Team-BHP - Ford EcoSport : Official Review

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Originally Posted by naveen.raju (Post 3655889)

Ford Ecosport facelift has landed in UK. Although, I do not fancy the piano finish everywhere, I am interested in that info display unit. Looks like a more updated version (a close look at the last picture and you can see a more refreshing font).

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Courtesy - Autocar UK

I caught one on test between Salem and Coimbatore last Tuesday. It was parked at a Dhaba and I was going quite fast. Being a highway, there was no opportunity to turnaround and take a pic.

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Originally Posted by arunphilip (Post 3657379)

For the floor itself, consider either Ford's official accessory - the 3D trunk tray. Although I'm not sure if its smooth/hard surface will prevent your dog from getting a comfortable grip (which breed, btw?). If not, you could consider a 3M Nomad mat, but again, I'm not sure if your pet's claws might damage that. Why not just buy a second carpet mat for the boot from Ford and keep one on top of the other. When you want a clean look, swap them around, and when its doggy-time, swap them back.

For the carpeting on the sides of the boot, I can only suggest a good carpet brush to clean up after the fact :D

Dear Arunphilip, thank you for always replying in detail. But yes that idea occurred to me and i got a good quality plastic mat on top of the Ford Mat that comes along the car. so the floor mat is cool in ways that i can wipe it, maintain hygiene and the floor also sort of looks smooth with it. But my real concern was what you wrote of later, the sides. I need it for the three sides, something that can work like a cave, but not suffocate her too.
All three sides except the floor where she sits, are full of her fur even in seasons when she sheds less. The mat material actually works like a magnet to the fur and never let go off it completely. She is a beautiful two year old golden lab, loves to look out from the rear window and of course, create nose art on the window. Let me know if you get more creative than this.
cheers !

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Originally Posted by Turbo_asd (Post 3668754)

Guys, I need some urgent help here.
The thick A pillars of the Ecosport have been a hot topic of discussion since the launch of the vehicle. I'm not sure if this issue has been blown out of proportion, but I have even read that the A pillar has the ability to block a motorbike from view! In heavy traffic in our city, this seems like an accident waiting to happen. Hence we considered that a deal breaker and put our purchase on hold.

I just want to know whether the A pillar is really a deal breaker I have come to think of it as, or just an irritant in the early stages of ownership. Some say "you'll get used to it with time" , but I am at loss as to how a thick pillar can be less of an issue with the passing of time. If it isn't that, how do I prevent it from being detrimental to safety?

I hope it turns out to be a less worrisome problem than what I perceive, because I'd really love re think our decision. It's just that the Ecosport is so hard to resist!

Your help is truly appreciated.

Yes A pillar on the ecosport is something of concern and you have to get used to it.
Having said that, you can handle it by adjusting your seating position.

I dont think it will a big prob in slowmoving traffic like in cities unless you are that careless.
But on deep turns, hair pins, forest drive etc, it is a bit of a concern and I would say it is a hot topic to be considered.

Again adding to the top, this aint a short hatchback, it more like a taller SUV, it would surely been an issue on shorter cars, but here. I dont think its a concern. And to "hide a motorbike on running traffic.. in the city.. " I havent felt anything like this.

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Originally Posted by peterjim13 (Post 3674536)

Yes A pillar on the ecosport is something of concern and you have to get used to it.

But on deep turns, hair pins, forest drive etc, it is a bit of a concern and I would say it is a hot topic to be considered.

From my personal experience, of driving the Ecosport, on winding forest and mountain roads, I don't feel the A-Pillar is a concern.
This, from a guy, whose other drive is a Gurkha, which has spectacular views of the road, due to the high seating position and wide front pane.
For someone graduating to the Ecosport from another car, there might be a few problems initially, but it's easy to get accustomed to, and adjust one's driving position to, within 2-3 days.
My wife, who is a newbie driver, and drives the Ecosport, doesn't feel any problem because of the A-Pillar, and neither does my father who is over 75 years old, has less than 6/6 assisted vision and reduced peripheral vision.
So, it certainly shouldn't be a hot topic for able and accomplished drivers!

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Originally Posted by roy_libran (Post 3674574)

Roy, my other car is an XUV 5OO, for me it gives me commanding views of the sharp curves and hair pins back to my hoemtown. But what happens with an EcoSport is there is a bit more of extra care required while taking turns to the right, deep right etc.

This is from my personal experience. But I will not have any problem using this for hair pins as I have already doen about 24K on my EcoSport Diesel. But for someone new, it can be a problem. My dad who drives the XUV regularly and who has been using our Old Indica, quickly spotted this out when he first drove it.

To Conclude, this is more of the drivers side and less of the issue with the design. I am not that well equipped to comment on the design side.

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Originally Posted by peterjim13 (Post 3674584)

To Conclude, this is more of the drivers side and less of the issue with the design. I am not that well equipped to comment on the design side.

You are right, there. From what I have noticed, if you set the Driver seat too far forward, like some people do, then the A-pillar obstruction becomes a significant issue. However, if you have a mid or a backward driving position, then it is hardly a problem. As you said, it takes a couple of days, getting used to, that's all.

My EcoSport's bluetooth radio seems to have suddenly stopped working. This occurred after I received a call using the steering mounted call accept button while I was listening to music over bluetooth. There was no audio during the call; neither could the caller hear me talking, and thereafter the phone has not been able to connect to sync. I tried re-pairing the phone (sync not shown in available bluetooth devices,) a sync factory reset & master reset, to no avail. Also, the phone is able to stream audio to a pair of bluetooth speakers, so the problem seems to lie with sync. Is there any other way to reset the bluetooth radio?

Thrice in these 18 months of ownership I have had situation where the car wouldn't crank up after a few seconds of halt. It would go back to its normal self in after a few tries/10-15 minutes of delay

Unfortunately in 2 of these 3 occasions I was in heavy traffic causing a high degree of embarrassment and panic. Wondering if anyone had a similar experience or advice on how to troubleshoot this down?

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Originally Posted by hemant.kamat (Post 3675986)

My EcoSport's bluetooth radio seems to have suddenly stopped working.

I have been facing a lot of issues with the Sync from the time ive got the car, 24,000 km old now, it still has a lot of issues.
Most of the time after connecting my hendheld to sync via bluetooth, the first call usually never works, neither the receiver nor me could hear anything. What I do is cut the call and redial which is usually successful.

When I complained of the same to RM they did some upgrade, which I am not sure how. Because the issue is still there.

Hope there is a new version of the same with glitches covered coming up

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Originally Posted by Rajiv0909 (Post 3676338)

Rajiv, while on stop have you pulled the key back to the initial insert position, release the clutch and then try the ignition with the clutch.

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Originally Posted by naveen.raju (Post 3676717)

Spotted the recently UK launched ecosport being tested near coimbatore.

So they are serios, but without the rear mounted spare, it looks like a tall hatchback. I never liked the looks from the rear even with the sparewheel, now this looks a lot more uglier to me.

Does this improve the handling of the car ?

Note from Support: Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

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Originally Posted by peterjim13 (Post 3676929)

Rajiv, while on stop have you pulled the key back to the initial insert position, release the clutch and then try the ignition with the clutch.

I was in panic mode so I don't remember however am sure I would have tried this as well. I also reported this to the service centre; unfortunately there isn't a way to replicate/demonstrate it for them

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Originally Posted by Rajiv0909 (Post 3677301)

I am not a technical expert here. Unlike the other cars I have driven ecosport needs the key to be pulled back from ignition and clutch released for starting again.

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Originally Posted by hemant.kamat (Post 3675986)

Took the vehicle to the Ford ASS who finally reset the MID by disconnecting the car's battery for a few minutes, and viola - bluetooth working again :)

Mine's the first such case ever reported. ASS has downloaded some files to send to Ford for analysis.