EcoSport vs Duster Comparison
Ford EcoSport vs Renault Duster Comparison
Mid segment Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) have gained a quick reputation for themselves in the Indian market over the past two years. Here, SUVs are appreciated for their large and heavy built which makes it a safe vehicle to use and sports some great off-roading ability.
The Renault Duster looks better in terms of design with muscular wheel arched and a wide stance. Another thing to look at when it comes to such cars and considering that they're coming to India is ground clearance and the Duster is the clear winner here with 205 mm of ground clearance, EcoSport comes in a close second (200 mm).
Duster’s ride is better than EcoSport. No fuss, no loud thudding, it simply glides over road irregularities. And its handling is similarly impressive. Steering is full of feel and it takes corners much more confidently than its American rival.
At the front, both the SUVs offer similar space. There is ample leg and head room for front passengers but in the Ford the driver also gets an armrest. Besides the armrest, the Ford also gets height adjustment for the driver’s seat and a steering which is adjustable for both reach and rake.
Moving to the back, this is where the lack of shoulder room is most felt in the EcoSport. It’s a strict four-seater and only two adults can comfortably sit at the back. The Duster on the other hand offers more room and can accommodate three adults since the seat is larger. It even features a rear armrest with two cup holders.
That said, the Ford surprisingly offers 75mm more rear knee room. But, since the EcoSport is less than four metres long, boot space suffers. At 346 litres, it offers 129 litres lesser space than the Duster. The seats however split 60:40 unlike the Renault’s single folding seat. The roof rails also have mounts to hold a roof box.
On paper, both cars are almost equally matched with all the basics one would expect from a car belonging to this segment. But there are still a few features that are present in one and not the other.
Ford EcoSport comes with a 1.5-litre gasoline unit which churns out 109PS of total power output and a total torque of 140Nm. EcoSport also comes with award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine and 6- speed dual clutch automatic offers more options, gives a total power output of 125PS and 170Nm of maximum torque. In diesel, the EcoSport gets a 1.5-litre engine which produces a total power of 90PS and 204Nm of total torque.
Mid segment Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) have gained a quick reputation for themselves in the Indian market over the past two years. Here, SUVs are appreciated for their large and heavy built which makes it a safe vehicle to use and sports some great off-roading ability.
Design:
Ford EcoSport, the exteriors features rugged appearance and looks like a go anywhere vehicle. It has slightly oversized front grille and comes with black and grey dual tone interiors with silver accents on the dashboard and door panels. The interiors feature a sharp and sporty design attitude.
The Renault Duster looks better in terms of design with muscular wheel arched and a wide stance. Another thing to look at when it comes to such cars and considering that they're coming to India is ground clearance and the Duster is the clear winner here with 205 mm of ground clearance, EcoSport comes in a close second (200 mm).
Driveability
Duster’s ride is better than EcoSport. No fuss, no loud thudding, it simply glides over road irregularities. And its handling is similarly impressive. Steering is full of feel and it takes corners much more confidently than its American rival.
Space And Comfort
At the front, both the SUVs offer similar space. There is ample leg and head room for front passengers but in the Ford the driver also gets an armrest. Besides the armrest, the Ford also gets height adjustment for the driver’s seat and a steering which is adjustable for both reach and rake.
The
Duster’s driver gets a height adjustable seat too, but instead of being
continuously variable, it just a two step affair – high or low. The Renault’s
steering, again, only adjusts for rake but not for reach. So, finding a good
driving position is a lot easier in the Ford.
Moving to the back, this is where the lack of shoulder room is most felt in the EcoSport. It’s a strict four-seater and only two adults can comfortably sit at the back. The Duster on the other hand offers more room and can accommodate three adults since the seat is larger. It even features a rear armrest with two cup holders.
That said, the Ford surprisingly offers 75mm more rear knee room. But, since the EcoSport is less than four metres long, boot space suffers. At 346 litres, it offers 129 litres lesser space than the Duster. The seats however split 60:40 unlike the Renault’s single folding seat. The roof rails also have mounts to hold a roof box.
Features
On paper, both cars are almost equally matched with all the basics one would expect from a car belonging to this segment. But there are still a few features that are present in one and not the other.
Renault Duster features a touchscreen
infotainment system with in-built GPS navigation. But the Duster misses out
other features such as push button start and keyless entry, both of which are
available on the Ford EcoSport.
Coming on safety equipment, EcoSport get
6 airbags for occupants. One of the biggest omissions on the Duster’s equipment
list. The Renault Duster lags behind
slightly in terms of features.
Dimensionally,
Renault Duster it’s much longer and wider than the EcoSport, which translates
into greater cabin space. More room
for you, more room for your luggage.
Specification
Ford EcoSport comes with a 1.5-litre gasoline unit which churns out 109PS of total power output and a total torque of 140Nm. EcoSport also comes with award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine and 6- speed dual clutch automatic offers more options, gives a total power output of 125PS and 170Nm of maximum torque. In diesel, the EcoSport gets a 1.5-litre engine which produces a total power of 90PS and 204Nm of total torque.
Renault
Duster
is majorly sold in the diesel variant with
barely any demand for the petrol and it does not get an optional automatic
transmission either. However, it comes
with an optional AWD system. The 1.6-litre petrol engine churns out
a total power output of 104PS and a maximum torque of 148Nm. The diesel is
available in two options, both with a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine. The
lower powered diesel gives a total power of 85PS and 200Nm of maximum torque
while the higher-powered variant gives a power output of 110PS and 245Nm of
maximum torque.
Petrol
Diesel
According to ARAI,
• Ford EcoSport delivers a fuel economy of 19.3kmpl for cities and 22.7kmpl on highways.
• The Renault Duster has a fuel economy of 16.1kmpl mileage for cities and 19.64kmpl mileage for highways.
• Ford EcoSport delivers a fuel economy of 19.3kmpl for cities and 22.7kmpl on highways.
• The Renault Duster has a fuel economy of 16.1kmpl mileage for cities and 19.64kmpl mileage for highways.
Fort EcoSports is
more fuel efficient when compared to Renault Duster so, EcoSport can help to
save you a whooping amount in long run.
After Sales Service & Warranty
Ford
has been trying hard to get rid of its notoriety for having cars that are
expensive to maintain. It made major strides with the Figo and has continued to
improve with the EcoSport.
Renault on the other hand
got success in the country with its Duster, but have been plagued with minor
niggles, which in the Duster’s case have not been sorted out satisfactorily by
Renault’s dealers.
The EcoSport comes
with a 2-year/1-lakh Km warranty, which can be stretched by another 2 years/1
lakh kilometers by paying extra. The Renault Duster, on the other hand, is more
luring with its 4-year/80000 kms warranty.
But the
flipside to Renault’s claims could be its sparser dealership network. Ford has
a wide clout in India, and we also expect the costs of its spare parts to be
lesser. In the long-term, the Ford EcoSport, with its child spares policy,
appears to be more affordable when it comes to regular maintenance.Price
Ford EcoSport is available
with a base price of INR 6.75 lakhs with the prices going up to INR 10.24 lakhs
for the top of the line variant.
Renault Duster is available
with a base price of INR 8.35 lakhs with the prices going up to INR 13.62 lakhs
for the top of the line variant.
(Price
at ex-showroom, Delhi)
Verdict
Ford EcoSport is the winner in this comparison. It’s mainly
because it beats Duster in terms of Power, Torque, Safety Features, Fuel
Efficiency and other factors that too at lower price. The Duster feels more
like an SUV, offers more space and drives brilliantly. The EcoSport on the
other hand is more features loaded and looks more modern too also it also makes
better sense for the city given its smaller dimensions and lighter controls.
Ford has undercut the Duster by a significant amount (Rs. 2 lakh plus) which
makes the EcoSport the clear winner of this comparison test. But if you are
looking for more driveability, a compact SUV that offers enough space for five
and their luggage, Renault Duster is a good choice.