Great car! Superb driveability! Full marks to Ford!

Exterior Much has already been said about the Ecosport's exteriors. You either love'em or hate'em, but can't ignore them. To me, personally, the black door handles & mirrors appeal more than the body coloured on upper variants, as they enhance the butch & macho look of the car.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) The front seats are definitely more comfortable than the almost flat rear bench seat (in Ambiente) However notheing much to complain here. Plastic quality is, imho, really good, way better than even the Amaze, City iVTEC, or Verna. Black grey looks classy (i hate beige - irritates when driving against the sun, as the beige tend to cast reflection on the windscreen).

So many stowage spaces & cubbyholes, no hump on the rear floor & a decently large boot add to the big hatch image.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Its been a sheer pleasure driving this car around. Slick & smooth gear shifts, and power assisted feather-light steering makes driving in traffic a breeze. I think I'm getting a fuel economy of around 16-17 in city traffic (only 230km clocked as yet).

I just follow these guidelines very strictly:

First km of the day at almost idling speed (for the turbo to warmup)

Focus your eyes on the road about 400m ahead and then decide whether you really want to floor the gas pedal. (accelerating-braking too often takes toll on fuel economy).

Ride Quality & Handling This is definitely one of the best in class. I'd like to compare it with the Innova or even CRV or Fortuner. Very pliant ride.

Final Words I'm glad I had the patience to wait for the ecosport and that I did not buy the rapid or verna diesel that were under consideration.

Areas of improvement Doors closing is inconsistent. Handbrake lever is for the side passenger to operate as the lever is too close to the seatbelt clamp. Seats could have been a wee bit wide.

Styling, fuel economy, commanding driver's positionHand brake lever position LHD oriented, no Tachometer.