Pre-worshipped car of the week : Buying a Used Ford EcoSport

The Ford EcoSport has the characteristics of a typical Ford - solid construction, fun to drive nature, sorted suspension. Over the years, the car has also had some great engines and transmissions.

Buying a used Ford EcoSport

You know a car is competent when it sells in healthy numbers, despite being 8 years old and relatively premium-priced! Launched in 2013, Ford's EcoSport is still capable of selling 3,000 - 4,000 copies / month. Based on the company's global B-car platform (which also underpinned the Fiesta), the EcoSport has the characteristics of a typical Ford - solid construction, fun to drive nature, sorted suspension. Over the years, the car has also had some great engines and transmissions.

Positives

• Despite its age, the EcoSport is still among the most competent compact SUVs on sale in India
• Good looks matched to solid build quality
• 1.5L diesel is tractable & economical, while the 1.5L 3-cylinder Dragon is revv-happy & fun
• Dynamically sorted. Competent handling by crossover standards
• Lots of fun to drive, in the city as well as on the highway
• Loaded with kit (leather seats, paddle shifts, auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control, terrific SYNC3)
• Smartly packaged interior. Adequate space for 4 adults. Lots of storage & practical features
• Safety kit includes 6 Airbags, ESP, Hill Hold, EBA, emergency assist phone call & more
• Decent reliability with the 1.5L TDCi Diesel & 1.5L 3-cylinder Petrol variants
• Reasonable spare part prices, especially of the wear & tear variety

Negatives

• Ride quality is far from plush; underlying firmness obvious, more so with the 16" & 17" variants
• Rear seat space & narrow cabin width make a 5th occupant unwelcome. Best for 4 onboard
• 1.0L EcoBoost engine is best avoided. Turbo-lag, reliability issues, complex nature
• Complicated dual-clutch AT is problematic. Pick only the torque-converter ATs
• Tree trunk thick A-Pillars result in severe blind spots
• Insane feature deletions over the years (lumbar adjustment, reclining rear seat, cooled glovebox...) and frustrating variant rejigs
• Mahindra-Ford JV has been called off. We remain concerned about Ford's long-term commitment to India
• Be prepared to pay a premium for the good examples. Model is in demand, new EcoSport is expensive
• Later models have visible cost-cutting compared to the early builds

Related Threads

• Official Review, 1.5L Dragon Petrol, 1.0L EcoBoost S
• naveen.raju's EcoSport 1.5D Titanium
• jithin23's EcoSport Facelift Titanium TDCi
• Murugan's EcoSport 1.5L AT
• Bangalore to Leh in an EcoSport
• Bhutan in an EcoSport
• Ford deletes features from the Titanium+ variant
• Ford EcoSport SE variant with no tailgate-mounted spare
• Team-BHP Car of the Year, 2013

Mod Potential:

Very popular model here & abroad, so plentiful extras available in the after-market.

Image Source: Instagram

Availability:

Excellent. Sold well for 8 years so there is ample choice in the market. As mentioned, go for the 1.5L Dragon 3-cylinder Petrol or 1.5L Diesel. Avoid the 1.0L EcoBoost and dual-clutch ATs. If you have the budget, look out for the 2017+ Facelift which gets a nicer dashboard, SYNC3, better headlamps, slightly softer ride etc. Check out the examples on sale - link.