Ford Eco sport thrills Kenyan middle class

By Karuga wa Njuguna

Ford Eco sport has arrived in Kenya and comes designed from the ground up with driving fun in mind. Smaller, more maneuverable and with a choice of responsive 1.5L petrol or diesel engines and manual or automatic transmissions more fuel efficient than conventional sport utility vehicles. Cities are noisy, but not inside the EcoSport. Designed with an outstandingly quiet interior, the EcoSport turns even the busiest peak hour street into a relaxing haven. The car fits almost anywhere due to its size, Its urban dimensions make it easy to park and get around crowded city streets, yet its styling and ride height give you the confidence of an SUV. On the auto transmission version, it comes with the secret to perfect hill starts. Hill launch assist holds the brake for a few seconds after you take your foot off, giving you time to smoothly accelerate, either up- or downhill, without rolling or losing control. So if others are stopped close behind you on a slope, there’s no need to sweat. When it comes to getting you where you want to go on our Kenyan roads, the car means business. It puts 200mm of ground clearance between you and the road, potholes, rough surfaces or whatever else is in your way. And with good approach and departure angles, plus 550mm water wading , you’re basically ready for anything. Ford are known for their smart technology in all their models that I have had a chance to experience, while On board and want to use your phone or change the music on your iPod, hands-free? Just say the words and let SYNC® do the rest. It’s just one of the ways in which the Ford helps in making life easier. For those who wants to get in touch with family and friends just hook your phone using blue tooth and calling your mom is as simple as saying “Call mom”. Stream or plug in your music, and just say want you want to hear. Your hands stay on the wheel, your eyes stay on the road, and you stay in touch. Easy.The air conditioning has been tried and tested in extreme temperatures, so it works well in any climate. But it doesn’t just keep you cool. It also keeps drinks or food cool inside your glovebox something you hardly get in others models. On the other hand the EcoSport's Electronic Ait Temperature Control (EATC) keeps you cool in the heat and warm at the height of cold seasons. Once you set a temperature, the system maintains it with outstanding precision, ensuring superior comfort for everyone. And because it’s super-efficient, you save fuel.(In short the vehicle air-condition comes on automatically on a hot day to your set temperature's and puts the heaters on too on a cold day to your set temperature's. No flipping up and down the temperatures unit. You set it ones and the rest is done for you)

When it comes to power and efficiency, then you will not be those regular customers at your petrol station. That’s why the Ford EcoSport is designed to give you excellent fuel economy and responsive power, which means you’ll be seeing the guys at the pump a lot less frequently.Thanks to its impressive fuel economy, the 92kW 3-cylinder EcoBoost Petrol has been awarded International Engine of the Year for three years running. But that’s what you’d expect from an engine this small, right? What you don’t expect is its power. In fact, this turbocharged petrol engine delivers 92kW of power, 170Nm3 of torque and a thrifty 5.7L per 100km.When it comes to power, the turbocharged 92kW can easily compete with a traditional 1.6L petrol engine, delivering full torque at just 1500rpm. That’s a lot of power in an economical 3-cylinder footprint. But that’s what makes it so exceptional. The EcoSport has a drag coefficient of 0.365. But why should you care, this is not a rally car right? This means more fuel saving, thanks to an aerodynamic design that reduces friction. From its teardrop shape to small details like the rear pillar kicker, it all works to limit wind resistance and reduce fuel consumption.Stable, responsive steering is the mark of a high-quality drive, and the automobile doesn’t disappoint. Electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) adjusts to feel "lighter" in slow traffic and "heavier" at higher speeds for better control. At the same time, it adapts to changing road and weather conditions, compensating for factors like cross-winds and potholes. Best of all, it only comes to your assistance when it’s needed, saving you fuel as you drive.Looking for the fuel efficiency of a manual but the ease of an automatic? The six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission delivers both, with two clutches working together for gear changes that are hardly noticeable. Or if you’re more of a manual driver, you’ll love the responsiveness of the five-speed manual transmission. When it comes safety,The EcoSport’s combination of traction control and electronic stability control (ESC) helps keep you connected to the road and in control, especially around corners and when overtaking. Together, they help reduce the chances of wheel spin, as well as over- or under-steering in corners. Incase of an accident you have all-round protection with six airbags protecting every side. These include driver and front-passenger airbags, front side airbags and side curtain airbags.The car also comes with boron steel which is four times stronger than normal high-strength steel, yet it's incredibly lightweight. Injected into the EcoSport’s doors, it creates an ultrahigh-strength safety cell, designed to help keep you protected during an impact.When you have to stop quickly, you want to be sure you stop properly. In an emergency, ABS (anti-lock braking system) and EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution) help prevent the wheels form locking and sliding, giving you a greater sense of stability and control. The price of the car is from 3.4 million shillings but will vary from the engine type as well as the choices of several colours available at our Ford dealership along Bunyala road in Nairobi