Ford has rejigged the variant lineup of EcoSport and decreased its prices by up to Rs 39,000 last month. With this, the American carmaker has also hinted about giving the SUV an exciting update. Now, the subcompact SUV has been spied without the tailgate-mounted spare wheel, suggesting that the new update is just around the corner.
The spied model was featuring the registration plate on the tailgate, with a chrome bar positioned just above it. The bumper, on the other hand, now has a silver skid plate. However, the tailgate still remains a side-hinged unit like the ongoing model. This rear tailgate design is similar to EcoSport's global model, which are also manufactured and exported from India.
According to some media reports, this would be a new variant of EcoSport and expected to be known as "EcoSport SE". It is unlikely to get a factory-fitted spare wheel. Instead, the brand could provide a puncture repair kit for the tubeless tyres of the SUV, whereas the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) already offered with it. Ford could launch this new variant on 10th March 2021.
Also Read: Now Manufacturers Can Exempt The Spare Wheel Under These Conditions
While it is not confirmed, Ford could also equip the updated EcoSport with Mahindra’s 130PS, 1.2-litre mStallion T-GDI engine which will also make its way to the XUV300 sub-compact SUV. Apart from this, the EcoSport could continue to get the existing 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol (121PS/149Nm) and 1.5-litre diesel (99PS/215Nm) engines. Transmission duties will be handled by a 5-speed manual gearbox, whereas a 6-speed automatic transmission will be reserved for the petrol variants.
The SE trim is likely to be positioned between the Sport & Titanium variants. Currently, the Ford EcoSport is priced from Rs 7.99 lakh to Rs 11.49 lakh (ex-showroom), and we don’t suspect any significant change in the price range.
Image Source – Rushlane