the driver armrest, do you find it a little too narrow as well or have you become accustomed to it ?
Also, how are the Nomad mats holding up?

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by sammyboy

How comfortable are you with the driver armrest, do you find it a little too narrow as well or have you become accustomed to it ?
Also, how are the Nomad mats holding up?

Thanks, Samarth - I'm honoured it took my review to get you also active once again here :P

The driver armrest is fine, and I use it without any inconvenience, though as mentioned earlier, I'd have appreciated the gear lever being moved an inch back (no fault of the armrest, though). The only complaints about the driver's armrest come from my carpool partner who complains that:

• There is no passenger armrest
• I look like a proud emperor on a throne, sitting with one arm propped up on the armrest, the other on the window sill!

Naturally, I turn a deaf ear to these complaints.

Nomad mats are fantastic - if I went 4 weeks without cleaning my Getz's mats, it'll be a mess and my feet would be sliding around. With the Nomad mats, you can't even tell. I'd suggest you get one for the driver's seat (or front two) alone for your Linea, its worth it.

The only thing is that our formal shoes will cut through the mat over time, so the driver's side mat will need replacement over time.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by firsttimeowner

I know I'll be ruffling a few feathers here but couldn't resist asking. Anybody with a ES touched the 130+ (Km/H) yet? It's been three weeks for me and about 700 Kms. So am waiting for the 1500 Km mark to start testing the boy at high speeds.

Ha ha, I haven't yet pushed anywhere close to those speeds.

You're probably going to get luckier posting this question on the official review thread, since there are people who've clocked thousands of kilometres on their EcoSports.

[Moto-Mariner]

Hi, where do you get the nomad mats from and how much you spent? The mats that came as essential pack is non-sense i feel..pse give your inputs

Originally Posted by arunphilip

Nomad mats are fantastic - if I went 4 weeks without cleaning my Getz's mats, it'll be a mess and my feet would be sliding around. With the Nomad mats, you can't even tell. I'd suggest you get one for the driver's seat (or front two) alone for your Linea, its worth it.

The only thing is that our formal shoes will cut through the mat over time, so the driver's side mat will need replacement over time.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mariner

Hi, where do you get the nomad mats from and how much you spent? The mats that came as essential pack is non-sense i feel..pse give your inputs

Nomad mats are the "noodle" mats sold by 3M. I got the black colour one which cost me Rs. 5490 + 14.5% VAT, in Bangalore. These mats cover the driver foot well, front passenger foot well, rear passenger foot well and central hump. I didn't put anything in the boot, since I got the 3D trunk tray from Ford itself.

Functionally, these Nomad mats are terrific, and help you keep the floor clean and dry. The only drawback is that some people don't like the appearance of it.

Based on which part of Mumbai you're in, you could choose one of these 3M stores:

• Andheri: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/mumbai...e-andheri.html
• Borivili: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/mumbai...li-mumbai.html
• Thane: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/mumbai...ne-mumbai.html
• Or you can check the Mumbai directory for any other 3M stores.

I agree that the fabric mats in the Essentials pack are useless - they're hard to clean and will show signs of wear very easily.

[Moto-Mariner]

Hey,

Today i got my tires changed to Primacy 3ST. As your rightly said, a definite improvement in ride quality. So a thanks there. Further, can you pse help me out here:-
- Child lock ON feature- I tried the door lock toggle button on the console, but i am still able to open the back doors from inside..wat am i missing?
- What's the tyre pressure you are maintaining? I have kept 30 but was wondering if i have to stop over at tyrewalla every time i take 3 more passengers.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mariner

Today i got my tires changed to Primacy 3ST. As your rightly said, a definite improvement in ride quality. So a thanks there.

Congratulations on your upgrade. I'm also happy to have my view on the 3ST validated.

Tell you what, can you put in your experience about the 3ST on these 2 threads? It'll help others also.

• The EcoSport tire upgrade thread
• The Primary 3ST thread

Originally Posted by Moto-Mariner

- What's the tyre pressure you are maintaining? I have kept 30 but was wondering if i have to stop over at tyrewalla every time i take 3 more passengers.

30 is correct for low loads, and 35 for higher loads. I'm running 35 all around, despite driving with only 2 passengers. I prefer the higher recommended pressure due to the tighter control it gives, though at the cost of comfort :(
You could split the difference and set it to 33 or so - tyrewallas tend to use 33 as a default for most 4 wheelers.

Originally Posted by Moto-Mariner

- Child lock ON feature- I tried the door lock toggle button on the console, but i am still able to open the back doors from inside..wat am i missing?

You need to turn a lock in each of the rear doors to activate the actual child lock, see below image:

• Left door: turn anticlockwise to lock, clockwise to unlock
• Right door: turn clockwise to lock, anti- to unlock

That'll ensure the rear doors can only be opened from outside, after unlocking the doors from the centre console.

Merely locking it from the centre console prevents the doors from being opened only from the outside, all doors can be opened from inside (its a safety feature to prevent doors from jamming in cases of accidents when power might be cut to the doors).

This method is slightly inconvenient for those enabled with a push-button start, as the key is not easily accessible. I wish Ford had provided a sliding tab instead.

[Moto-Mariner]

Hi arun,

Have driven about 400Kms mostly inside city with heavy traffic. MID shows 8.2 KMPL. I guess this should improve gradually. However, i feel ecoboost owners, by large have not reported expected mileage (going by ARAI figures and 20% better FE of ecoboost), Your views?

Further, i feel a rumbling noise when i move the car on 1 gear, it sounds as if the engine is struggling to move the car. noise goes off once car starts moving. Did you experience anything like that?

Also, whats the suggested RPM/ KMPH regime to maintain during breaki-in period ?

Thanks

Originally Posted by arunphilip

So, here are some more driving impressions over the past 4 weeks - all within the city.

Odo reads 800 km, and my 2nd tankful-to-tankful gave me a mileage of 10.5 km/L with the MID showing 10.4 km/L. I'm reassured with this mileage, as it reflects travelling within the city at 9:30 am and 8:30 pm, with idling at signals, and 100% AC usage.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mariner

Have driven about 400Kms mostly inside city with heavy traffic. MID shows 8.2 KMPL. I guess this should improve gradually. However, i feel ecoboost owners, by large have not reported expected mileage (going by ARAI figures and 20% better FE of ecoboost), Your views?

Right now, with "normal" Bangalore traffic, 100% AC use and 100% idling at signals, I'm getting 10.9 km/L reported on the MID. My MID readings have increased consistently from day 1 (I reset it upon tankfill), so that's reassuring, as my mental target is 11-12 km/L. I've got 1000 km on the odo, and no servicing done, so I'm optimistic.

My personal opinion about turbocharged engines is that the swept volume (e.g. 1 litre in this case) is irrelevant, what matters is the volume of fuel/air being combusted (which is higher due to the turbo compressing intake air), and if it gives the power of a 1.6L engine, I'd expect the mileage of a 1.6. The only time I'd expect better mileage is when we're below the turbo range, but the EcoBoost is lifeless at that point.

Originally Posted by Moto-Mariner

Further, i feel a rumbling noise when i move the car on 1 gear, it sounds as if the engine is struggling to move the car. noise goes off once car starts moving. Did you experience anything like that?

Please check your tachometer when the rumbling occurs, to see what rpm you're at. I've found that when moving, the rpm quickly shoots up to 1500 rpm and higher, so I get adequate torque to move forward without lugging the engine. Furthermore, my engine idles at 1000 rpm (except when cold, where its about 1100-1150 rpm). So, the possibility of lugging the engine is very unlikely, given the narrow band.

Also, are you engaging your brakes at this time? When new, brakes might make a slight moaning/rumbling sound when engaged, since the brake pads/discs need to bed in. Also, brake discs acquire a fine layer of rust (perfectly normal) which also gets scrubbed off during initial braking.

Originally Posted by Moto-Mariner

Also, whats the suggested RPM/ KMPH regime to maintain during breaki-in period ?

Ha ha, this is a superbly contentious point, and everyone have their own opinion about running a car in.

My advice is:

1. Don't lug the engine at row rpms. Use the instantaneous mileage indicator on the MID to gauge the best gear. I was surprised to find in some cases that running my car in 3rd at around 1300-1400 rpm consumed more fuel than in 2nd at a somewhat higher rpm.
2. Limit yourself to mostly 3000-4000 rpm in the first 1600 km (which is the running in period quoted in the manual).
3. Vary the rpm periodically (this will occur automatically since you're in the city) so the engine doesn't just cruise at a narrow range of rpms.
4. Nothing wrong in hard acceleration after about 500 km, but ensure that this occurs in the 2nd & 3rd gears which have adequate torque due to gearing. Try not to do hard acceleration in higher gears yet, that puts more load on the engine/transmission.
5. Remember the EcoBoost is turbocharged, and also bear in mind that petrol exhaust temperatures are higher than diesel (hence higher heat soak). So its doubly important to idle the engine appropriately, to let the turbocharger cool down.
6. I'd strongly recommend crossing 6000 rpm only after your first oil + oil filter change.
7. Remember that the other components also need to be run-in: tires reach peak efficiency only after 500-800 km, and brakes also need slight running in.

[Moto-Mariner]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

Please check your tachometer when the rumbling occurs, to see what rpm you're at. I've found that when moving, the rpm quickly shoots up to 1500 rpm and higher, so I get adequate torque to move forward without lugging the engine. Furthermore, my engine idles at 1000 rpm (except when cold, where its about 1100-1150 rpm). So, the possibility of lugging the engine is very unlikely, given the narrow band.

Also, are you engaging your brakes at this time? When new, brakes might make a slight moaning/rumbling sound when engaged, since the brake pads/discs need to bed in. Also, brake discs acquire a fine layer of rust (perfectly normal) which also gets scrubbed off during initial braking.

Remember the EcoBoost is turbocharged, and also bear in mind that petrol exhaust temperatures are higher than diesel (hence higher heat soak). So its doubly important to idle the engine appropriately, to let the turbocharger cool down.

The RPM at this point is generally 1000 and at times it lowers to 900/ 950 RPM.


No braking during this time.


I assume you mean that i should idle for about 2-3 mins on starting the engine and prior switch off. Is it ok?

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mariner

The RPM at this point is generally 1000 and at times it lowers to 900/ 950 RPM. No braking during this time.

Ooh, that's quite low if you're trying to move. I think you need to give a little more throttle, because it looks like you're trying to move the car with no/little throttle input. You might have to use a bit of clutch to modulate your speed. Unlike a diesel, the EcoBoost doesn't have enough idling torque to comfortably move the car without any throttle input.

Originally Posted by Moto-Mariner

I assume you mean that i should idle for about 2-3 mins on starting the engine and prior switch off. Is it ok?

2-3 mins is probably too much time, a minute should do it. You can read more on this thread: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...rged-cars.html

What I do is optimize my routine around this: at startup, I let the engine idle, take off the parking brake, put my seatbelt on, turn on music, and then start exiting my parking spot slowly. Then, I drive calmly for the next kilometer or so. I defer switching on the AC for the first 2-3 mins also.

Shutdown is similar - I drive calmly in the final approach to my house, and then park and leave the engine idling while I switch off the music, collect any papers/keys, and then switch off the engine.

This way, the time I spend actually doing nothing is quite low, its just a reordering of the stuff that we usually do at startup/shutdown. Its also the same reason I don't shutdown at signals: not every signal has a timer or enough time for a minute of shutdown/startup.

[arunphilip]

Brief update on mileage:

• Last tankful-to-tankful check was 11 km/L, MID showed the same.
• Latest MID reading is 11.3 km/L.

So this shows a clear increase in mileage since the last check I made which was 10.5 km/L.

Note - 100% city driving with AC on at 22.5°C and idling at traffic signals. 1400 kms on the odometer.