The 2017 Ford Ecosport has been launched with an update. This time it gets a new front look, new interiors and added features. It also gets an all new petrol engine and a new automatic gearbox. The Ecosport now is more equipped to take on its competition. We compare it to the Tata Nexon and the Maruti Vitara Brezza. Read on further for the 2017 Ford Ecosport vs Tata Nexon vs Maruti Vitara Brezza Comparison.

Design 

Ford Ecosport

 

The Ford EcoSport is the oldest SUV here but now is refreshed with a new front look. It carries a proper boxy SUV styling with an aggressive looking front end. The grille is all new and it also gets new headlamps and large fog lamps. The styling of the Ecosport is one of its biggest USPs and the reason why it went on to become so popular. It is well proportioned and has a raised look with enough muscular appeal. The rear and the side see no change. It now comes with 17-inch alloy wheels on the top end Titanium Plus variant.

Tata Nexon

The Tata Nexon is the newest design here and is unconventional. The design is more like a crossover than a traditional SUV and follows the IMPACT design language of Tata Motors. It gets a wide front grille that extends upto the headlamps. From the side it looks like crossover and has interesting styling elements that include combination of three colours. The rear is also stylish with attractive tail lamps. Out and out it is a head turner and looks different from the rest of the pack. As far as looks go it’s entirely a personal choice and you may choose one which you prefer.

Maruti Vitara Brezza

The Maruti Vitara Brezza is also a boxy looking SUV that is quite traditional. It has been styled to look attractive with the front end having a thick chrome grille. The side is squarish in appearance and there’s a quarter window at the rear. The two-tone colour lends it some flavour. The rear is simple and not very attractive. This also comes with 16-inch alloy wheels.

Video Review

Interior

Ford Ecosport

2017 Ford Ecosport interior

The Ecosport gets a new dashboard and also a new touchscreen system. Those multiple buttons have now vanished and the layout is modern. The build quality seems better, especially the touch and feel. Storage space is decent with the front door pad have space for 2 one-litre bottles. At the rear the EcoSport is comfortable and the seats offer good support. The leg room is just adequate, however where it lacks is that this is strictly a four seater. Five adults are difficult to fit into this car because the width of the Ecosport is the least amongst all the other SUVs. The seats do not have reclining at the rear but they can fold flat now. The boot is adequately big and the boot lid swings out instead of lifting up and hence this allows for easy luggage loading, due to the loading lip being low as well.

Tata Nexon

Tata Nexon interior

The interior of the Nexon looks plush. The fit finish and layout of a dashboard is good. It feels sporty and the touch and feel of materials is premium. The steering wheel is the same found on other Tata cars and the instrument cluster is shared with the Tiago. The touchscreen system in the Nexon is pretty cool as it gets a floating top touch screen that also falls in line with your vision. The touch screen is good to use and has buttons on the centre console. In terms of practicality this is one of the best. Storage spaces are plenty. You get cup holders, the door pockets have space for water bottles and also a small umbrella holder, which is not much useful though. The armrest also has got storage space.

The Nexon also focuses on the comfort of the rear passengers. There is good amount of space available, the seat angle is also good, sufficient leg room and head room is available. You also get a rear AC vent and it also has blower control in it. Also, the Nexon is the widest compact SUV, hence three people can sit very comfortable in this one. This is the most impressive feature. The boot has 360 litres of space which is more than sufficient and the seats also have a 60:40 split fold which makes it very convenient. So in terms of rear comfort, practicality and space, Nexon comes out on top.

Maruti Vitara Brezza

The interiors of the Vitara Brezza look sophisticated

The Maruti Vitara Brezza gets all black interiors that looks sporty. The fit and finish of materials is also good however, the quality could have been better as it feels flimsy. The dashboard layout is quite convenient and you have things falling in the right places. The touchscreen is located conveniently and tilted slightly towards the driver. The steering wheel is the same which is found on a range of Maruti cars so this doesn’t feel different. The seats would have been more supportive and they are very average. The armrest is very small and not very comfortable however, the good part is that you sit high in the vehicle and it gives you a commanding view of the road.

Engine and Performance

Ford Ecosport

Ford Ecosport new petrol engine

Ford Ecosport has 2 engine options. The 1.5-litre diesel with 100bhp of power mated to a five-speed manual gearbox continues to be offered. A new 1.5-litre, 3 cylinder petrol engine now does duty here. It is a naturally aspirated one. This engine is mated to a ne-6-speed automatic transmission. Ecosport is still the only vehicle to offer an automatic in this segment. The diesel engine is a gem of a performer and refined too. The petrol is good for city driving and has good low end torque. In terms of driving experience, the Exosport is the best of the lot as it feels more plush and refined.

Tata Nexon

Tata Nexon Diesel engine

The Tata Nexon has two engine options -1.2-litre turbo petrol which has around 108bhp of power and 1.5-litre diesel, which has again 108bhp of power. The petrol engine comes mated to a six-speed manual transmission, which is the first in the segment. The diesel also has a six-speed manual.

Petrol has decent performance, though not outrightly powerful, it gets the job done. It drives well on roads and we only had a little issue only on steep inclines or ghats, where the engine felt to struggle a little bit. However, working the gears properly will have it running well. The diesel is the more powerful one out of the two. It comes with good driveability and is responsive to drive. In terms of performance it is faster than the Ecosport through the gears. The engine though gets noisy at higher revs.

Maruti Vitara Brezza

Maruti Vitara Brezza engine

The Maruti Vitara Brezza comes only with one engine option, which is the 1.3-litre diesel engine. It churns out around 90bhp of power. It offers very good performance, especially for the city and the instant response from stand still is also impressive. The Brezza also offers good driveability and you don’t need to shift gears frequently. Highway cruising is also fine at around 120km/h, however brisk overtaking on the highway is not its strength.

Mileage in Km/l Ford Ecosport Maruti Vitara Brezza Tata Nexon
Petrol in City

8

12

Petrol on Highway

14

15

Petrol Auto in City

10

Petrol Auto on Highway

15

Diesel in City

14

16

15

Diesel on Highway

17

21

19

Fuel Tank Capacity

52 litres

48 litres

44 litres

Ride and Handling

The Ford Ecosport has been our favourite in the handling department. It is quick to respond to inputs and feels very agile too. The steering feedback is good and has been further softened now. The stiff suspension is the only chink in the armor of the Ecosport and the ride quality is a bit on the harsh side, though better now than the earlier version. One will not feel this so much in city, but to long drives, this can get tiring.

The Tata Nexon has impressed us in this department. Like always, Tata offers a great ride even in the Nexon. The suspension is well tuned to offer a comfortable ride and even bad roads or deep potholes are soaked up briliantly. The handling also is fine. Steering feedback is good, with proper weight. The steering wheel is also small in size, giving it a sporty feel. NVH is well controlled and  The diesel engine is audible only at higher revs, which is acceptable.

The Maruti Vitara Brezza has a softer ride compared to the Ecosport. Initially it does not feel as planted, but after a while you realise that at high speeds and sharp bends, it handles well. This is possibly due the longer wheelbase of the Brezza as compared to the Ecosport. The suspension is well-balanced, despite the high ground clearance. The clutch is also on the lighter side, so there is not much fatigue in city driving. But where the Vitara Brezza loses out is in the steering feedback. Another downside of the Brezza is its cabin noise. There is a lot of wind and tyre noise that seeps in, along with the engine noise. That kills the premium feel desired.

Price

Variants (on-road, Delhi) 2017 Ford Ecosport Maruti Vitara Brezza Tata Nexon
Base Petrol 8.04 lakhs To be Launched 6.43 lakhs
Top Petrol 12.08 lakhs To be Launched 9.29 lakhs
Petrol Auto 10.27/12.08 lakhs To be Launched To be Launched
Base Diesel 8.81 lakhs 8.13 lakhs 7.53 lakhs
Top Diesel 11.73 lakhs 10.87 lakhs 10.27 lakhs

The Tata Nexon is the most affordable of the lot. It has been priced very aggressively. There is a difference of almost 1.5 lakhs between the top end diesel variant of Ecosport and the Nexon.

Verdict

The Maruti Vitara Brezza is the best selling compact SUV, that too with only one engine option. The reason is that it is a Maruti and the the trust factor is the highest here. It is a good package overall but lacks in terms of refinement and build quality.

The Ford Ecosport is a much improved product now. It gets a new front look and many new features including the new touchscreen which is great to use. It also feels the most premium in terms of usability and driving pleasure. Also, the fact that it is the only one to offer an automatic option, gives it a good edge. The Ecosport loses out on space and comfort to the other two, but comes a close second due to the features and plushness it offers.

That leaves us with the Tata Nexon. As a product, the Nexon comes across as a brilliant package offering a mix of everything – modern design, classy interiors, space, comfort, practicality, impressive ride, good handling and very good diesel performance. Yes, it doesn’t have a few features like auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control or even six airbags. but these are not make or break features, we think. What makes the Nexon the winner of this comparison is the price at which it comes.

The Nexon top end diesel is is comparable to the Ecosport’s Trend Plus variant which has very limited features. Also if we consider the top end variants, Nexon is about Rs. 1.5 lakhs cheaper than the top variant of the Ecosport and around Rs. 60,000 cheaper than the Vitara Brezza, while offering more space, the best ride comfort, a six speed transmission and the highest ground clearance. Tata is working hard to improve its image and this shows with the kind of products launched recently.

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