Ford has recalled the petrol variants of the EcoSport to update the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software. 

A total of 7,249 units of the compact SUV manufactured between November 2017 and March 2018 have been affected by this recall. According to the company, the software update will prevent issues such as sudden deceleration and battery drainage.

Owners of vehicles that are affected by this recall will receive a notification from Ford via email or post. Owners can also check if their vehicles come under the recall by entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on this website.

In less than 24 hours of this thread being posted, 43 generous owners of 2018 model EcoSports have stepped forward, offering their new steeds to Team-BHP for an Official Review. It takes a lot to lend your beloved possession to someone else for a test & photoshoot - thank you! We are incredibly grateful. Your love & support for Team-BHP always leaves us overwhelmed.

Of these 43 cars, 14 are 'EcoSport S' variants, the EXACT variant that we have been waiting for since May. What Ford couldn't do in 3 months, EcoSport customers have done in 1 day.

And what Ford couldn't do with 10,000+ EcoSports produced, EcoSport owners did with just one (each). They went to great extents too = A gentleman wrote in offering his EcoSport S that is currently in the workshop for some minor accident damage, while another offered to drive down from Chennai to Mumbai!! There were a few who even offered a car belonging to their relatives (sibling, in-laws etc.)….after taking the necessary permissions, of course. 3 Team-BHP fans wrote in presenting their EcoSport S cars which are booked, but yet to be delivered! And then there were Sreesh & Abhinash who spoke to local Ford dealers about making their demo vehicles available for a Team-BHP Official Review.

This weekend, Team-BHP will be driving an EcoSport S EcoBoost variant that has been generously made available to us by BHPian Justchells.

A huge shoutout to the following Team-BHP fans & well-wishers for offering us their EcoSports (or those of their relatives). Thank you!

Justchells from Bangalore
Fiat_Tarun from Pune
Vkumar from NCR
Sunrock from Chennai
BHPian from North India (prefers anonymity)
Spectre13 from Mumbai
Anumod from Hyderabad
Kanishka88 from Mumbai
W.A.G.7 from Pune
Udayjani from Chennai
Prakritij from Assam
Sumanth Ramuni from Bangalore
Keerthan Kumar from Coimbatore
Raghav Sood from Delhi
Shree Ransubhe
Harpreet from the Andaman Islands!
Ankur Goel from Delhi
Manoj
Kamptan Paul from Tripura
Suhrid Sarkar from Kolkata
Varix
Manish Naik
Nilesh Vyas from Indore
Vineet Sharma from Ludhiana
Shishant Paliwal
Aditya Dhiman
Kunal Gupta from Bangalore
Rahul Singh
Dr. Arora from Udaipur
….the rest preferred to stay anonymous!

And of course

BHPian GRAND23 for requesting an S owner from his office
Selfdrive for asking an EcoSport-owning pal

If I missed someone, my sincere apologies. Please email me on g t o @team-bhp .com and I will have your name added. But again, THANK YOU! Super, super grateful for the trust & generosity.

3 months up since the car has been launched

About 20 requests for a media car have been made

Several emails & messages exchanged

And many phone calls later...

...We are emailed curtly and in one line that

"As mentioned to you a while back, the vehicle isn't available."

In these 3 months, it has been made amply clear by Ford that they don't have an EcoSport test-drive vehicle for Team-BHP. I've been part of the industry long enough to recognise a cold shoulder when I see one. Hence, we are left with two alternatives:

• Option 1 (Borrow): A generous Team-BHP fan lends us his / her car. Sincere request to all of you out there for the same & we promise to take the utmost care of it :). Thanks in advance! As a small token of appreciation, we'll gift your car any accessory or extra you got your eyes on (be it a tyre or ICE upgrade, even an extended warranty & service plan). Please reply on this thread or PM me if we could borrow your car for 1 - 2 days. If you aren't registered on Team-BHP, request to drop me an email on g t o @ team-bhp . com (without the spaces). We need to get our hands on the "S" variant - EcoBoost or TDCI, any engine is welcome. If you aren't from Bombay, don't worry - we'll fly to wherever you are based. Should you so prefer, your + your car's identity will be kept 100% anonymous. Thanks again - very grateful!
• Option 2 (Buy): If no Team-BHP member or guest has the car we are looking for, Team-BHP will buy an EcoSport S for a very short period, complete its review and then sell the car off.

One thing I am absolutely certain of = Not even the manufacturer of a car can block Team-BHP's access to it. Whether this car or any other model in the future, we are damn persistent and will do WHATEVER it takes to get our hands on one, as its very important to Team-BHP's primary purpose of providing unbiased information on the Indian Car Scene (Official Reviews are a big part of this mission).

I find it peculiar that Ford suddenly doesn't have test-drive cars for us. All of the Fords we've reviewed in the recent years - from the Freestyle to the Endeavour and the Mustang to the Figo Sports - were sent to us in Bombay without hesitation. Suddenly however, the EcoSport "isn't available" to Team-BHP, despite continuous followups for months. What's worse, neither is a timeline given to us on when it might be expected, despite us explicitly asking for it. Team-BHP has been officially reviewing Ford cars for 8 years now, and this is the FIRST time since 2010 that I am hearing a car isn't available for us.

So what happened suddenly? I don't know. For our part, we know that we've always played it fair & reviewed cars objectively. See the likes & dislikes of any of our Ford reviews (or any other brand), and even owners of those cars won't debate with us over the observations. The only notable Ford thread that went live after the EcoSport media drives is the Endeavour Chassis one and I sure hope it has nothing to do with the situation we find ourselves in. If anything, Ford owes an answer to Endeavour owners! Renault was big enough to send us the Captur after this thread, while the TUV300 Plus is on its way to us after this thread. If any manufacturer thinks they can 'block access' to cars, I guess they are stuck in 1990.

Were we part of the EcoSport media drive that took place earlier in the year? Of course, we were. But as all BHPians (and manufacturers) know by now, the handful of hours that we get with a car at a 1 - 2 day media drive isn't sufficient for a Team-BHP Official Review (link to related thread). Heck, for most cars, our photoshoot alone takes up more time than what we get at media events. For all of our recent reviews, be it the Amaze, Creta Facelift, Yaris and even the S-Class, we had the car to ourselves in Bombay. Reason = Quality takes time. We spend a lot of time understanding a new car, shooting 1,000+ pictures & reviewing it in detail. We write anywhere between 6,000 - 8,000 words and publish 200 - 300 images. Plus, while I personally cannot go to every media drive, I make it a point to comprehensively test-drive each & every car that is there in Mumbai. This is important to me as I proof-read every Official Review before it goes live (word by word).

Whatever the actual reason for us not getting a car, Ford needn't sweat. We'll always be more neutral than you could ever 'aspire' to be (pun intended), Ford. I'll be the first to state that the EcoSport & Endeavour are my top choices in their respective segments, as proven by my several posts on the forum. Needless to say, we will review the EcoSport as objectively as we do all cars, no matter what source we get the demo vehicle from. It's our duty to Team-BHP's readers. 

Notes to Ford:

•    In the time since its launch, you have produced 10,000+ EcoSports (source). Am surprised that, as India's foremost automotive website, Team-BHP couldn't get ONE of them for a review?

•    Team-BHP has 20 - 25 lakh monthly readers who trust it for unbiased + detailed reviews of all cars (including Fords, by the way).

•    Remember that members of this community constitute the reason behind your company's existence. WE ARE THE CAR OWNERS who buy your cars & pay your bills. Whenever in doubt, click here.

•    My call & whatsapp message to your team dated 2nd August are still unanswered. At the very least, have the courtesy to respond. Basic etiquette, manners and all that....

•    If you still insist the actual reason is logistical, well, your lack of preparation is alarming!! Get your act together. Last I checked, the EcoSport is your best selling car in India and hence, the most important. How can you NOT have media cars available in Mumbai, where a majority of the automotive media is based? Every car that has been launched after the EcoSport S is already here! Even if you were to do the drive in reverse gear, it wouldn't take 3 months to get from Chennai to Mumbai.

•    Some trivia for you = our most viewed Official Review is that of the EcoSport with a whopping 1.2 crore views (image attached). THINK about that for a moment.

Ford has recalled the EcoSport to inspect the welds on the front lower control arm. According to the carmaker, weld strength on some cars may not be up to specification and could affect steering control. A total of 4,379 EcoSports built at Ford's Chennai plant between May 2017 and June 2017 have been affected.

Apart from these cars, 1,018 EcoSports manufactured between November 2017 and December 2017 have also been recalled for inspection of the driver and front passenger seat recliner locks. 

The EcoSport facelift was launched in November 2017. The updated model is offered with a new 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine which makes 121 BHP and 150 Nm of peak torque and a 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine with 123 BHP and 170 Nm of torque. It also comes with a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine with 99 BHP and 205 Nm of torque. Transmission options include a 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic.

Ford has added a new top-end variant to the EcoSport range called the EcoSport S with prices starting from Rs. 11.37 lakh. The carmaker has also launched the EcoSport Signature Edition, which is priced from Rs. 10.40 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and will be available for a limited period. Both variants come with an electric sunroof as standard.

The EcoSport S variant comes with some exterior changes like blacked-out grille with smoked HID headlamps on either side, fog lamps with black surrounds, roof and roof rails finished in black and 17-inch alloys finished in dark grey. On the inside, the EcoSport S features orange accents on the seats, door panels, centre console and dashboard. It also gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, a larger 4.2-inch MID, 6 airbags and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

The EcoSport S is offered with a choice of petrol and diesel engines. Ford has re-introduced the 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine. This unit puts out 123 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 170 Nm of peak torque @ 1,500-4,500 rpm and is mated to a new 6-speed manual transmission. Meanwhile, the 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine has been carried over. It produces 99 BHP @ 3,750 rpm and 205 Nm @ 1,750-3,250 rpm and comes paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The Signature Edition is offered as an optional pack on the Titanium variant. It comes with a black grille with a chrome frame and projector headlights with integrated LED DRLs, black fog lamp bezels, a rear spoiler, black roof rails and new decals. It rides on 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels. On the interior, the Signature Edition features blue highlights on seat, door panels, centre console and dashboard. 

The Signature Edition is offered with a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder Dragon Series petrol engine which makes 121 BHP @ 6,500 rpm and 150 Nm of torque @ 4,500 rpm and the aforementioned 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel unit, each mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. It also adds safety features like ESC, traction control system, hill launch assist and emergency brake assist amongst others. However it misses out on side and curtain airbags. 

Variant-wise ex-showroom prices:

Signature Edition

Petrol - Rs. 10,40,400

Diesel - Rs. 10,99,300

EcoSport S

Petrol - Rs. 11,37,300

Diesel - Rs. 11,89,300

Ford is expected to launch the EcoSport Titanium S and the Ecosport Signature Edition on May 14, 2018.

The Titanium S gets a contrast roof, new Satin Orange exterior paint, satin orange interior inserts and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The Signature Edition will come with a rear spoiler, new Anodised Blue exterior paint, blue interior inserts, ESC and hill-start assist. Both the cars get new 17-inch alloy wheels.

The big talking point is that Ford is expected to launch the 1.0-litre, EcoBoost petrol engine on the Titanium S, in addition to the 1.5-litre diesel. The SUV is likely to feature a stiffer suspension setup and a quicker steering rack. The Signature Edition is expected to be offered with the 1.5-litre, Dragon series petrol engine and the 1.5-litre, diesel engine.

Source: Autocar India

Thanks to BHPian RavenAvi for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

As per the latest information, Ford India has started billing the EcoSport Titanium S and Signature Edition to dealerships across India, while demo cars will be available in first or second week of this month.

Both variants will get 17-inch alloy wheels and electric sunroofs. The Titanium S gets smoked HID headlights and fog lamps, black painted roof and grille in a darker finish. On the inside, it gets a 4.2-inch analogue cluster, satin orange highlights on the seats and door pads as well as 'S' badging. Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is also included in the standard package. The Signature Edition gets a rear spoiler, blue interior trim and seat stitching in addition to features like electronic stability control (ESC) and Hill Launch Assist (HLA).

Henceforth, the Titanium+ variant will no longer be available with 17-inch alloy wheels. Instead, it will be offered with 16-inch alloys. That said, the pricing of the Titanium+ variant is likely to remain unchanged.

Updated brochures are expected to be available on Ford India's website from May 7, 2018. Ford is expected to launch the EcoSport Titanium S and Signature Edition sometime this month.

Earlier this week, we had shared images of the upcoming Titanium S variant of the Ford EcoSport. Now, according to a media report, Ford will offer the 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine on this variant. The engine will be paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. Dealerships are reportedly accepting bookings for a token amount of Rs. 30,000, while the launch is scheduled for May 2018.

Ford stopped offering the 1.0-litre, EcoBoost engine on the EcoSport ever since the facelift was launched in November 2017. In the old EcoSport, the 3-cylinder, turbocharged petrol unit produced 123 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 170 Nm of torque @ 1,400 rpm. In addition to the EcoBoost engine, the Titanium S variant will reportedly have a stiffer suspension setup and a quicker steering rack compared to the standard EcoSport. The Titanium S variant is expected to get the 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel as well. This engine makes 99 BHP @ 3,750 rpm and 205 Nm @ 1,750-3,250 rpm. The diesel variant is likely to get a 5-speed manual transmission.

Ford is also gearing up to launch the EcoSport Signature Edition in India. Reports suggest that the Signature Edition will be based on the Titanium+ variant and will be offered with the 1.5-litre Dragon Series petrol engine and the 1.5-litre diesel. This variant is also expected to be launched in May 2018.

Both the Titanium S and Signature Edition will be positioned at the top of the EcoSport range. According to spy images, both variants get updated exteriors and 17-inch alloy wheels. 

Source: Autocar India

Thanks to BHPian blueyed for sharing these images with other enthusiasts!

The Ford EcoSport Titanium S variant was last spotted in October 2017. Now, new spy images suggest that the Titanium S variant will be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox and a sunroof. This particular vehicle was spotted at a dealership in Kerala.

On the outside, the Titanium S variant gets smoked headlamps with integrated LED DRLs, dark grey finish front grille and dual-tone front bumper with fog lamps. The car has a blacked-out roof and roof rails. Also, the Titanium S variant rides on 5-spoke alloy wheels finished in grey. On the inside, it has a dual-tone dashboard with orange trim and seat upholstery with orange highlights. The centre console houses a floating touchscreen infotainment system. It also has a 3-spoke multi-functional steering wheel and a twin-pod instrument cluster with a large MID in the centre. 

It is not yet known what powertrains will be offered on the Titanium S, however it does appear to have a different 6-speed manual gearbox instead of the 5-speed MT offered on all other variants. Ford might offer it with the current crop of engines, i.e. 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder petrol and the 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel.

The Ford EcoSport Titanium S will take on the Hyundai Creta facelift in the Indian market. That said, there has been no word on its launch yet.

Source: EcoSpartans (Ford EcoSport Owners Club, Karnataka) / Facebook

Thanks to BHPians blue_pulsar and FrodoOfTheShire for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

Ford has increased the prices of the EcoSport by Rs. 5,000-10,000 depending on the variant. The base price of the EcoSport is now Rs. 7,82,200 (ex-showroom). Besides the price hike, Ford has also introduced new features on all variants of the EcoSport.

Features like rear parking sensors, speed sensing auto door lock and passenger seat belt reminder are now available on all variants. In addition to rear parking sensors, the Trend variant also gets a rear view camera. Ford has updated the touchscreen infotainment system to a 9.0-inch unit with SYNC and navigation. The updated ICE is now available on all variants except the base Ambiente trim.

Also, features like ambient lighting and My Key are no longer offered on the Titanium variant. Instead, these features are now only available on the top-spec Titanium+ trim.

Meanwhile, there has been no change to the 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder petrol and 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engines. The Dragon Series petrol engine produces 121 BHP @ 6,500 rpm and 150 Nm of torque @ 4,500 rpm and is offered with a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. The diesel unit makes 99 BHP @ 3,750 rpm and 205 Nm of torque @ 1,750-3,250 rpm and is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Variant-wise updated ex-showroom prices:

Petrol

Ambiente MT - Rs. 7,82,200

Trend MT - Rs. 8,56,200

Trend+ AT - Rs. 9,75,800

Titanium MT - Rs. 9,55,400

Titanium+ MT - Rs. 10,52,300

Titanium+ AT - Rs. 11,35,600

Diesel

Ambiente MT - Rs. 8,41,700

Trend MT - Rs. 9,15,700

Trend+ MT - Rs. 9,55,700

Titanium MT - Rs. 10,14,300

Titanium+ MT - Rs. 11,04,300