Ford has begun testing the heavily updated EcoSport in India. The carmaker had launched a mildly refreshed version of this compact SUV in India earlier this year. This will be the second update to the EcoSport and a major one in a short span of time. The facelifted EcoSport was showcased at the LA auto show last year.
The facelifted 2017 EcoSport gets all new front styling. The grille is now a one-piece hexagonal unit as opposed to the two-piece design in the older model. The headlamps and the fog lamps get new design, so does the front bumper. The new-look EcoSport's styling now brings it more in line with the modern Ford SUVs such as the recently-updated Ford Kuga, which is on sale internationally.
The new EcoSport carries on with most of its current design elements when viewed from the sides, save for the new-look alloy wheels. The tailgate-mounted spare wheel is a popular feature in India and is likely to stay on Asia-bound models of the car.
Also, big changes are expected on the inside. Ford has revised a lot of the control surfaces around the cabin. The basic design of the dashboard is similar to that of the old car, but now features a new layout for the centre console, a new instrument cluster and steering, and body coloured inserts – the current car features silver-finished surfaces inside the cabin.
The revised centre console is crowned by Ford’s SYNC 3 touchscreen infotainment system. The central air-con vents are now positioned lower on the centre console, while the centre-stack gets revised air-con controls along with an asymmetrical design.
The India-spec EcoSport is likely to continue with the familiar set of engines, a 1.0-litre EcoBoost turbo petrol, a 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel. With this update, Ford aims to regain its share in the booming compact SUV market, where you also have rivals like the Vitara Brezza and the Mahindra TUV300.