Ecosport better, but must still try harder

THE theme of most of my school reports could easily be transposed into this test of the new Ford Ecosport.

Slight improvement, must try harder, nearly bottom of the class…

Still, I have managed to muddle through with lousy school results and Ford will probably sell quite a few new Ecosports.

So let’s park the comparison between my academic career and Ford’s compact SUV and look simply at the car itself.

The first Ecosport, launched in 2014, was built in India and Thailand. Quality of interior plastics was pretty poor and nowhere near European or rivals’ standards. It was a forgettable car I wouldn’t have recommended to anyone.

Now, four years on, Ford has had another go. The Ecosport has revised styling and, most importantly, a new interior.

Like the last one, it’s is based on the Fiesta, albeit now a newer generation.

The interior is an improvement, with some soft touch materials on the dashboard. An improvement – but still nothing to worry VW or

Renault. The Ecosport’s exterior has also been improved, but it still looks uninspiring next to many of its rivals, including the Kia Stonic and Renault Captur.

A two-tone option is essential

these days and, sure enough, you can order your Ecosport with a contrasting roof colour. We’re testing a black Ecosport St-line with a bronzy orange roof with matching mirror caps. You’d call it