The Ford Ecosport SE variant now keeps itself close to the global model in terms of the overall design
Ford India has added a new SE variant to its hot-selling Ecosport lineup. Priced at INR 10.49 lakh for the petrol and 10.99 for the diesel variants, the Ecosport SE has a few key design changes to boast and now stands closer to the export model in terms of aesthetics. The SE sits below the range-topping Ecosport S on the portfolio.
The Ecosport is one of the earliest players in the sub-four meter SUV space. In its production run of over a decade, the Ecosport has had just minor tweaks in it to keep pace with the competition. The addition of the SE variant comes in at a time when the SUV is expecting an upcoming generation update sometime soon.
The key changes on the Ecosport SE have all happened on the design front. While most of the design cues on the front and sides remain unchanged from the model it replaces, the rear has been completely redrawn. The SE ditches the tail-mounted spare wheel, something that has always been a signature of the Ecosport. Removal of the tail-mounted spare wheel essentially calls for a complete redesign at the rear. There is now a redrawn tailgate, on which sits the number plate. The bumper gets a dual-tone finish and even has a faux skid plate. Thus it now looks more like the export model, the one that is already on sale in the American and European markets.
As per the recent amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), manufacturers are not mandated by the law to provide spare wheels for M1 class passenger vehicles (seating capacities of up to 9 including the driver and falling under 3.5 tons in the overall weight), and should offer a tyre pressure monitoring system and a puncture repair kit instead. Space liberated thus could be used for the storage of luggage or batteries in the case of electric vehicles. Ford is apparently pioneering this system here with the SE.
In terms of features, the Ecosport SE gets similar levels of equipment as the Titanium trim. There are things like a sunroof, SYNC3 infotainment system etc on offer here, plus, there is even a set of projector headlamps for an added boost in tech. There is, however, no change in the powertrain. The Ecosport SE offers choices of 1.5L TiVCT petrol and 1.5L TDCi diesel engines putting out 122PS and 100 PS respectively. A five-speed manual gearbox remains the only transmission option on offer on the Ecosport SE variant.
