If you were to ask a group of auto gurus which mainstream car has had the most impactful entry into the Indian market in the last seven years, several might zero down on the Ford EcoSport. First launched in 2013, it gave birth to one of the most flourishing segments in the Indian car scene – the sub-4 metre SUV space. In November 2017, Ford India launched the EcoSport facelift with significant design and mechanical changes. The following year saw the introduction of EcoSport’s Signature and S derivatives.

Fast forward to June 2019. To fight off stiff competition, the EcoSport received yet another special version called the Thunder Edition. Based on the Titanium trim, the Thunder Edition petrol came with a price tag of Rs 10.18 lakh and the diesel with Rs 10.68 lakh. Those price figures meant that the Thunder Edition attracted a Rs 90,000 premium over the Titanium trim. Now, however, those prices have changed. The petrol-fed version, now at Rs 10 lakh, costs Rs 18,000 less, whereas the diesel has received a bump of Rs 12,000 and is priced at Rs 10.80 lakh.

If you compare the prices of both Thunder Edition iterations with their respective Titanium variants, the petrol and diesel versions cost Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000 more, respectively. Apart from those figures, the Thunder Edition also gets a few changes in its list of features. First, the bad news. The 17-inch alloy wheels are no longer on offer. Like the rest of the EcoSport range, it also makes do with a set of 16-inch alloys. Now, the good news. The Thunder Edition borrows the following features from the Titanium+ trim – Emergency Brake Assist; Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control System; Hill Launch Assist; and a rear armrest with integrated cup holders.

Will these changes help the EcoSport garner more attention? Maybe. What customers must know is that the addition of those features makes the SUV much safer than before. In India, Ford’s bestselling SUV competes with the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Honda WR-V and two Mahindra models – the XUV300 and the TUV300. If you were to pick one, which would it be?

Note: All prices given above are ex-showroom Delhi.