[ChiragM]

The Ford EcoSport S 1.0L EcoBoost is on sale in India at a price of Rs. 11.37 lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you'll like:

• Still the best Compact SUV in the segment
• 1.0L EcoBoost is quick, while the new 6-speed MT has improved its driveability
• Blackened effect of the S variant looks sexy. Smart rims, HIDs and a sunroof too!
• Loaded with kit (terrific SYNC 3 head-unit, auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control…)
• Smartly packaged interior. Adequate space for 4 adults. Lots of storage & practical features
• Dynamically sorted. Competent handling by SUV standards
• Safety kit includes 6 Airbags, ESP, Hill Hold, EBA, ABS, emergency assist phone call & more

What you won't:

• EcoBoost would be our last choice of engine; we like the 1.5L Dragon & 1.5L TDCi more
• Has gotten very expensive with time. Not VFM, but not overpriced either
• Ride quality isn't plush; underlying firmness obvious, more so with these 17" rims
• Narrow cabin width makes a 5th occupant unwelcome. Best for 4 onboard
• Tree trunk thick A-Pillars result in severe blind spots
• Some features of the older car are missing (lumbar adjustment, reclining rear seat, cooled glovebox…)
• S variant isn't available with the 1.5L Dragon engine or an Automatic

This review has been jointly compiled with Vid6639 & .Anshuman. Thanks to them for the expert observations & photography!

[ChiragM]

A huge shoutout to BHPian Justchells for letting us drive his brand new car for this review! As you know, Ford didn't have a demo car for Team-BHP, but that's hardly going to stop us (related thread)! Thank you for your generosity, Justchells .


Since the Ford EcoSport has already been reviewed by Team-BHP, this report will only focus on changes made to the new EcoBoost S variant. For easy reference, here are direct links to the complete EcoSport road-test:

The Full Review

The 2018 Facelift

[ChiragM]

The EcoSport is now 5+ years old; yet, it sells an impressive 4,000 - 5,000 copies a month (related thread). That is quite an achievement as Ford is no Hyundai or Maruti, and it says a lot about just how competent the product is. We loved it at the time of its launch in 2013 and we love it in 2018 as well. The car has aged extremely well.

The most effective way to maintain interest in an older product is to frequently update it - just ask VW. Credit to Ford for keeping the updates coming fast & frequent (facelift, 1.5L Dragon engine, new features, new variants etc.). And the new stuff is smart too.



This new "S" variant is yet another meaningful update to the car. There is news under the bonnet as well - the 1.0L EcoBoost is back & comes with a 6-speed MT this time around. However, the EcoBoost never did well back then due to its high price, turbo-lag & mediocre fuel economy. Now, with the excellent 1.5L Dragon also available (engine review), it's hard to make a case for the 1.0L EcoBoost. Reasons:

• The 1.5L naturally-aspirated Dragon makes almost as much power (123 vs 125 PS) and torque (150 vs 170 Nm). Its power-to-weight ratio is actually superior, although the EcoBoost has a small advantage in the torque-to-weight ratio.

• The EcoBoost's driveability has improved, but the Dragon's is much superior. No contest.

• Because the 1.5L Dragon is mechanically simpler, we can safely assume that its long-term maintenance costs will be lower than the EcoBoost's. Don't forget that the EcoBoost is a fully imported engine (expensive parts).

• The Dragon is cheaper and available in the lower variants too (EcoBoost isn't).

• Between a large naturally-aspirated motor and a small turbo-charged one, we'll usually pick the former.

• The 1.5L petrol is available with an AT; the EcoBoost isn't.

• The EcoBoost variant is only available with the 17 inchers, which means that the 1.5L Dragon EcoSport & its 16" rims will offer comfier ride quality.

• What'll help the EcoBoost a little is that the 1.5L Dragon isn't sold in the top "S" trim. If it was, the EcoBoost would be dead on arrival. The EcoBoost variant's main advantage today are the additional goodies (e.g. sunroof, sexy blackened touches etc.). What makes it worse for the 1.5L Dragon is that the Titanium+ loses a feature or two (TPMS which we'll miss and 17" rims which we won't). Furthermore, the Titanium loses the SYNC 3 ICE (now only on Titanium+ & S). Ford's continuous rejigging of features is damn confusing & irritating.

• In a nutshell, if you were to ask us to rank the EcoSport's engines, it would be thus:
1. That awesome 1.5L TDCi (remap-friendly too)
2. The peppy, driveable, rev-happy 1.5L Dragon
3. This 1.0L EcoBoost

So, what's new on the outside?

Blacked out parts give the EcoSport an aggressive look. Whoever was in charge of this has taste. Enthusiasts will appreciate the de-chroming:


Only a few parts have received the black treatment at the rear. EcoBoost gets new badging, as does the S variant:


Over 5 years old, but still a smart-looking car. Looks delicious in this colour. Don't miss the black roof rails:


The smoked headlights now get HIDs:


New HID headlights in action. Vid6639 says that the low beam is good...


...but the high beam is mediocre:


Big radiator grille gets the black treatment:


As does the skid plate:


Blackened foglamp surrounds:


The car rides on sweet new 17" smoked-effect rims with 205/50 section Bridgestone Ecopias. This is the exact same tyre that was available with the Titanium+ earlier (reference image). That said, our first choice for the EcoSport will be 16" rims (or even 15"). The crossover anyway has a firm suspension and the 17s make it worse due to the shorter tyre profile. These aren't practical for India. Here is a thread on the EcoSport's tyre bulging issue:


The EcoSport S gets a black roof, roof rails & spoiler:


A close-up of the blackened roof rails:


The new electric sunroof (Ford calls it the 'Fun Roof'). Whoever says that sunroofs aren't fun in India doesn't know what he is talking about - we love them. The sunroof has been a major draw on the Honda WR-V; we're sure that pushed Ford into offering it here:


Zooming in on the wind deflector:


Full-size spare wheel. We're glad that the Indian EcoSport continues to wear its spare on the tail-gate (not the case with some international variants):


Silver number-plate housing is gone (reference image). Pre-facelift EcoSport had it this way:


The new 'S' and 'EcoBoost' badging:


A sweet parting shot:

[ChiragM]

So, what's new on the inside?

The cabin now comes with orange inserts to stand out from the regular variants. These have been applied well for a colour as polarising as orange, although many of you will find the highlights to be cheesy. Plus, they won't go well with all the exterior colour options. Vid6639 says he'd prefer silver inserts:


A lateral view of the black & orange cabin:


The steering wheel gets this contrast orange stitching:


New instrument cluster looks so much better than the bland one you get in the other variants. S variant gets these silver rings and a larger MID screen:


MID shows various alerts, including the 'door open' warning. The graphic for the door open warning remains the same, regardless of which door is open:


The many displays that can be shown on the main MID screen. Shows the usual data and uniquely, 'fuel liters consumed per hour'. The ‘Trip Computer’ heading changes to the odometer reading after a few seconds. The MID also comes with a gearshift indicator (lowest image). Neat touch = see how the icon on the left changes (road, star, music etc.):


The various displays for the Trip Computer and MyView. The MyView option is the star icon on the left and includes displays like speed or 'calm screen' (calm screen option is just a blank screen):


Various settings like display, driver assistance, vehicle settings and MyKey can be configured through the MID:


While the MyKey system remains the same, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System gets new graphics and looks much better. However, TPMS is no longer available with the Titanium+ variant. The MID also allows you to enable / disable driver assists:


Various vehicle settings available in the EcoSport S. Many features like Mislock chirp, rain sensing wipers and headlamp delay have been carried over from the Titanium+. Just like the unit in other variants, the new MID displays the temperature in the top-right corner:


The front door gets some orange too:


Inner door handles are now black:


While the Titanium+ variant gets full leather seats (reference image), the S variant comes with partial leather + fabric seats and orange stripes:


A close-up of the leather and fabric upholstery:


Just like the steering wheel, the seats also get this contrast orange stitching:


These sporty pedals are available in the Titanium, Titanium+ and the S variants:


The centre console wears orange inserts, which replace the chrome and silver trim of the Titanium+ variant. The excellent infotainment system is unchanged:


The colour of the grab handle on the dashboard has changed from piano black to orange:


Controls for the new sunroof are next to the cabin lights in the roof bezel:


The sunroof cover is manually operated. BHPian Justchells says that the cover rattles whenever it's open; you need to close it fully to stop it from rattling:


The sunroof fully opened. This brings in a lot of light, which is much needed in the dark cabin. Definitely makes things airier:


It can be popped up for ventilation:


The sunroof is one of the biggest selling points of the S variant:


The roof liner dips down to accommodate the new sunroof:


However, it does not affect rear headroom. Here is Moderator Anshuman demonstrating the available headroom:


Just like the front door, the rear door also gets orange inserts and black door handles:


A closer look at the orange inserts:


The rear seats are also finished in leather and fabric. They get the orange treatment which includes orange stripes and contrast stitching:

[ChiragM]

Driving the 1.0L Turbo-Petrol MT

There have been no major changes to the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine. It makes the same 123 horses @ 6,000 rpm and 170 Nm @ 1,500 - 4,500 rpm (earlier was 1,400 - 4,500 rpm). Weirdly, this top-of-the-line motor still doesn't get a cover for aesthetic purposes!


The EcoBoost petrol gets an insulation sheet under the bonnet:


The biggest news mechanically is this new 6-speed MT. The gear shifter is similar to the one found in the manual Titanium+ variant (reference image):


We had covered the technicalities of this engine in detail in 2013. Click here to check that post out.

Press the clutch pedal, hit the start button and the engine comes to life with a slight shake felt throughout the cabin (earlier car had a more prominent shake). The engine shut down is seamless though. In fact, this motor behaves like a 4-cylinder petrol at most other times. When idling, the 1.0L EcoBoost is surprisingly refined for a 3 pot, with hardly any vibrations felt inside. No passenger will know there's a missing cylinder under the hood.

The on-paper specs don't see much change, but the on-road driving experience tells a different story from the earlier one. This is mainly because of the new 6-speed MT. With 6 ratios to play around with, Ford have made the 1st and 2nd gears considerably shorter. This has helped in masking turbo-lag (a pain point of this engine) and noticeably improved urban driveability. While there is still turbo lag below 1,500 rpm, it takes much lesser time to get out of the lag zone and into the power band. You can now comfortably start off from an incline without stalling. Thanks to the shorter gearing, closing gaps in traffic is easier too as the engine is on the boil. On the other hand, the 3rd gear is not as flexible as in the 1.5L TDCi or Dragon 1.5L. And yes, the 1.5L Dragon's city driveability is superior. The EcoBoost's weak low end can still catch you out sometimes, despite the shorter gearing.

As before, the EcoBoost engine comes into its own after 1,800 rpm. Post 2,000 rpm, it even pushes you back into the seat; Vid6639 felt this was almost like his remapped diesel EcoSport! You'd be hard-pressed to tell that it's a small 1.0L working under the hood. The mid-range is a highlight of this engine - it's really strong between 2,000 to 4,000 rpm. Every time you cross 2,000 rpm with the pedal to the floor, it will bring a huge smile across your face. The motor revs happily to its ~6,500 rpm redline with strong performance throughout. It's now easier to redline in 2nd or 3rd gear and pull off a fast overtake. Highway cruiseability has improved a wee bit. Where the earlier car used to see 100 kph at a notch under 2,500 rpm in 5th gear, the new car sees 100 kph at 2,400 rpm in 6th gear. This basically means the new 6th gear is like the older car's 5th. Goes to show how tall the ratios were in the old EcoBoost. 120 kph? It's at 2,800 rpm in 6th.

The new 6-speed MT is a slicker shifting unit than the old 5-speed. However, it is not a benchmark and even after 1000 kms on the odo of Justchell's car, there was a hint of notchiness to the shifts. Also, taller drivers might find the gear lever to be placed a tad too far ahead. The clutch is a short-throw design. But it requires medium-level effort to engage, and is on the heavier side for a compact car. Owners will complain in bumper-to-bumper traffic. What takes time to get used to is the reverse gear. Usually, 6-speed boxes have the reverse gear to the left of 1st, requiring you to pull a ring around the gear lever & push it up. In the case of the Ford, the reverse gear is to the right of 6th!! It requires you to pull a ring as well. Took me a while to remember this while parking.

Like before, you will miss the turbo whoosh when accelerating, but on a quiet road with the windows down, you'll hear the BOV every time you lift off the accelerator. Engine refinement seems to have been tweaked and it felt slightly better than before. It's only when you rev past 3,000 rpm, all the way up to 4,500 rpm, that you feel some vibrations creep in on the accelerator & clutch pedals. When you are working the engine at high rpms, a typical 3-cylinder thrum sets in (similar to other 3-pots like the Alto K10 for instance). While the layman might not take kindly to the engine's thrum, enthusiasts will find it sweet sounding. I loved the sporty note over 4,000 rpm. Sadly, wind noise remains prominent at high speed.

Ride & Handling

The EcoSport comes with an independent McPherson strut front suspension and a semi-independent twist beam rear. This car was never known for its absorbent ride quality. In the 2018 facelift & update, Ford appeared to have slightly softened the suspension. While there is a little improvement, the overall ride remains firm. At low speeds on less-than-perfect roads, bumps are easily felt & big potholes are prominent. Any comparisons of the jiggly EcoSport to the magic-carpet-like Duster or WR-V are futile. You will always be aware of the kind of surface you're driving on.

What makes it worse is Ford's poorly thought out decision of giving the S variant 17" alloy wheels (Titanium+ luckily goes back to 16s)! Such large wheels on a small car are simply impractical for Indian conditions. We have driven the lower variants which are equipped with 15" & 16" rims and their low speed ride is better, but again, not what we would call plush. Still, the EcoSport's ride quality is a tad more liveable now. And as the speedometer climbs, comfort levels only improve. At speed, it manages broken roads decently and tackles smaller potholes with ease. Larger bumps do make their presence felt though. The suspension is quiet in operation and goes about its job silently (not clunky or loud at all).

The EcoSport remains a driver-oriented car. Its dynamics and poise are excellent. The 205/50 R17 Bridgestone Ecopia tyres provide sufficient grip to keep most drivers happy. The car holds onto its line well and doesn't understeer easily. For a compact SUV, it can be thrown into corners with a good deal of confidence. High-speed handling is very predictable as well. Straight-line stability is excellent and the dynamics are safe overall. It's a lot more fun to drive than the Vitara Brezza.

The electric power steering is light at city speeds; while parking or driving slowly, it is one-finger-light. At higher speeds, the steering weighs up, but not as much as enthusiasts would like. That said, the EPS isn't lifeless and does give you some feedback of what the front wheels are up to.

At 200 mm, the car's ground clearance remains unchanged. We didn't scrape the underbelly anywhere. Even when we took it a bit offroad for photography, the Ford breezed through the terrain. The tallest speed breakers won't pose any problems. Along with the ground clearance, the EcoSport retains its turning radius of 5.3 meters. That's wider than the Nexon's 5.1 meters and the Vitara Brezza's 5.2 meters.

The EcoSport has the ubiquitous front disc & rear drum braking setup. While braking from high speeds, the hardware is good enough to bring the EcoSport to a stop without drama. ABS + EBD are a part of standard equipment on all variants. The system is nicely tuned and not intrusive. Pedal feedback is satisfactory and you know exactly what the tyres are up to.

[ChiragM]

A peek at the new Signature edition

Additionally, Ford had the Signature Edition on display during the media drive. Too much confusion? BHPian Sinner shares a very useful PDF which lists the differences between the 2 editions - link to post:


BHPian Auto Freak was the first to spot the Signature edition in India - link to post:


The Signature Edition is based on the Titanium variant and is available with both, petrol and diesel engines. The petrol is the 1.5-litre Dragon series (which we prefer over the EcoBoost):


The petrol is priced at 10.40 lakh, while the diesel has been priced at 10.99 lakh:


No HID here. The SUV gets the same projector headlamps that do duty on the Titanium and Titanium+ variants:


Black grille gets a chrome surround:


The foglamps get a gloss black housing:


Unlike the S variant, the skid plate remains silver:


The tyres on the Signature Edition are the same as that on the S variant. The car gets a different alloy wheel design. While the Titanium comes with 205/60 16-inch tyres, the Signature Edition gets 205/50 17-inch tyres:


A black sticker runs along the doors:


Black painted roof rails here too:


A view of the roof rails and the new electric sunroof:


New rear spoiler is unique to this edition:


Like the doors, a black sticker runs along the tail as well:


The "signature" & black stickering looks terribly after-market'ish:


The dashboard is almost identical to that of the regular car. Note that while the S variant gets the new MID, the Signature Edition continues with the older unit which we did not like:


Blue accents will appeal to more people than the orange, but they still aren't as neutral as silver which would be our first choice:


The Signature Edition gets some safety features from the Titanium+ (ESP, Traction Control, EBA, Hill Launch Assist...) even though it's based on the Titanium . Just 2 airbags though:


The seats get blue contrast stitching, but the steering wheel doesn't:


Just like the Titanium, the Signature edition gets this 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Only the Titanium+ and S variants come with the nicer SYNC 3 8-inch ICE:


A blue grab handle on the dashboard:


The sunroof is the same as the one in the S variant. It's a big draw:


Unlike the S variant and its black inner door handles, this car comes with the regular silver ones:


All four doors get these blue inserts:


A look at the rear seats. Note the blue contrast stitching. There are no stripes on the seats like we saw in the S variant:


Disclaimer: Ford invited Team-BHP for the EcoSport test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event. That said, we were able to complete the review only due to our own initiative & thanks to the support from BHPians. More details in this thread.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Official Reviews Section. Thanks for sharing!

I like threads like these as it makes some matters amply clear to the manufacturer - we aren’t dependent on the brand for cars (thanks to BHPians) or to pay our bills (i.e. ad money). Not even the maker of the car can keep us away from it! In this sense, Team-BHP has the most unique position in the Indian car scene. No other auto media enjoys this stance (or ever has).

Team-BHP's luck . The car we drove at the media drive and the one we got from BHPian Justchells had the same colour. This helps with maintaining consistency in pictures. God bless this forum .

Some other points from my notes:

• Trivia = The EcoSport is the only car in India to offer two 3-cylinder petrols and a diesel concurrently.

• It's a good thing that this "S" variant doesn't get a firmer suspension as the EcoSport is already firm in stock form. Stiffening things up further would have made it a pain to live with. On a related note, I hate the idea of big rims + short sidewalls.

• Across the trim levels, there is some variation in boot sizes (it’s either 328 or 352 liters). Guessing this has something to do with the adjustable boot floor?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Such large wheels on a small car are simply impractical for Indian conditions.

Absolutely. But I guess this is a worldwide trend anyways.

Recently saw an article from US Consumer Reports on this trend. Almost everyone knows the harsh ride quality aspect, and even the major risks associated with low profile tyres - like chances of cracked alloys incase of major potholes at speeds, tyre sidewall bulges etc - but still the market is increasingly showing their preference towards bigger alloys and smaller profile tyres. With the SUV - like appeal of the Ecosport - I'd have liked an option for a 15 inch wheel with proper butch tyres and good ride quality.

That said - Good update from Ford. Great to hear the driveability has been improved with the addition of a 6MT.

Only wish the colour schemes were the opposite though. Ford S just absolutely needed that blue colour they gave to Signature edition - thats just tradition Ford.

Originally Posted by ChiragM

The Signature Edition is based on the Titanium variant and is available with both, petrol and diesel engines. The petrol is the 1.5-litre Dragon series (which we prefer over the EcoBoost)

Why? Reading through the portion regarding the engine - it felt like the Ecoboost has redeemed itself in the new Avatar. Where does the 1.5 improve upon it? Even better driveability?

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Note that while the S variant gets the new MID, the Signature Edition continues with the older unit which we did not like.

A bit confusing strategy from Ford. The flagship 'S' misses out on something which the lesser variant gets. Personally - If I were to choose between these two, I'd have to pluck my hair out. I just love the Signature edition over the S, but then only the S gets 6 airbags!

[GTO]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Why? Reading through the portion regarding the engine - it felt like the Ecoboost has redeemed itself in the new Avatar. Where does the 1.5 improve upon it? Even better driveability?

From the opening post

• The 1.5L naturally-aspirated Dragon makes almost as much power (123 vs 125 PS) and torque (150 vs 170 Nm). Its power-to-weight ratio is actually superior, although the EcoBoost has a small advantage in the torque-to-weight ratio.

• The EcoBoost's driveability has improved, but the Dragon's is much superior. No contest.

• Because the 1.5L Dragon is mechanically simpler, we can safely assume that its long-term maintenance costs will be lower than the EcoBoost's. Don't forget that the EcoBoost is a fully imported engine (expensive parts).

• The Dragon is cheaper and available in the lower variants too (EcoBoost isn't).

• Between a large naturally-aspirated motor and a small turbo-charged one, we'll usually pick the former.

• The 1.5L petrol is available with an AT; the EcoBoost isn't.

[NiInJa]

Excellent review and the car looks smashing in that color without any chrome !



After reading the review, what confuses me is if the 1.5 Dragon engine is almost as good as the 1.0 Ecoboost, then why Ford took the pain to import it and put it in a new variant. Couldn't they get more sales by having an S version with the locally manufactured (and cheaper) 1.5 Dragon engine ?

[Prathiiik]

Excellent review as usual.

Great update from Ford. I feel that the Ecosport S is worth the premium of 1 Lakh, considering the extra goodies (sunroof, HID's, Chrome delete and the Ecoboost + 6 speed MT).

The S edition is probably the only way by which Ford will be able to sell the Ecoboost. Plonk the Ecoboost into the Titanium +/ Titanium or Trend variants and it won't sell. Reason? The superior Dragon and the punchy TDCI will be chosen by most customers mainly due to lack of awareness (the Ecoboost) and also due to cost reasons (buying + maintenance)

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by GTO

I like threads like these as it makes some matters amply clear to the manufacturer - we aren’t dependent on the brand for cars (thanks to BHPians) or to pay our bills (i.e. ad money). Not even the maker of the car can keep us away from it!

Have we notified Ford that the review is up and live ? May be include some basic stats as well : 2300 views in 1 hour!

Team-BHP Rocks!

[agambhandari]

Great review, especially the driving impressions part which was the only important thing to know really. But going through that and the "smile that it puts on your face" i can't understand the ranking that the Mods have given in terms of the engines. The power and torque combination of the EcoBoost feels very punchy and i may be in the minority here but once you get the feel of a turbo petrol, NA cars just feel like missing that zing , that push back in the seat feeling which just doesn't come in NA. The diesel feels fun to drive for the same reason.

While yes, the low down torque feels low in the 1.0, it doesn't feel inadequate by any measure. I have the 5 speed Ecoboost and the only little thing that irked me was getting away from speedbumps, sometimes you have to shift down to 1st. I believe even that would be much better in 6MT. And for rest of the city driving experience, the boost over 2k rpm is just fantastic and never gets old. Given a choice between a small turbo petrol vs NA, personally would go for turbo 10/10 after having used one for 5 years. And touchwood at least in these years, haven't had maintenance issues.

The price premium at that time was about 40k for the EcoBoost and that has increased a lot and the difference between the ecoboost and diesel has decreased so there's no surprise that it makes a harder case for itself than ever. But I would ask other members to not question Ford's decision to relaunch the Ecosport's flagship powertrain but rather give Kudos to Ford for bringing it in. Other manufacturers have shown how little interest they have in bringing their latest turbo engines to India. While overseas, pretty much every maker has 3 pot 1.0, none has brought it in yet(save for maruti, and even that at a price that makes no sense). Thanks to them for being this adventurous in trying it out.

Now if only the next Figo S has the EcoBoost

[fiat_tarun]

Great review as always guys. With this update Ford have made the Ecosport a real looker. I am taking delivery of my Race Red S diesel in a few days and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

My biggest grouse with the S variants is that the colour strips inside should have matched the exterior colour (not the stitching, etc but just the dashboard strips).

Originally Posted by ChiragM

The sunroof is the same as the one in the S variant. It's a big draw:

Does the Signature edition also not get grab handles? Ford's with six airbags normally don't have grab handles on the roof, but from the picture above it looks like it's missing here too (sunroof effect?)

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

A bit confusing strategy from Ford. The flagship 'S' misses out on something which the lesser variant gets. Personally - If I were to choose between these two, I'd have to pluck my hair out. I just love the Signature edition over the S, but then only the S gets 6 airbags!

Which feature from the lower variants is missing in the S?

[sahilkhurana]

Great review as always !
Looks like while this engine is superior (in terms of HP) to VW's 1.2TSI, it doesn't look like it is as enjoyable as the TSI.
I know 1.2TSI is helped by a quick DSG, but still Ecoboost doesn't seem to come close to the TSI. Is this the right conclusion to draw?
PS - I was so looking forward to this Ecoboost engine. Looks like will have to settle for a Diesel then !