The 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium with its multiple award-winning 1.0 EcoBoost engine is the perfect SUV for the family who’s always on the go. We had the opportunity to drive this compact SUV for a week and found it ideal for running all our little family’s errands as well as leisure time. The popular EcoSport was first launched in 2013 and has become a firm favourite in its category amongst young families like ourselves. During our 7 days with the 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium we could clearly see why it’s been the highest selling vehicle in its segment for several years.

 

 

On the road with the 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium

Our little family is always on-the-go; whether it’s going to work, day care drop-offs or running errands and exploring beautiful Cape Town. A vehicle that meets all our needs is therefore essential to our daily lives.  Let me just start off by saying that the 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium (I haven’t driven the previous models) is extremely comfortable. As in the sitting-on-your-couch-watching-tv kind of comfortable. The comfortable ride can be attributed to the leather seats and the conveniently placed interior compartments.

2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium

Being a shameless nonfan of manual transmissions, I’m delighted with the all new six-speed automatic gearbox that is available in the 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium and Trend with the 1.0 EcoBoost engine. You can also take control of the gear shifts by means of steering column-mounted paddle shifters, allowing you to explore the full power of the EcoBoost engine. However, I found this model a tiny bit heavy on fuel as even our 40km Saturday outing to Middelvlei Wine Estate couldn’t get it below 9.1 litres per 100km/h. Although I’m sure if you take it on a lengthy road trip, it will most definitely produce a lower fuel consumption reading. The Hill Launch Assist (HLA) made the inclines of Polkadraai road en-route to Middelvlei, a lot easier.

 

Let’s talk interior additions and features

2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium

As a mom of an active toddler, I find myself taking a liking to compact SUV’s such as the Ford EcoSport. The 206mm ground clearance gives me that ‘king of the road’ feeling and to be honest, I just feel safer in a higher vehicle. Rear parking sensors makes it easier to manoeuvre the EcoSport out of parking spaces and driveways and gives you that extra peace of mind and confidence you need when driving a slightly bigger vehicle. The keyless push-button start feature ensured that I didn’t need to fiddle with keys. Perhaps a keyless entry button addition on the driver’s door for added convenience in the next EcoSport update Ford?

2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium

The 8-inch colour touchscreen display with built-in navigation system was also extremely helpful on our lunch outing to Carlucci’s at Meerendal and I found myself missing it when I drove our own car! The Bluetooth connection was quick and easy and I was safely taking calls within minutes of being on the road. A fun addition to the 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium is the centre console LED lighting which can be changed according to your mood! Orange and purple were my favourites by the way…

2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium

The EcoSport Titanium is quite a looker too; cool 17-inch alloy wheels, attractively shaped LED daytime running lights and the stunning ruby red colour turned a few heads.

 

How much will it set you back?

The top of the range 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium 6AT comes in at R339900. Considering the stiff competition in this segment, I think this is a great price especially if one takes into account all the features of the vehicle. The entry level EcoSport 1.5 TDCi Ambiente 5MT is priced at R264500. A full list of all model prices and features can be found on the Ford South Africa website.

 

**Special thanks to Ford South Africa for giving me the opportunity to test drive the 2018 EcoSport.

 

Author: Gaynor

Half city dweller. Half road trip explorer. Full supporter of local South African travel!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *