Boost It

With the S version of the EcoSport, Ford India is bringing a new trim level to the EcoSport lineup. Featuring additional standard equipment and visual changes, it hopes to appeal to enthusiasts. But does it?

- Ishan Raghava

If there’s a brand that one can trust to produce fun-to-drive cars for the Indian market, it would undoubtedly be Ford. More often than not in the segments in which they compete, Ford’s products are usually the pick of the lot in terms of driving appeal. And with the launch of the EcoSport five years ago, Ford achieved something similar in the compact SUV segment too. It was a competitive product that was also quite a bit of fun to drive. Of course, the timing of the EcoSport’s launch and its butch SUV look made it an instant success in India.

Rising competition

Five years later, the SUV space in India is more competitive than ever. The EcoSport has seen intense competition from the likes of the Vitara Brezza and even the Tata Nexon more recently. Ford’s response to this was a face lifted version of the EcoSport recently, with a myriad of changes to improve the appeal of the product. However, with the S variant of the EcoSport, Ford is aiming directly at enthusiasts. This is quite apparent in its engine choices – the S trim is offered only with either the 1.0-litre EcoBoost turbocharged petrol engine or the 1.5-litre diesel motor. Well, the fact of the matter is that, while enthusiasts like to buy a sporty product, they also like the efficiency of a diesel engine.