Ford is planning to launch the facelifted version of EcoSport in the UK by 2016. The vehicle will be manufactured at the Chennai plant in India and will be exported to the United Kingdom. As the car is making its move to the UK, it is expected to adorn various modest changes. The new EcoSport for the UK will feature a rear view camera with the updated Sony stereo that supports Bluetooth. The steering wheel is expected to get revised as well with better control and superior built quality.
The UK-bound units will lose on the spare wheel and come with the ‘Black Pack’ that mainly would grab buyers’ attention. In the Black Pack, it seizes door mirrors, roof mirrors and glossy black alloy wheels. Roof rails have been removed to give the vehicle an all-new and sportier appearance. The company states that the sound insulation is added to the vehicle while the suspension system is also worked upon receiving new dampers and is lowered by 10 mm. Expected price for the vehicle will be around INR 17.68 lac and the deliveries would take place from June 2016.
Mechanically, UK version will work on the same 1.0 liter EcoBoost motor that generates a power output of 138 bhp (an extra power of 15bhp is included). The mill comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and delivers the fuel economy of 17.8 kmpl.
Talking about the Indian version of the facelifted Ecosport, which has already been launched in the country at a price tag of INR 6.79 lac, the car opts few tweaks for front aesthetic on the outer profile. This means it is almost similar to its older version. Exterior modifications include new style elements like Daytime Running Lights and refreshed Fog lamps. Apart from this, the company has also introduced the new Golden bronze shade for the facelifted EcoSport version.
Talking about the changes inside, the cabin gets slight tweaks. Otherwise, features and design are all same as before. The cabin now adopts chrome for the door handles, cluster applique, cluster ring, window regulator switch and for the air register tabs. Other new features are the automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers and electro-chromic mirror. It also features Bluetooth Connectivity, automatic Climate Control and advanced Ford’s SYNC with AppLink car connectivity system that allows the owner to control the phone and other entertainment hands-free using Voice commands.
Under the hood, EcoSport is energized by the same 1.5-litre diesel mill that belts out 100 PS power output and peak torque of 205 Nm. The diesel trim comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and delivers an amazing fuel economy of 22.27 kmpl (ARAI certified). On the other hand, its petrol version is offered either with 1.0 litre EcoBoost or 1.5-litre TiVCT mill. Its EcoBoost motor can churn out the power output of 125 PS and delivers a mileage of 18.88 kmpl. This comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox while the 1.5-litre motor can generate the power of 112 PS and is available with both 5-speed manual as well as the 6-speed dual clutch PowerShift automatic gearbox.
Recently, Ford recalled 16,444 EcoSports concerning the issues of the Rear Twist Beam Bolt that has not been tightened properly. This may become a prime reason for the pivot bolt braking and can hamper the car’s driveability. All the EcoSport vehicles that are produced between November 2013 and April 2014 are recalled by the company. Earlier, in December 2014, around 20,752 units of the car were recalled to fix the problem related to vapour line and fuel.