Ford brings joy with the Fiesta & EcoSport Prosperity Drive

In conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations, Ford has brought selected members of the media on a day of activities in the Ford EcoSport and Ford Fiesta.

First up, I had a go at the Ford EcoSport. Sitting on the same platform as the Fiesta, the EcoSport offers a higher driving position, more ground clearance and better practicality.

From the driver’s seat in the Ford EcoSport, the first thing I’ve noticed was that the large A-pillars hampered visibility up front, while the small-ish rear windscreen didn’t help with rear view either. Other than those small niggles, the EcoSport does redeem itself with a decent sound system, though the learning curve can be a bit steep for some. The seats of the little crossover do offer good waist and thigh support.

On the move, the Ford EcoSport does drive decently for a compact crossover. Gear shifts are quick and smooth when the roads are nice and clear, but expect some minor juddering when crawling in a traffic jam. Engine noise is quite noticeable from the cabin, especially when the little 1.5-litre engine is revved to its limits. Steering, while it offers good weigh, lacks any road feedback.

After my short stint with the Ford EcoSport, we ended up at the Oriental Art and Cultural Association. Here, we had a go at some Chinese calligraphy writing and some artwork. It was definitely an eye-opening moment, seeing how non-Chinese folks coping with the Chinese calligraphy. Also, after being on numerous drives, this was the first time a calligraphy activity was involved. Interesting, to say at least.

For the second stint, I tried the Ford Fiesta Sport. This little hatchback features a 1.5-litre Ti-VCT engine with 112 PS at 6,300 rpm and 140 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm. A six-speed PowerShift dual-clutch automatic drives the front wheels.

While I absolutely adored the Fiesta ST, could I say the same about the naturally-aspirated self shifting brethren? Well, in short, yes. The base Fiesta, while lacking in outright pace to the hotter ST, is still a very fun car to chuck round bends. Turn in, the Fiesta’s rear end just follows nicely. Curiously, the Fiesta Sport’s cabin is noticeable quieter than the EcoSport’s. Even with an electric power steering, the little Fiesta offers a good amount of road feedback, a gem in its segment.

Before taking the last car for a spin, we dropped by an old folks home located somewhere in Damansara Perdana. Here, Ford donated food stuff and household items like bedsheets and clothes for the old folks. Everyone also assisted to decorate the home with the earlier made calligraphy art. The look of gratitude on the faces of some of the residents were priceless.

The last car I had a go at was the little Fiesta EcoBoost. Unlike the Fiesta Sport with its 1.5-litre engine and Fiesta ST with a 1.6-litre engine, the little EcoBoost-powered Fiesta packs a puny 1.0-litre 3-cylinder engine under the hood. This tiny engine pushes out a maximum of 125 PS and 170 Nm from just 1,400 rpm, impressive numbers for such a tiny capacity.

Thanks to its generous torque availability from a low RPM, driving the Fiesta EcoBoost was a breeze. Off the line, the Fiesta EcoBoost accelerates with good urgency, and coupled with its quick PowerShift gearbox, the Fiesta EcoBoost was the most fun of the lot. Some may shrug off the 3-cylinder claiming it lacks character, but when given the beans, there are hints of the Fiesta ST in the way the engine revs.