Detailed Comparison : Renault Duster Vs. Ford EcoSport - Which Compact SUV is a better buy ??

Last year, a French revolution named Renault Duster hit the Indian auto industry like a storm & discovered an all new Compact SUV segment which is also now the fastest growing segment of Indian automotive industry. Being the pioneer of this segment, Renault Duster became a runaway success story from the day one & unavailability of a potential competitor added a plus+ to its rapid ascendancy.
But now its not going to be that much easier for the French hero as a well prepared American villain has arrived in the arena & too with a bang !!
After creating buzz for more than a year, the American major Ford finally launched the much-awaited EcoSport in India. Ford EcoSport is a sub-4 meter Compact SUV which is kept so to cash the excise benifits in the country. It may be called a compact SUV but after a glance, the EcoSport more-or-less looks like a Steroid overdosed hatchback. With a starting price of just INR 5.59 Lakhs, this offering from the Blue Oval makes it a great package & a tough competition for the Duster.

Although both the cars are quite different in terms of size as-well-as the pricing but nobody can deny this fact that these two are the global competitors which are now ready to heat up this emerging Asian market. The Ford EcoSport may be a cheaper option than the Renault's top seller Duster but is it better too ?? Lets Find out.  

Looks & Styling :
Both the vehicles have very distinctive designs when compared to each other. Where the EcoSport's design lies on a futuristic & innovative side, the Duster has a coventional SUV design which makes it a more subtle & mature looking vehicle. On the dimensional front, the height of both cars are almost same but in terms of length & width, the Duster keeps an edge over the EcoSport. High ground clearence, body cladding, big wheel arches & roof rails are some of the major contributors to the muscular look of the Duster & the modern design of the EcoSport is well complemented by the wide chrome front grill, sporty alloys, spare wheel on the rear & the sharp body lines.
In this encounter between the Modern & the Coventional, it totally depends on one's personal choice that which car suits him/her the best.

Interiors, Comfort & Space :
The same Modern vs. Coventional war continues in the interiors also. The dual toned interiors of the Duster leaves a feel rich effect while on the other hand, interiors of the EcoSport are modern but doesn't feel that much plush when compared. Even the build quality & fit-finish of the Duster is better over the EcoSport. The dashboard of the Duster has a classy appeal but in the EcoSport's case cost cutting can easily be sensed.
In terms of technology & gadgetry, both the vehicles are well equipped - SYNC system by Ford & MMI interface with a navigation system by Renault are the highlights of the advanced features installed in the two.

The only department of the cockpit where the Duster stays behind the urban baby is the seating comfort & positioning. Despite of having ample cabin space, the Duster still lacks that comfort factor in it. The legroom & the boot space of the Duster again remains way ahead of the sub-4 meter EcoSport.

Engine, Performance & Ride Quality :
Both the Renault Duster & the Ford EcoSport offers three engine options each.

Engine offerings from Renault Duster comprises of two diesel & one petrol option.
> 1.6 Ltrs. petrol engine (104 bhp & 145 nm)
> 1.5 Ltrs. diesel engine (84 bhp & 200 nm)
> 1.5 Ltrs. diesel engine (110 bhp & 148 nm)

Engine offerings from Ford EcoSport comprises of two petrol & one diesel option.
> 1.0 Ltrs. EcoBoost petrol engine (123 bhp & 170 nm)
> 1.5 Ltrs. petrol engine (110 bhp & 140 nm)
> 1.5 Ltrs. diesel engine (89 bhp & 204 nm)

Most of us are unaware of this fact that the Duster do have a petrol offering or can be said that nobody is even interested in a petrol run SUV beacuse of the uncertainity of petrol prices in India. The renowned 1.5 Ltrs. K9K diesel engine is the main offering under the hood of French & has been tweaked in two output modes - 84 bhp & 110 bhp.
The outperformer in all these engine options is Ford's 1.0 Ltr. EcoBoost petrol mill. This revolutionary 3-cylinder 999cc engine has won "Engine of the Year" award for two consecutive years & is way better than any of the offerings listed above. The other two offerings under the hood of the urban baby are same as the 1.5 Ltrs. petrol & diesel same as of their successful sedan, Fiesta.
Now, when we compare the performances of the bulk sellers of the two i.e 1.5 Ltrs.(84 bhp) of the Duster & 1.5 Ltrs.(89 bhp) of the EcoSport, both the motors show very contrasting characters on road. On one side, Duster is a bit slow in the beginning & takes time to accelerate but the story on the EcoSport side is quite pole apart as it feels peppy & responsive. But for the long runs & higher speeds, this urban baby doesn't give much of the confidence but Duster simply glides on the roads. Even in the handling department, the Duster just outshines the new EcoSport. From all this one can conclude, the Duster is a better vehicle for long jouneys & EcoSport is more suitable for city driving.        


Pricing(ex. showroom,Delhi) :

Renault Duster 
# 1.6 Ltrs. Petrol -
> RXE - INR 7.99 Lakhs 
> RXL - INR 8.93 Lakhs

# 1.5 Ltrs.(84 bhp) Diesel -
> RXE - INR 8.73 Lakhs
> RXL - INR 9.73 Lakhs
> RXL+ - INR 10.93 Lakhs

# 1.5 Ltrs.(110 bhp) Diesel -
> RXL - INR 10.75 Lakhs
> RXZ - INR 11.65 Lakhs
 > RXZ(with navigation system) - INR 12.18 Lakhs


Ford EcoSport 
# 1.0 Ltr EcoBoost Petrol -
> Titanium - INR 7.90 Lakhs
> Titaniun Optional -INR 8.28 Lakhs

# 1.5 Ltrs. Petrol -
> Ambiente - INR 5.59 Lakhs
> Trend - INR 6.49 Lakhs
> Titanium - INR 7.51 Lakhs
> Titanium Automatic - INR 8.45 Lakhs

# 1.5 Ltrs. Diesel -
> Ambiente - INR 6.69 Lakhs
> Trend - INR 7.61 Lakhs
> Titanium - INR 8.62 Lakhs
> Titanium Optional - INR 8.99 Lakhs



Verdict -
Both the cars are equally good in their own prospects. Renault Duster is a simple, conventional & a sophisticated SUV where as the Ford EcoSport is young, fresh, dynamic & vibrant package. For all those who want a perfect performance packed package then don't get distracted, EcoSport 1.0 Ltr. EcoBoost is the right product for you. 110 bhp Duster is roaring lion which has a premium & powerful feel to it, so if you can spend that much then buy a one for sure. Now time for the answer of biggest dillema , 84 bhp Duster or 89 bhp EcoSport - which one is a better buy ?? After analysing all the aspects, it can be concluded that both the cars remain head-to-head as if Duster has a more conventional SUV stance then EcoSport is modern & has a more car-like feel to it. So the deciding factor for all this rivalry comes to the pricing, in which the EcoSport just white-washes the Duster & stand out like a clear winner here !!  



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Article By-
Akshit Juneja