Compact SUVs and their whole affordability- concept was like an old joke some years ago with the aged scorpions and suffering safaris being some of the only cars to be offered. And that too with features and specifications, even your grandpa would laugh at!
But scenario has certainly taken a huge leap, and bazzzinga! Now the market is full of these affordable, efficient and compact SUVs, leading the foundation stone of the era, the Renault Duster with an ever successful image and chart topping sale records.
But then came the EcoSport from the stable of Ford and guess what? The Duster sales went down by an alarming 20% with the increment in demand of this sporty and features stuffed ford machine, which recorded a humongous pre-launch response with a record breaking booking of some 30000 units in the first month itself. And it all happened because of two-basic negligence from the Renault family towards the Duster, one being the interiors, which literally got failed in impressing the buyers and other being it a bit too soft!
Also See : Visit Our Ford EcoSport FAQ section containing all small-yet-useful info altogether for your convenience
But then, the chaos spread around all over and we are now ending up being pretty excited about the Duster clone, the Terrano from Nissan. Being the latest car offering all the features which you loved in a Duster and the ones you even missed in it.
And with that, let’s catch up with a quick knuckle-down session between the Ford EcoSport versus the later launch car, the Nissan Terrano.
Comparing the two vehicles upon the designing department is a tough job as Terrano is wholly a Duster based car with same size, shape, space and dimensions and we already know that people loved it. But then, you can’t even underestimate the Eco’s fiesta inspired angular design cues with tall-boy profile being the latest heartthrob of the nation. Don’t even expect the Terrano to be totally a Duster twin and hence the news suggest, that efforts are being put into the design highline of the Terrano and Nissan has tried to make it a bit sharper and angular as well, minus the Duster chubbiness and of course a freshness in the signature grille, head and tail-lamps. And after all these changes and add-ons, we certainly believe that the trophy, EcoSport just snatched away from the Duster will have some serious danger hovering upon it.
Comparing the hearts of these two latest cars, there is some serious battle takes place around here with Nissan offering the same Duster engine sets with a 1.5 litre diesel along with a 1.5 litre petrol engine. While the Ford is offering three premium class engines with a 1.0 litre EcoBoost petrol, 1.5 litre petrol and 1.5 litre turbo diesel engines up in line. And with that around, Ford has a larger range of trims to offer from. Also, the engine offered by Ford will have an upper hand over the ones offered by Nissan with same and conventional range of old and aged engines dated back since Logan(diesel).
Also See : Visit Our Nissan Terrano FAQ section containing all small-yet-useful info altogether for your convenience
In performance too, the ford takes away the cake with better intra-city traffic responsive engine over the Nissan’s fussy in traffic engines with no automatic transmission to be offered as yet. While the EcoSport mated with a 5-speed manual box, does the job well making it ideal for stop and go city conditions.
Even the acceleration comes to life with a great engine but here, Nissan takes away the trail with better performance and mileage figures over the EcoSport. And not to forget the highway rides, where the EcoSport goes out of breathe but the Nissan, being a Duster cousin is expected to take its remarkable highway performance to a whole new level, minus the lags under 2000rpm the current Duster faces. So we certainly believe a tune-up in the old engines will be of great help for the Terrano.
In handling and ride department, we know the Ford here is not as remarkable as its ancestors, but offers a great ride experience with those, not too stiff and not too soft, just perfect suspension set-ups. And the car handles well with just right amount of grasp on the steering wheels for those unmatched confident controls of this vehicle. The handling and ride in the Terrano will remain a big mystery. But we surely expect the ride to be of great standards and not like the one we observed in the Duster, which takes away the pothole bumps like magic but loses confidence over and around the corners and high speed operations.
Having done with almost every aspect of comparison between these two cars, the most important factor in the comparison remained will be in-cabin comforts and features list. Well to be honest, the EcoSport is really impressive in the space department and even takes over the Terrano with Duster equivalent space in the front row. But coming towards the back bench, EcoSport becomes a bit clumsy and Terrano surely leads the way here with ample space for three fully grown adults to fit perfectly. And we get a similar yet huge boot of 475 liters in the Terrano which anyway gulps away EcoSport’s mere 346 liters.
Also, with the long list of the safety, comfort, needy and entertainment features provided in the specifications section with upright dash and chrome touches come to life with the Terrano, this car is here to set benchmarks for sure with such high-techie techie list of gizmos and gadgets to boast around. But still, the EcoSport, with fiesta inspired angular layout and feature for safety and comforts like non-other at this price tag surely keeps the game as its own.
