Ford has begun testing the updated EcoSport in India. The refreshed EcoSport gets mild styling tweaks on the outside and interiors. The biggest change to the updated car is its rear styling as it will come without a tailgate-mounted spare wheel.
The SUV seen in the spy pictures is a left-hand-drive model, which is built alongside the right-hand-drive version at Ford’s Chennai plant. This version of the EcoSport was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show where the company had announced that European customers would be soon be able to purchase the SUV with or without the tailgate-mounted spare wheel. The carmaker had also revealed that the updated Ford EcoSport will get a tweaked chassis with revised spring and damper rates, as well as a 10mm ride-height reduction along with updated ESP and power steering system. The updated EcoSport for international markets also gets a new instrument cluster and chrome trim on the interiors. The Euro-spec EcoSport gets minor styling alterations such as a new brushed aluminium finish for the chin and alloy wheels different from those on the Indian car.
The Ford EcoSport has been in the Indian market since 2013 and now sees competition from the likes of the Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano, Toyota Etios Cross, Hyundai i20 Active, Fiat Avventura and will soon have to take on the upcoming Mahindra compact SUVs, as well as the Maruti YBA compact SUV. It may have seen huge popularity in India, but the same cannot be said for the European market. The car has been panned for its interior quality and driving dynamics, and while the tailgate-mounted spare wheel is a popular feature in India, it is perceived as low-rent or utilitarian in Europe. So while this update comes as great news for potential EcoSport customers in Europe, it's uncertain if Ford will bring these changes to the Indian car.
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