Ford EcoSport long term review first report

Our Ford EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost longtermer has finally arrived. I say finally because we were to get this petrol version late last year, but somehow got sent a diesel. While I wasn’t expecting much from the 89bhp engine, the diesel proved to be surprisingly competent in the city. It had plenty of torque, almost no lag and responded well to the throttle. In fact, after a week or so of driving that car, I seriously began to question the need for the EcoBoost petrol version. Had we asked Ford for the wrong car? I was puzzled.

That bit of suspicion, however, quickly vapourised once I got behind the wheel of our EcoBoost. And all it took was an empty stretch of elevated road right outside our office in Parel. Once past the one or two cars ahead of me, I put my foot down and let the snarling, free-revving petrol deliver that generous shove in the back, which makes driving it such a joy. The diesel suddenly felt very ordinary. We sometimes tend to forget how appealing a good petrol engine in a healthy state of tune really is.

A few weeks down the road, it’s still the EcoBoost engine that’s proving to be the most appealing bit. Yes, there is a bit of turbo lag, especially in traffic. Drive it in a lazy manner and this turbocharged 1.0-litre engine will flounder and go off boost if you allow it to languish below 1500rpm. And you also need a well-timed downshift if you want to scramble past a clump of traffic. But otherwise, this little engine is an absolute gem. I just love the way the turbo  ‘rushes’ in with a burst of power and I love the way it pulls cleanly to the redline as well. The other, frankly baffling, bit is just how smooth it feels. Passengers have no clue that there are only three cylinders banging away under the hood; in fact, many flat-out refuse to believe me. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder, direct-injection turbo EcoBoost really does deserve the title of International Engine of the Year.