Ford EcoSport 1.0 Ecoboost Titanium 2020 Philippines Review: Old dog, new tricks

The Ford EcoSport was a harbinger of things to come to the Philippine Automotive industry when it was first introduced in our market in 2014. There was nothing else like it at the time. Sure, you had the Mitsubishi ASX and the Kia Soul but these are more niche models. If you were in the market for a small SUV your realistic choices were the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V or the Hyundai Tucson.

Ford Philippines introduces a mid-cycle refresh to one of their best-selling vehicles

Subcompact SUVs weren’t as ubiquitous then as they are today. Now you have the Nissan Juke, Honda BR-V, Hyundai Kona, and Chevrolet Trax -- models that slot below the aforementioned compact SUV options.

Five years later, Ford Philippines introduces a mid-cycle refresh to one of its bestselling vehicles. There are major changes to the interior and even drivetrain. The front fascia also now complies with Ford’s current design language featuring a large hexagonal grille flanked by large headlights.

The EcoSport also now features an all-new engine. Under the hood, we now find a one-liter, three-cylinder turbocharged engine. Does the refreshed Ford EcoSport have what it takes to hold its own against the new wave of newcomers, and keep the subcompact SUV crown? Can the car finally live up to its sporty name? Let's find the answer by reading this Ford Ecosport 1.0 Ecoboost Titanium 2020 Philippines review provided by Philkotse.com!

The SUV finally sheds its bulbous nose, now replaced by a more angular yet flat front fascia. The headlights and fog lamps have increased in size and now feature daytime running lamps.

The headlights and fog-lamps have increased in size

Projector HID headlamps are now the norm for newer Ford models, including the Ford Ecosport Ecoboost Titanium has it as well.

The 2020 Ford Ecosport Ecoboost Titanium also sports new 16-inch wheels that compliment the chunky side fender flares. The body line that streaks across the door handles remain as well; side mirror turn indicators have been affixed.

The 2020 Ford Ecosport Ecoboost Titanium also sports new 16 inch wheels

The back of the vehicle also features minimal changes -- namely on the spare wheel cover. The Ford Ecosport Ecoboost exterior is still featured with a wide side-mounted door (as opposed to having a liftgate. This may prove challenging in more cramped parking as you have to take into account that the door, fully ajar, is about a meter and a half in length.

This hinders potential parking space as you have to take into account that the door

Not much has changed from the previous model as this is just a mid-cycle refresh, but since that model already had an impressive and muscular appeal to it, it was logical to retain a majority of the design.

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If Ford held itself back from implementing much change to the exterior, it’s definitely done the opposite to the Ford Ecosport Ecoboost interior. Inside, it has been significantly revamped, perhaps to rectify the lapses on the previous model.

The front seat is properly bolstered to keep you in position

Gone is the phone interface-inspired center infotainment stack. It has now been replaced by Ford’s vaunted Sync3 system. You are now treated to a touchscreen that seamlessly syncs with your phone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Thanks to its advanced Bluetooth system, this is done with terrific ease.

The gauge clusters have also been improved through simplification. There’s also a new LCD information screen sandwiched between the speedometer and odometer, that is easily controlled by steering-wheel buttons. Everything from fuel consumption, range, temperature, and media information can be found on the center screen.

Gone is the phone interface-inspired center infotainment stack, which has now been replaced by Ford’s vaunted Sync3 system

What's special about the Ford Ecosport 2020 with Ecoboost is that it is a great place to be, thanks to the sound insulation are top-notch, and soft-touch plastic and leather abound. The sunroof is a conversation starter. You have automatic climate control that disperses cold air quickly. During our drive, it was exceptionally humid for a Tuesday morning, but thankfully the climate control system did its job admirably.

The seats are very comfortable, especially for rear occupants. The front is properly bolstered to keep you in position. It only has a rake adjustment for the steering column and the seats can only be adjusted manually, but once you’ve settled in you can definitely sit in comfort despite the gridlock.

Simplification is the name of the game in the EcoSport’s cabin

The biggest change that comes to the 2020 Ford EcoSport Ecoboost Titanium is its engine. As the name suggests, it is now blessed with Ford’s award-winning one-liter, three-cylinder engine. It’s a glorious engine that produces a robust 125hp and 170Nm.

These are similar figures compared to the 1.5-liter engine available in lesser variants but thanks in part to the small displacement and turbocharger you can finally have your cake and eat it too. This means that from now on when talking about Ford's car lineup, you can be as economical or as fast and furious as you want.

Ford’s award-winning 1 Liter, 3 cylinder engine is glorious

The three-cylinder engine, upon startup, is rougher than commonplace four-cylinder engines. However, it smoothens out as soon as you hit the road, and the engine warms up. This is thanks to Ford’s engineering by balancing the engine and tuning it for maximum efficiency and performance.

Power delivery is precise and surprisingly linear for a turbocharged engine. You won’t be left wanting, as the drive-by-wire system of the electronic throttle control is very responsive. The problem with some drive-by-wire systems is that there is that problematic lag when you step on the accelerator. This is not the case for the EcoSport.

Power delivery is precise and surprisingly linear for a turbocharged engine

Personally, it finally can live up to the “sport’ part of its name. I’ve driven a one-liter Ford Fiesta with EcoBoost as well, but this car drives so much smoother than that. That’s because Ford swapped out the much-maligned PowerShift system. PowerShift is a dual-clutch transmission system that feels jerky when driven in heavy traffic.

Shift shock is evident whenever the car switches gears, the decision to go for a traditional six-speed automatic transmission is definitely a step in the right direction.

The switch to a convention six-speed is a good decision

The Ford EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium is so intuitive with your inputs that it even holds revs and refuses to shift up sooner if you mash on the pedal. It knows that you need to move, and obliges. This, however, does not bode well for fuel economy as we were able to register a measly 6.5 km/l.

But mind you, this was in very heavy rush-hour traffic. On the open-roads, all I did was put the pedal on the metal -- squeezing out every ounce of power out of the car. I also disabled the automatic start/stop feature of the car, as I found the system to be a bit intrusive at times. I am sure though that I would get used to it in time.

>>> Visit our Ford Ecosport Philippines price to find full pricing details for each variant

As earlier mentioned in this 2020 Ford Ecosport Ecoboost Philippines review, the subcompact SUV market used to be a niche market in the Philippines. If you wanted an SUV, the smallest would run on diesel. When the Ford EcoSport was launched here, it changed our perception of personal motoring.

Here you have a relatively inexpensive vehicle that does not take that much space but has high ground clearance. It is also kitted to the brim with technology such as speed-sensing door locks, auto-dimming rearview mirror, keyless entry with push-button start/stop, hill-start and hill-descent controls, rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, and the auto start/stop.

This Old dog has New Tricks up its sleeve

There are many arguments to go for the new kids in town such as the Nissan Juke, Honda BR-V, Hyundai Kona, and Chevrolet Trax. One of those arguments is pricing. Priced at P1.190 million, it does seem daunting to even consider the EcoSport, but if you start to compare pricing with the competition, you’ll find that this is just up to par with the rest of them.

It all boils down to your preference. If you want a solid and reliable small SUV, with driving and creature comforts that surpass its competition, you can go for the Ford Ecosport 1.0 Ecoboost.

Check out and follow us at Philkotse.com and our Ford Ecosport for sale page to find your next vehicle. Special Thanks to Belmar Madriaga of Ford Cainta for loaning me their 2020 Ford EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium.