Ford EcoSport 2017: All you need to know from price, availability to features

Ford India has launched the all new Ford EcoSport, four years after the car introduced a new segment in the Indian auto industry. The Ford EcoSport got a facelift in the increasingly competitive compact SUV segment. The new car comes with all-new exteriors and interior and even a brand new petrol engine.

The Ford Ecosport is being pitched as a tough competition to Maruti's Vitara Brezza which has performed well in the compact SUV segment. Considering the low price-point and a host of new features that make the EcoSport modern, Ford has a good chance of making a big comeback in the segment.

The new upgraded petrol version of EcoSport is priced between Rs 7.31 lakh and Rs 10.99 lakh whereas the diesel version's price ranges from Rs 8.01 lakh to 10.67 lakh. The petrol variant comes with a mileage of 17kmpl and the diesel comes with a mileage of 23kmpl.

"The all new EcoSport reinforces our commitment to the Indian market...We have increased the level of localisation to 85 per cent from around 60-65 per cent when the model was first launched in 2013," Ford India Managing Director and President Anurag Mehrotra told reporters here.

According to the company there are 1600 new changes in the comparison to the outgoing EcoSport. The car also comes with dual front air bags and ABS as standard across all variants.

As a promotional offer, the company made 123 units of the new EcoSport available on Amazon. According to the company the car went out of stock within a few hours of its launch. The car is now available for consumers across Ford showrooms.

Here are the highlights of the new EcoSport 2017:
Engine
The engine comes with two options; a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine, and an all-new 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine. The petrol engine is naturally aspirated three-cylinder petrol unit. The 1.5 liter diesel engine will be the same as the one found on Ford Aspire and Ford Figo. However, Ford India has discontinued the Ecoboost petrol engine which was available earlier with the outgoing EcoSport

Transmission
The car engine comes mated with a five-speed manual transmission. The biggest change in the new petrol motor will be a new six-speed torque convertor automatic unit. This will facilitate features like Paddle Shift & Hill Launch Assist which will be a segment-first for the Indian market.

Performance
The 1.5-litre petrol engine churns out a much better 123 PS compared to the 100 PS from the outgoing model. The engine develops 150 Nm of peak torque.
Given the engine is lighter, Ford expects it to deliver improved fuel efficiency. The 1.5-litre engine makes a maximum of 100 PS and develops 205 Nm of peak torque.

Features
Coming to the features of the new EcoSport, the car will now offer cruise control with all controls on the steering wheel. The car gets an all new touch screen infotainment system. The car also gets a new rear seat entertainment system for the passengers.

Safety
The car comes with a six airbags for the top version. Two front airbags and ABS will be standard across all variants. The car comes with SYNC3 and Emergency Assistance feature for better safety.

Dimensions
The new EcoSport's total length is 3,998 mm and comes with a width of 1,765 mm and a height of 1,647 mm (without roof rails). The wheelbase measures in at 2,519 mm. The boot comes with a luggage space of 346 litres, which can be expanded to 705 litres by folding the rear seats.