<div><img width="200" vspace="8" hspace="8" align="right" height="200" alt="" src="/image/image_gallery?uuid=128a5f72-c5f9-4bbf-b77f-6bf2e5def431&groupId=36166&t=1373289438489" />Sometimes, a writer has to eat his own words. When Businessworld wrote about the 1-litre EcoBoost engine of the Ford Motor Company, it hailed the engine as a miracle for petrol cars because over the last year the Indian Market skewed towards diesel engines and 55 per cent of the sales came from diesel vehicles. We claimed that the mileage from this engine would be above 20 kilometres to a litre and revive interest in the petrol class of cars. But after subjecting the new Ford EcoSport's EcoBoost petrol engine to six hours of heavy traffic in Bangalore, for five days, the car's mileage on an average was just 10 kilometres to the litre and on the highway it was around 14 kilometres to the litre.<br /><br />The vehicle has considerable lag, at second gear, and needs to be throttled at higher RPMs, which means more fuel is consumed by the vehicle. We can safely assume that this variant of the car is only for long drives because when the roads are empty the vehicle does perform efficiently, at high speeds, and makes you forget your city drive. We pushed it to 180 kilometres per hour and the vehicle does not shake or wobble and the well engineered body does take care of your young family at such speeds. Ford has priced this for the family that wants to feel the safety of an SUV and yet it offers the ease of driving a small car. It is a fitting answer to Renault's Duster. <br /><br /><img width="300" vspace="8" hspace="8" align="left" height="300" alt="" src="/image/image_gallery?uuid=57b1e013-003d-4489-bb16-935d8b14f417&groupId=36166&t=1373284321068" />Also remember that the EcoBoost is a world class engine; for such a low displacement, it drafts at 125 bhp with 170 Newton Meter of torque at 4000 rpm. This engine is also green as it emits only 109 to 114 grams per kilometre to pull such a large car. The average hatchback emits 100 grams of carbon per kilometre. The high end version, which for an EcoBoost variant is the only one and has no lower variant, has the best interiors in it's class, within Rs 12 lakh, and the interactive telematics system from Microsoft makes it worth a buy. The phone can be synced via bluetooth and its intelligent voice command modules allow you to control the phone without having to take your eyes off the road.<br /><br />The car's interiors are thought through with Indian conditions in mind. It's slanted back seats are for those of us who like to crouch. Its leatherette seats compliment the spacious cabin. It has nicely designed arm rests for those long traffic jams. It also has a power socket at the back to charge your phones. The boot has space for two large suitcases and is good for a five day vacation. The driver also has an arm rest, to his left, making the drive even more comfortable.<br /><br /><img width="300" vspace="8" hspace="8" align="right" height="300" alt="" src="/image/image_gallery?uuid=a43d340e-08b7-451e-ae3f-5a6c54d72643&groupId=36166&t=1373284354793" />There are several variants of the EcoSport and certainly the 1.5-litre diesel and petrol engines should be driven before choosing the EcoBoost model. Remember that this is an imported engine and you would have to wait six to eight months for delivery. You should also note that although this vehicle looks like a big SUV, but it will fit in easily in your garage, provided there's space for 4000 mm length and 1800 mm width. While driving in the city, one is reminded of a hatch. It can turn in to small roads and can get out of them easily. A perfect match as an "urban SUV" — as the company likes to call it. The ground clearance of 200 mm or eight inches makes it better than your average hatchback. The branding and the PR have pushed hard to position the vehicle as such. The messages does influence you, but don't be impulsive. Test the dealers to the maximum before you pick the vehicle. The Ford EcoSport is here to stay and its success will depend on service and fuel efficiency vis-a-vis its other variants.<br /><br /><img width="600" align="middle" height="249" alt="" src="/image/image_gallery?uuid=045ebc03-dae0-4edd-9a54-72a4be9db62f&groupId=36166&t=1373284743839" /><br /><br /><br />vishal(dot)krishna(at)abp(dot)in<br />vishalskrishna(at)gmail(dot)com<br />twitter(at)vishalskrishna <br /> </div>
