TEST DRIVE: 2014 Ford Ecosport 1.5L Titanium

The Ford Ecosport is based on the current Ford Fiesta B2E platform and was originally launched in 2013. We got it last year and I got to drive it at the end of last year. I tested the Ford Ecosport 1.5L Titanium recently and this here is the long delayed review of the mini SUV.

The Ford Ecosport is Ford's global product. It is sold in is most continents and is specced and tuned with each market in mind. We Malaysians get the one built in Rayong, Thailand and gets a 110ps, 142Nm 1.5liter 4 cylinder petrol engine that is coupled with a 6 speed dual clutch gearbox. We don't get a manual option and it comes in front wheel drive only form too (there is a 2.0liter all-wheel drive variant elsewhere). This last note makes sense as it is marketed as an urban SUV and I doubt anyone who buys this Tonka toy cute little car to go off roading in it. Maybe some flash flood wading, but that's about it.

The Ecosport Titanium as tested comes with a pretty long list of gadgets to keep the occupants occupied.  Externally, it gets 16inch alloy wheels on 205/60 series tyres to complement its chunky looks. The Ecosport does not look offensive from any angle and since it is based on the Fiesta, you do get some of that car's styling cues but wrapped in a SUV body. You get that large toothy lower grile  instead of an Aston Martin look single grille and more upright rear pillars and roof rails to give you that SUV look.

You also get 200mm of ground clearance as well as up to 550mm of water wading capability. I put this to good use as when I was handed the keys to the Ecosport, the heavens opened up and it poured. It poured so much that as soon as I entered Federal Highway from the Ford Auto Connextion showroom heading towards Subang Jaya, water was quickly rising on the overtaking lane (the right most lane is called the overtaking lane okay...if you drive slowly, DO NOT drive there), traffic was beginning to form and cars were signalling left to avoid the rising water. I did what high riding mini SUV testers would instinctively do. Signal right and plow right through the wheel high water. No fuss whatsoever from the Ecosport. So from the start, I told myself that I was going to enjoy this little SUV. Check out the pic above from the incident.

The Interior

Anyway, back to the details. The Ecosport Titanium gets Smart Keyless Entry with Push Button Bluetooth & Voice Command with SYNC entertainment system. No Navigation but this is expected in a B segment or compact car segment vehicle. I have to mention that if you buy any Ford vehicle, including this Ecosport, the sound system is provided in conjunction with Sony. It may not say Sony anywhere but trust me it is. This is why if you play music in the Ecosport it does have ample bass and  clarity to it unlike some other mid-tier brands out there. You also get 7 airbags, a tilt/slide sunroof, a glovebox that can act as a cooler for drinks, enough space to shove in a front loading washing machine. The rear seats do not fold flat though, but they fold, and then lift towards the front backrests to make more space. I would personally prefer a flat loading floor, but this approach does work especially with the tall roof. And how many of us do carry washing machines or stuff from Ikea on a daily basis?

So when you get inside the Ecosport Titanium you note that it does remind you of the Fiesta, and the Focus and the Kuga and the Ranger. You get my point. There is a similarity in design in all and you get the same fashion forward styled dashboard in all those cars. Materials used are what you can find in a B or C segment car but you do get a nice leather wrapped wheel. Ergonomically wise, I can't seem to complain much about switch, button and gear placements. The layout is all okay. So is the overall space utilization - front and rear. So, you get comfy by adjusting the seat and steering (which tilts and is telescopic too) and press the start button (the lower specced Ecosport does not have this) to....obviously start it up.

Driving the darn thing

At low speeds the Ecosport is easy to maneuver, the steering is light and the size of the car is just right to squeeze through traffic infested roads around the city. It actually allows for some over the curb parking too. The suspension, MacPherson struts front and a Twist Beam at the rear works well in soaking up the pot holes and ripples on the road surface. No unwanted clonks and suspension clobber too at city speeds. And the view through the front windscreen is pretty good. Pretty good as the A pillars are quite large and it also has a smaller little pillar blocking the view to the sides. This is the case when designers want that extra rake in the A pillars in a compact car. However, that being said, the ones on the Ecosport aren't as extreme as the ones in the Peugeot 308 or the Suzuki SX4. Still very tolerable.

At highway speeds, the Ecosport feels stable and predictable up till 150kmh. Above that it gets noisy with extra wind noise and you have to concentrate more than usual. It ran up to 170kmh but it felt out of its element. On the twisties, it managed to handle corners and bends quite well even for a mini SUV. The car does not roll that much and it does act like an overly tall hatchback instead of a mini SUV. Ford does know how to set up car suspensions. The steering may lack ultimate feedback (most cars these days are like this) but placing the car where you want it is easy. Not as sharp as the Fiesta it is based upon but better than some Korean based compacts out there despite being taller than most out there.

As for engine performance, the 110ps 142Nm 1.5liter engine is nothing to shout about. It gets its job done and  going up Genting Highlands would make it complain a little. A friend and I did just that and while it's engine was complaining, we could still overtake quite a few cars on the tighter and steeper parts of the ascend. I would love having a 2.0liter in the Ecosport, but then again, who wouldn't when you're going up Genting.

I have to say that the dual (dry) clutch gearbox is in the right gear most of the time. It is quite intelligent and in 'S' mode, knows what gear to be in for spirited driving. There is still that typical dual clutch transmission issue though. It still is quite unsure at low speeds, particularly in stop and go traffic especially where there is a slight slope or gradient. Aside from that, it performs as it should and is fun when you're going for it.

The Conclusion

So aside from all of that, what else is there to say about the Ford Ecosport Titanium? The drawbacks are the slightly jerky low speed issues with the DCT, the fact that the rear seats don't fold flat and that it isnt as quiet as a Fiesta or that it doesn't corner like one too.

The last two issues are obviously coming from a guy who likes driving normal cars over SUVs, MPVs or trucks so it does not really count if you're in the market for a mini SUV. As Mini SUVs go, the Ecosport Titanium has all the bells and whistles and is actually quite refined for one too. It is as quiet and refined as a mini SUV could be at this price point (RM103,888 otr as tested).  And it is actually  more useful that a Fiesta when mother nature throws you those flash floods in and around the Klang Valley. This happens quite a lot and do remember the incident I mentioned earlier in the article about going through one in the first place. Oh, I have to add when the cars were pulling left at speeds below 20kmh, I was ploughing through the water at around 40kmh and splashing water at all the other cars on the left of me. I think that feeling is priceless. Cruel but priceless.

So that being said, the Ford EcoSport isn't that bad to have after all.


*Note - One question that was asked recently was whether a RM100,000 mini SUV like the Ford Ecosport is worth purchasing over one that is almost half its price. My answer would be that it is so much more refined than what a RM55,000 mini SUV can give you (the Great Wall M4 Haval comes to mind). Better plastics, better handling, slightly better ride, better interior space and packging as well as a better engine comes to mind. Styling is subjective so there is nothing wrong with buying the cheaper M4 but it is built to THAT price. The Ecosport is better in almost all aspects bar the price.

1.5L Ecosport Titanium
Engine type
1.5L (1498cc) Ti-VCT, I4, DOHC, 16V.
Petrol (Minimum RON 95)

Maximum Power (Ps (kW)/rpm)
110 (81) @ 6300
Maximum Torque (Nm/rpm)
142 @4400
Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres)
52

Fuel Consumption        9.0l/100km Most would get better than this. We were up Genting Highlands and belting it you know.