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Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Bucket Seat: 2018 Ford EcoSport - First Impressions


Ford are currently launching their new EcoSport in the country, a car that many have grown to love since its introduction into the market, with over 45,000 units being sold in SA alone. The thing that made this compact SUV so popular was it's multiple award winning 1 litre EcoBoost engine. The new EcoSport will have 2 engine variants, keeping that fuel-efficient EcoBoost engine with a new six-speed automatic transmission available on selected models as well as the 1.5 TDCi diesel engine which is only available on the Ambiente model. 


Whats new? Well there's more that meets the eye with the new Ford EcoSport, starting off at the design which overall looks the same as the outgoing model but if you look closely there have been some modifications. The front trapizoidal grille has grown and has been elevated giving the car a more aggressive and prominent stance. The front headlamps are angled to suit this new configuration and adds to the bold look of the front end, below the headlamps are fog lamps encased in a triangular housing. The overall design is sleeker and has a new range of alloy wheels to choose from, around the back much remains the same from the previous model which is a bit disappointing. 


The interior has received a nice revamp, stand out feature is the large floating 6.5" touch screen on the Trend models, which is upgraded 8" touch screen on the Titanium, both  complete with Ford's SYNC 3 entertainment system which is standard on the Trend and Titanium models. This incorporates Bluetooth and voice control and has the option to load Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The rest of the cabin is very ergonomically designed, providing comfort for both the driver and their passengers. The EcoSport has keyless entry and push start ignition with auto start stop for extra fuel saving. 


There's a poplar saying, that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and essentially that is what Ford have done here, but in saying that they have improved on things that needed to be, like the interior and tech aspects. The new EcoSport is really a great vehicle for those looking at getting a fuel efficient SUV which looks great, is spacious and great value for money. Pricing on the models is as follows. 


EcoSport 1.5 TSCi Ambiente 5MT  -      R 264 500
EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Trend 6MT -      R 287 500
EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Trend 6AT   -     R 300 700
EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 6MT -  R327 800
EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 6AT - R 339 900



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