Ford EcoSport S 2018

11.37 lakh (ex-showroom, India)

We Say: Award-winning Engine Is Back And It Gets Some Styling Upgrades To Set It Apart.

- Debabrata Sarkar

Ford EcoSport S 2018

If you needed to go back in time and put your finger on that one car that began this scramble for the sub-four-metre crossover sort of car – it has to be the EcoSport. No, we aren’t discussing hatchbacks with some cladding on it or ones with roof rails to look more SUVlike. However, the competition came in raging and has caught up in the last couple of years and Ford has had to launch three versions in the last year to keep the showroom floors busy. This is the latest one – the EcoSport S and it sees the return of Ford’s award-winning 1.0-litre, turbo petrol EcoBoost engine. There are a host of styling differences too that allow you to stand out in the EcoSport crowd.

WHAT’S NEW?

Well, it’s clearly not the EcoBoost engine, because we have seen it earlier in the same car. It makes 123bhp and 170Nm of torque, just like before, but, more importantly, it now gets a six-speed manual transmission for company. While some may think that’s the added hassle of shifting gears an extra time, it really means closer ratios to better use the 123bhp and a tall sixth gear which allows you to cruise on the highway at triple-digit speeds with the motor ticking over at less than 2500rpm. We haven’t had a chance to throw the V-Box on yet, but it should imply better performance and efficiency. Oh, and yes, it gets a sun-roof too. And a cool set of 17-inch alloys.

It sort of looks different