The 2017 Ford EcoSport Facelift was unveiled exclusively at carandbike.com today. First launched in 2013, the EcoSport was one of the cars which started off the subcompact SUV segment in India. The EcoSport was a success story too with good sales in the first couple of years. This is the first comprehensive update that the EcoSport has received since its launch and Ford is confident that the new and updated EcoSport will strike a chord with the customers the way it did when it was launched. But the going won't be easy either. The biggest rival to the Ford EcoSport is the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. The Vitara Brezza has been one of Maruti's highest selling cars in the last couple of years. In fact, back in August 2017, the sales of the Vitara Brezza crossed the 1.5 lakh mark and it shows no sign of slowing down. So let's see how these fare against each other on paper.
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There is no doubt that the Vitara Brezza looks butch, but with the new, bigger grille, re-designed headlamps and bigger fog lamps give the edge to the Ford EcoSport Facelift. The new EcoSport looks bigger and meaner despite being the same size. The Brezza also feels a tad boxy in comparison to the EcoSport. Also, the spare tyre mounted on the rear tailgate has always helped in making cars look a bit more SUV-ish. So this round goes to the new and EcoSport.
Also Read: 2017 Ford EcoSport Variants Explained
| Parameters | EcoSport | Vitara Brezza |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 3999 mm | 3995 mm |
| Width | 1765 mm | 1790 mm |
| Height | 1708 mm | 1640 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2520 mm | 2500 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 200 mm | 198 mm |
Taking up the Vitara Brezza first, it gets a touchscreen infotainment system which is compatible with Android auto and Apple CarPlay. You also get in-built navigation, reverse-parking camera, parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity, keyless entry, start-stop button and steering mounted controls. One of the reasons why Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza is doing well is because it has a long list of features. The new EcoSport too gets a host of upgrades to the interior.
(The cabin of the EcoSport has been updated)The top-spec EcoSport gets an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment unit while the middle variants still get a 6.5-inch touchscreen unit. The system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with mobile navigation as well. Ford also offers its SYNC 3 connectivity suite on the new EcoSport as well. There are two USB ports with backlit surrounds too. The cabin is completely done in black, which gives a sporty look to it.
(Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza Engine)The Vitara Brezza has a single engine option which is the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine. It makes 89 bhp and 200 Nm of peak torque and is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. There is no automatic option on the Vitara Brezza and no petrol engine either. The claimed mileage is a solid 24.3 kmpl. The new EcoSport will continue to have the 1.5-litre diesel and will have a new 1.5-litre petrol engine which will be a 3-cylinder unit. It makes 120 bhp and 150 Nm of max torque and will be mated to a 5-speed manual transmission or the brand-new 6-speed automatic, which replaces the previous dual-clutch automatic unit. There will be paddleshifts on offer as well along with hill launch assist, traction control and cruise control. There will be no automatic for the diesel engine model. Also, the 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine on the EcoSport will be discontinued.
| Diesel Specifications | EcoSport | Vitara Brezza |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 1498 cc | 1248 cc |
| Max Power | 99 bhp @ 3750 rpm | 89 bhp @ 4000 rpm |
| Peak Torque | 205 Nm @ 1750-3250 rpm | 200 Nm @ 1750 rpm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT | 5-speed MT |
Both models get Anti-lock brakes and dual airbags as standard across all variants. The top-spec EcoSport gets 6 airbags. The new EcoSport models, except for the base one, also get Ford's emergency assist system, which calls the emergency services automatically, in case of an accident.
(The new EcoSport also gets new alloy wheels)As far as pricing is concerned, Ford says that the prices will not be affected much despite the fact that it gets more features and equipment. The Vitara Brezza's prices start at Rs. 7.23 lakh and go up to Rs. 9.91 lakh. The Vitara Brezza has seven variants in total. Going by the fact that the Maruti is offered only in diesel, the Ford EcoSport will have more variants on offer, which could give it a slight edge in terms of options. A lot depends on pricing as well. Ford will be launching the new EcoSport in November 2017 and if it gets the pricing right, the Vitara Brezza could have a rather tough competition in the new EcoSport.
