My Ford Ecosport petrol AT: Buying decision, delivery & first thoughts

The 6-speed torque converter gearbox is smooth and never gave any sudden jerks while shifting.

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Finally writing my first review instead of just reading reviews of others

October 2021:- The buying frenzy begins

My parents started to look for a replacement for our old workhorse; 2005 Tata Indigo Marina LX Dicor; who practically was tired after serving us well for over 16 years. She was a trusty steed who hauled us and our belongings from point A to B with ease; thanks to her overall dimensions and boot space. But after 50000 kms and multiple electrical issues; it was time to bid adieu to her.

The Search Begins:-

My parents had a simple but irreplaceable list of requirements for our next car:

• A considerable amount of bootspace
• It had to have a petrol mill paired with an automatic as my father was tired of driving a sluggish diesel-manual combo for the last 16 years.

Options considered by my parents:

1. Maruti Suzuki XL6
2. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga
3. Renault Triber
4. Mahindra XUV 300

• Maruti Suzuki XL6

Pros:

• It was meeting most of our demands; A reliable petrol engine which was absolutely smooth and enough for our needs; an acceptable 4 speed torque converter (back in 2021) gearbox which was fine for everyday driving.
• The biggest USP of all was that it offered a 6 seater configuration; something that my father was craving for years. The captain seats in the second row offered an upmarket feeling at a reasonable cost.

Cons:

But it had its own set of problems which drive us away from it:

• The 4 speed torque converter was an ancient piece of machinary which Maruti Suzuki was holding dear to it and was offering it in pretty much all of their big cars back then. The jerks while it shifted were noticeable and it felt outdated while it was pushed to do an overtake.
• Safety:- Back then; safety of pretty much all cars in their lineup was questionable which was a big NO-NO for me. (My parents didn't mind it but I couldn't let go of the fact that it had an average build quality

• Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

It had the same fate as XL6 because it was basically the same car but with a bit different design and a 7 seat configuration.

• Renault Triber

Oh boy! It was almost booked by my parents as it had an attractive price and a balanced feature list which it offered back then.

Pros:

• The price point! It was basically taking on a fist fight with Ertiga at a price point which was meant for hatchbacks!
• The 7 seat configuration with Renault's "Modular Seating" model made it a deserving contender on our list.

Cons:

• The test mule which we drove had a negative impact on our buying decision.
• The AMT was one of the worst automatics that my father drove as it was jerky and not well tuned.
• The engine lacked refinement and sounded which was quite disappointing for us.
• The build quality was something which I couldn't fully agree with Renault as it has the same if not worse build quality than Ertiga. (I know many of the members wouldn't agree with me.)

• Mahindra XUV 300

One of the better cars that I had seen in this price bracket.

Pros

• Powerful petrol engine which screamed "DRIVE ME!'
• Had an automatic option but we'll comeback to it later.

Cons:

• The boot space was crammed to death in that car! Amere 285-liter boot space was not going to satisfy my parents even though it had a good heart.
• The AMT gearbox was again jerky like the other cars on the list and was rejected by my father.

Other cars considered:

• Skoda Kushaq
• Kia Carens
• VW Taigun

All of these were rejected for the same reasons; they were newly launched and my father didn't trust German cars they have to be maintained regularly; something he can't do as he is in Merchant Navy and sails for almost 7-8 months.

Buying Vanessa:- A truly unexpected move by my parents

As they were searching for our next upgrade; my mother stumbled upon a Ford Ecosport while she was coming back from her clinic.

She asked me about it and I was happy to share the details about the car. The recent news of Ford leaving India generated a sweet deal for us as this car was available to us a good price.

After discussing with the dealer; we met at a price which was acceptable for both the dealer and my parents. As the car was located in a dealership situated in Pune; we had to inspect it before the closing the deal as we live in Navi Mumbai.

The car was sold to us by Shivalik Ford, Pune and after inspecting the car; we closed the deal with them and brought her home.

1 December 2021:- The Day of Delivery

It was one the of smoothest purschasing experience given by the dealer. We signed the remaining paper and we were off to travel to our weekend house in Satara.

Pros:

It has a powerful petrol mill; with 121 bhp at your foot; it handles overtaking with ease and never felt like it was struggling to make power.

The 6-speed torque converter gearbox is smooth and never gave any sudden jerks while shifting. The sport mode is something that I enjoy whenever I am sitting with my father as it changes the overall characteristics of the engine. The engine holds the RPMs higher than usual and is great for overtaking big vehicles.

The boot space was acceptable by my parents which was cemented its buying chances.

The feature list:

It has a slew of features like 6-airbags, ABS+EBD, Traction Control, sunroof, vehicle telematics, automatic projector headlamps, rain sensing wipers, automatic climate control, cruise control, 9-inch touch screen infotainment system,etc.

The build quality of the car is exceptional and the door thud gives you an assurance that you are sitting in a good car.

Note:- Even though vehicle telematics was offered in Ford Ecosport; the remote engine start-stop through app was available only for Titanium Plus Automatic variant.

Cons:

The suspension of this car is something that is great for holding high speeds on the highway but is stiff for everyday use.

The mileage:

Boy! she is a drinker! She gives around 7-8 kmpl in city when the AC is set to 24*C, fan speed set to auto and driven in light traffic.

She gives around 14-15 kmpl when driven by a light foot on highway, speed set to 72 kmph and the AC set to 24*C auto.

Should you buy it in pre-worshipped condition?

Absolutely if you are okay with her stiff suspension and her drinking habit

Here are some of the pictures of her:

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