Ford is working hard to give the upcoming EcoSport a very aggressive starting price by heavily localising the car to lower costs. The expected price for the base petrol variant will be in the Rs 5 lakh bracket.
In the flesh, the EcoSport manages to be very modern and aggressive at the same time. The open-mouthed grille, high bonnet-line and heavily raked windscreen make it look stunning. Also, the off-roader-style tailgate-mounted spare wheel isn’t counted in the overall length of the car. This will enable the EcoSport to duck under the crucial four-metre mark and avail of the small car excise benefit sub-four-metre cars have here.
India will be one of the first markets in the world to get the new EcoSport. It will come with two engine options – the award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol which puts out approximately 123bhp and the 1.5-litre diesel similar to the one that does duty in the Fiesta. Initially, the cars will be only front-wheel drive, with no seven-seater version of the EcoSport planned.
The carmaker will start bookings for the EcoSport by the end of March, with deliveries starting in May or June.
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Glenn Noronha
Dhruv Dhaka
