Ford has launched their new and updated mini-SUV, the EcoSport at Rs 7.31 lakhs ex-showroom, at exactly the same price as the outgoing car. So, you get a brand new car with fresh exteriors, new interiors and a brand new petrol engine for the same price as before. If you ask us, that is a great deal, especially with the Ford’s build, efficiency and now even the ownership cost. But then, if you would like to explore other options for the same price as the various trims of the Ecosport, we have them all listed here.
At Rs 7.31 lakhs, the price of the entry-level petrol EcoSport, you will be able to lay your hands on those fully loaded, top-spec hatchbacks like the Maruti Swift, the Hyundai Grand i10 and save almost a lakh rupees if you opt for the petrol ones. You can also go in for a diesel variant of the same, in case you are okay spending a few thousands more.
The next price band is about Rs 8 lakhs and in this budget, you will get either the petrol Trend or the diesel Ambiente base trim. For the same price, you will be able to lay your hands on the fully loaded compact sedans in their petrol avatar. With more features and equipment, the 4m compacts sedans might actually be a better choice for city commutes than a compact SUV.
Moving up the price range, at about Rs 9 lakhs, the C-segment sedans become accessible. For example, the petrol versions of the Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Maruti Ciaz, Volkswagen Vento and Skoda Rapid. In case you want a diesel, you always have the compact sedans to fall back on. The C-segment sedans offer more cabin space as well as boot space and with their low ride heights are better around corners as well.
Between the Rs 9 lakhs and Rs 10 Lakhs price bracket, you get the automatic options of the petrol Ecosport as well as the top end trims of the manual petrol and diesel cars. At this price, you can get you hands on the premium B-segment hatchbacks like the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the Hyundai i20 and the Volkswagen Polo. Or if you prefer a little butch, there is the i20 Active or the Toyota Etios Cross to look for.
Above this sit the cars in the Rs 10 lakhs plus ex-showroom price range and this is where the compact SUVs come into play. You have the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross, the Hyundai Creta and the Renault twins of the Duster and the just launched Captur along with their oriental cousin – the Nissan Terrano all fit in this price bracket. You can either choose their mid-petrol trims or base diesel trims as per your usage and they will offer you everything a C-segment sedan does, but with higher ground clearance.