Don’t buy another car until you’ve read this!

With crossover, car-based SUVs becoming the rage worldwide, it was high time for Ford to introduce a radical new concept. Amid the introduction of so many SUV models lately, Ford finally released a truly segment-busting, crossover compact SUV which is the second-generation EcoSport—now among the new global platforms in Ford’s simplified yet nonetheless impressive lineup.

Pricing

The most important question I asked Ford Philippines head Kay Hart during the recent launch of the EcoSport in Hua Hin, Thailand, was about the price of the EcoSport when it hits local shores. Kay’s answer came as quite a shock: a low of P775,000 to a high of P975,000 for the top-model Titanium variant.

The EcoSport is a brand-new, refined crossover-based SUV in the same price range as most B-segment vehicles but undercuts C-segment vehicles considerably. It’s a vehicle that has real flood-water wading ability, a tall ride-height and the ability to carry very large cargo when  seats are  folded flat. You won’t get that from your typical sedan/hatchback. Because of this, Kay expects the EcoSport to outsell the Fiesta in the B-segment.

Abilities

FORD Philippines president Kay Hart and other company executives join motoring journalists for the test drive in Hua Hin, Thailand.

A 550-millimeter fording or wading depth is the largest, most eye-opening figure we got. That’s over half a meter of ground clearance, water reaching well above the tall 16-inch wheels and tires. And that is with the interior and electronics completely dry. Useful indeed for  flash floods in the Metro, or some short and shallow river crossings on  out-of-town trips.

Ford is promoting the EcoSport as an alternative outdoor adventure vehicle for young people who have outgrown the traditional B-segment car. This is important: Almost everyone wants a vehicle capable of traversing Metro Manila streets when there’s flooding, yet can’t afford a proper SUV costing well into the millions or have the extra parking space in their homes. Or both.

There’s also a very useful 200-millimeter ride height which allows the EcoSport to traverse most types of curbs. No, it’s not exactly a car for curb crawling in the figurative sense but rather a vehicle that can adequately conquer most urban off-road adventures, such as climbing over a sidewalk to find parking space when partying out at night or watching a game at the Arena.

Then there’s the 705-liter cargo capacity in the back when you fold the seats. That’s enough room for a small washing machine, a complete set of large 20×10-inch wheels with tires, three bicycles, a small kayak, a barbecue grill, a stroller and a small folding bed plus a tent.

Driving

The EcoSport coming to the country is equipped with Ford’s 1.5-liter TI-VCT engine that produces  108.49 horsepower and  142.25 Newton-meters of torque. It drives the front wheels via Ford’s Powershift automatic, a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission that, thankfully, has lost 90 percent of its jerkiness, compared to the Focus and Fiesta.

A five-speed manual is available on lower variants. It has a measly 16.4 kilometer-per-liter fuel consumption on the highway, as claimed by Ford; in mixed driving conditions of the roads of Hua Hin, we got a best of 11 kpl, considering the traffic and the slow pace our convoy was traveling. It can easily cruise at a comfortable 110 kilometers per hour on the highway, and has a very linear and intuitive interface because of its Epas electronic power steering which compensates for pulling/tugging caused by road imperfections or crosswinds.

Steering effort is light and could do with more feel; a few minutes driving the EcoSport and the steering becomes more natural. The dual-clutch transmission is a bit slow-reacting to kick-down when you boot the throttle but picks up the pace considerably, overtaking slow vehicles in the process. Paddle shifters behind the steering wheel or a parallel gate for the transmission lever would have been a welcome addition to aid in manual-operated shifting though as the small rocker button on the shift knob isn’t the most intuitive of controls. Nonetheless, you still get an extra degree of control thanks to being able to hold the gears, such as conquering a steep ascent or engine-braking down a steep slope without riding the brakes.

From tight inner city streets to A-roads, B-roads, mountain passes and some mild offroad trails leading to the Hua Hin Hills Vineyard, the EcoSport handled everything with confidence and ease. The brakes proved more than adequate for the task of slowing down the EcoSport with good modulation and progression. It’s slightly overassisted and a tad mushy on the first millimeter of travel, but firms up gradually to improve feel and, more importantly, your confidence in cut-and-thrust city driving.

Interior

Ford’s EcoSport offers adjustable reach and rake for the steering, alongside an eight-way seat adjustment for the driver and seatbelt height adjustment, allowing the small EcoBoost to accommodate drivers well over 6 feet tall. There’s ample shoulder room up front, and four adults of average height can easily and comfortably slip into the back.

Three abreast behind is a bit of a pinch best reserved for short city drives.

Thankfully, there are 20 ingenious storage solutions inside the car. The front doors can hold a 330-milliliter can of soda and   1.5 liter of bottled water each, which was a tough packaging solution for the engineering team. The chilled glove box can hold up to six cans of 330-ml softdrinks, and the passenger seat has a slide-out tray that can accommodate a 14-inch laptop easily, along with other valuables and gadgets to keep them away from plain view while parked out in public. There are two 12-volt outlets, a USB plug and AUX jack connectivity inside the center glove box, too. Add to that fold-and-tumble rear seats and you have a very versatile, ingenious, stylish and roomy interior. Leather seats with contrasting bright stitching adorn the top-model Titanium variant, along with a sliding and tilting glass moonroof.

Safety

This wouldn’t be a proper Ford if it didn’t come packed with safety features. The EcoSport comes loaded with front driver and passenger airbags, ABS-equipped brakes, Hill Launch Assist which holds the brakes for extra three seconds to save you from rolling backward or forward when the vehicle detects that you’re in an incline, Emergency Brakes which flash when the vehicle decelerates rapidly to warn vehicles behind you, and ESP or Electronic Stabilization Program which applies braking force to individual wheels when the vehicle’s grip level changes among its four wheels. Add to that the very rigid chassis and you have the safety features more commonly found in a plush, larger, more expensive vehicle all in a small, affordable package.

The Verdict

Ford has a real winner in their hands. The  EcoSport has the go-anywhere ability, the interior versatility and capacity, and the ride height of a soft-roading SUV, but is priced well within the B- and C-segment vehicles and has the exterior dimensions of a B-segment sedan or hatchback. First-time drivers will have no problems driving the EcoSport, ladies included. To top it off, it has a very classy, very refined and well-insulated interior that’s comfortable over very long stints behind the wheel, is packed with safety features and seamless modern conveniences such as the numerous cubbyholes and storage bins, self-compensating Epas electronic power-steering and great fuel efficiency. No wonder Ford is confident it can release as much as 7,000 EcoSports in a year.