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New Ford EcoSport gets manlier without compromising on creature comforts

Ford has unveiled the new EcoSport, which now comes with an intelligent all-wheel-drive system and a more sporty variant called ST-Line. Building on its predecessor’s design, the Blue Oval has decided make the vehicle a little more rugged this time around.

The rather docile grille has been repaced with a matte-black two-piece louvered one that certainly is in-line with Ford’s current design language. It’s projector headlights slope forward and towards the front fascia, which reminiscent of the ones on the current gen Mustang.

from the side, the two-tone paint scheme does provide the EcoSport with a sporty look as does the 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels. Ground clerance of certain variants might vary depending on the suspension setup that is utilized.

Ford has left the rear relatively untouched safe for minor changes to the taillights and rear bumper, both decent decisions considering that there wasn’t much wrong with them in the first place. The decision to keep the spare tyre internally has had a positive effect on the rear, giving rise to a cleaner and sporty overall feel.

Speaking if the new vehicle, Steven Armstrong, group vice president and president, Europe Middle East and Africa, Ford Motor Company, said, “Ford has sold 150,000 EcoSport compact SUVs in Europe since we first introduced the model to the region in 2014.The new Ford EcoSport offers customers even more style, comfort, capability and choice.”

There will be a diesel (EcoBlue) and a petrol (EcoBoost) engine available with the new EcoSport but the most notable feature of the lot is the Intelligent AWD system. It will be capable of distributing power between the front and rear in a 50/50 configuration.

In fact, it will be able to do this in a mere 20 miliseocnds, which Ford says is 20 times quicker than a human eye takes to blink. It will work seamlessly by transitioning torque between all four wheels, to allow for better traction and stability.

The 125bhp 1.5-litre EcoBlue engine is all-new and comes with a number of innovative technologies. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is offered in several states of tune, which include 140bhp, 125bhp and 100bhp. And if the 4WD life isn’t your thing, you can still opt for the 2WD option that is significantly lighter and easier on fuel consumption as well.

Compared to the outgoing vehicle, the new EcoSport gets optimized springs, dampers, spring aids, steering gear, rear axle twist beam, Electronic Stability Programme settings and steering assistance profiles.

The interior takes on a more refined look with easier to use controls and soft-touch materials, and a new centre console ergonomically designed for easy operation and featuring fewer buttons. The seats have been redesigned to offer good comfort and premium feel.

Occupants can also match the ambiance to their mood with adjustable interior lighting that can be set to one of seven colours. But the cabin’s main party trick is the ability to store small items in compartments hidden through out the cabin including under the seats.

As mentioned earlier, the EcoSport will also be offered as an ST-Line variant that has sportier styling and sports-tuned driving dynamics. As a result, it gets Ford Performance-inspired bumpers and side skirts, black-finish roof rails and headlight bezels, 17-inch Dark Tarnish alloy wheels, ST-Line badging and extended painted roof and door mirrors as standard.

As for the interior, you get a unique ST-Line leather-trimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel; unique partial leather seats featuring Miko®-Dinamica inserts – an ecological suede made from recycled polyester and red stitching, leather handbrake lever and gear knob, ST-Line branded scuff plates, and stainless steel sports pedals.

Other tech that are available across all variants is the SNYC 3 (Voice Assistant) and 8-inch colour touchscreen, which can be operated with pinch and swipe gestures. The B&O sound system offers impressive sound quality for the audiophile in all of us.

The EcoSport for the first time comes with Cruise Control with Adjustable Speed Limiter that helps drivers keep within speed limits, and a Rear View Camera that makes parking more efficient and safer. There’s also Blind Spot Detection and Roll Stability Control, which should help novice drivers handle the vehicle with more confidence.

There’s no word yet on when Ford will bring this vehicle over here, but it should hit European markets very soon.

Volkswagen T-Roc is a crossover that slots below the Tiguan

The wait is over, Volkswagen has finally revealed its newest crossover/SUV, the T-Roc. As such, we now know what to expect when it hits showroom floors. Meant to slot below the Tiguan, VW’s latest offering sports looks that are a combination of several different models.

Built on the same modular transverse matrix (MQB) archtecture as the Atlas, the T-Roc is said to offer 445 litres of cargo space when the vehicle is fully occupied. There’s also the option of folding down the rear backrests in a 60/40 split allowing for that space to be increased to 1,290 litres.

It is the first SUV from the company that will feature a two-tone paint scheme, which include the roof being painted in a colour that best contrasts that of the rest of the bodywork. It’s prominent louvered grille stretches from edge to edge and integrates with the projector headlights quite nicely to form a unified look.

Judging from the side and rear, the T-Roc seems to have taken quite a bit of its design inspiration from the Mk7 Golf, which isn’t a bad thing. The proportions, especially when it comes to the rear, are car-like and seem to complement the sporty look even further. The placement of scuff plates for the front and rear allow for better offroad functionality.

Inside, you get the usual meticulously neat array of dials and switch gear that we are used to seeing from VW. But the The interplay between the Active Info Display and the specific infotainment system provide for a digital and interactive cockpit.

Another noteworthy feature that is being offered with VW’s latest model is the “Security & Service” package (including Emergency Service, Automatic Accident Notification and Roadside Assistance). This may seem like a Godsend especially if you live sketchy parts of town.

Marketed as a five-seat SUV, the T-Roc will be made available with a front-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive configuration. The latter is called the 4Motion AWD and will feature the 4Motion Active Control as standard.

Complementing these systems will be the choice of three different petrol and diesel turbocharged engines. As for transmissions, buyers can choose between a manual or the 7-speed dual clutch DSG gearbox.

And like most other VWs, the T-Roc will come with a whole load of safety tech which include, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, the active lane keeping system (Lane Assist) and the Front Assist area monitoring system with Pedestrian Monitoring and City Emergency Braking.

Also available as optional extras are systems such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), Rear View reversing camera, Lane departure system including Rear Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitor, Lane Assist, Park Assist, Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist.

Common to a number of sporty VWs is the adaptive chassis control (DCC) and progressive steering that alter vehicle drive ability based on the selected mode. This feature has become increasingly useful in recent years because owners want their vehicle to be the Jack-of-All-Trades.

The German automaker has yet to announce when production for the T-Roc will commence and has also chosen to keep mum on when we can begin to see these new VWs roll onto showroom floors. All we know at the moment is, that the T-Roc will be on public roads, eventually.

Jaguar E-PACE executes perfect barrel role for Guinness Book of World Records

Jaguar’s new young gun can’t seem to stay out of the news these days. This time, the E-Pace has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for its loop-the-loop attempt. It’s basically a 50-foot long jump complete with a 270-degree corksrew-like ‘barrel roll’.

Speaking of the E-PACE, Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar, said, “Established Jaguar design principles ensure the E-PACE is immediately recognizable as the sports car of its class. Our new compact SUV combines the interior space, connectivity and security that families expect with the kind of proportions, purity of design and performance not usually associated with such a practical vehicle.”

Despite what many might think, the feat, before it was attempted, took months of planning, testing and analysing of data, fine tuning the stunt as well as modeling the ramps and various other elements. The stunt driver who piloted the E-PACE to the successful jump, Terry Grant, experienced a G-Force of 5.5 during the 270 degree twist, which required careful calculation of speed and height for the stunt to be successful.

Guinness World Record adjudicator Pravin Patel said, “This amazing feat really was a sight to behold. While I’ve seen the barrel roll stunt in film, witnessing this incredible feat in real life was something pretty special. Congratulations to Terry and Jaguar for setting another epic Guinness World Record title.”

This stunt was the final test of agility for the vehicle after after a grueling 25 months of R&D that assessed the readiness of the E-PACE, which is Jaguar’s answer to Land Rover, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The Jaguar E-PACE is a five-seat, compact SUV that has been designed to incorporate the automaker’s current design language. The signature oval shaped grille, elongated headlights, fluidic silhouette are accounted for including contours that exude a sense of elegance that isn’t very common with SUVs.

There are two available options for engines, both of which are 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol ones. The top end powerplant produces 296bhp that allows the E-PACE to sprint from 0-100km/h in 6.4 seconds on on to a stop speed of 243km/h.

The E-PACE comes equipped with a plethora of systems that include the all-wheel-drive system that has a torque bias enabling it to behave like a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. There’s also a fair bit of safety kit that include Autonomous Emergency Braking system, which supports Lane Keep Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition, as well as the Intelligent Speed Limiter and Driver Condition Monitor systems and blind spot detection system.

One of the most notable features is the company’s Head-Up Display tech that shows 66 percent more information on the windshield than contemporary systems. It uses a large, full-colour graphics with enhanced clarity. Info that that pops up here are the essentials including vehicle speed and navigation directions in full view at all times, with alerts and updates for the infotainment and convenience features.

The Jaguar E-PACE will be manufactured in Europe and Asia to cope with demand. It will also be the first vehicle from the company that will be manufactured under contract with Magna Steyr. No word yet on when we will see this particular Jag on our shores, but we will let you know more as we find out.

Stonic to be the most customisable Kia ever

Kia has revealed a concept compact crossover SUV called the Stonic, that incorporates European design and is inspired by the form and function of much larger Kia SUVs. The low slung roofline, angular contours muscular side profile lend it a muscular look that should appeal to the adventurous type.

The signature tiger nose grille is much narrower than what can be on the automaker’s current crop of vehicle, which especially true with the chrome outline that has been given more prominence than the rest of the assembly. The long sweeping DRLs underline the underside of the headlights, a similar arrangement seen on the current generation Sportage. At the rear, the Stonic features angular rear taillights that blend with the the rear bodywork. It also features a two-piece rear bumper integrated with the vehicle’s twin exhaust tips setup.

The cabin is said to be of European styling as well, which incorporates smooth surfaces and geometric design forms. It will feature cutting edge tech that will be smartly positioned to maximize space for occupants and a floating HMI (human-machine interface), which blends smartphone access with the car’s various systems.

According to Kia, the Stonic will go on sale in the second half of this year and will be the most customisable Kia ever made, both inside and out. This should hint at an extensive options list that will be made available to customers to customize the vehicle according to his/her own taste.