The Ford EcoSport can also be your reliable shopping buddy

Who says men can’t do wardrobe shopping? Our friends from Ford Philippines took us to Taytay, Rizal for a fashion flavored journey with the EcoSport, where 10 male participants (including me) were challenged to put up their own road trip OOTD (Outfit of the day).

We started our journey with the EcoSport from Ford Global City, traversing through C6 going to Taytay. Just a quick trivia though, Taytay, Rizal is formally known as the Garment Capital of the Philippines and is home to the increasingly popular Taytay Tiangge, where we copped our fashion haul.

Luckily, I was able to experience the EcoSport as a driver along with two passengers. Thoughts? First of all, it’s a very compact vehicle, which means getting through tight spaces is easy-peasy. The extra 209mm ground clearance does add that extra confidence when tackling unpredictable obstacles such as floods, which could happen very soon given the approach of the rainy season.

Notably, there are two engine options for the EcoSport, the 1.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine which is only available on the range-topping Titanium, and the new and improved 1.5-liter TiVCT engine.

I drove the Titanium trim with the award-winning 1.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine paired with the new 6-speed automatic transmission. Surprisingly the engine delivers extensive amount of power for a vehicle of this size. Numerically speaking, this workhorse produces a healthy 123 hp and 170 Nm of torque. Also, Ford has then reinforced this particular variant with an automatic start/stop system in order to boost your EcoSport’s fuel economy figures.

Inside, the EcoSport is treated with a well-appointed cabin blessed with nice trim finishes and top-notch features including its eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which kept us connected and entertained throughout the entire trip all thanks to Ford’s SYNC 3.

Space was generous as well, with the three of us being able to fit in the vehicle comfortably. Passenger volume can be maximized up to five (including the driver) provided that a petite sized adult will occupy the center seat at the rear.

We arrived at our destination past 4 PM, and the parking lot was jam-packed with cars, but we managed to acquire a decent slot in less than 10 minutes. Our quest for the perfect road trip OOTD lasted for about an hour. Each of us was given a P700 shopping budget, and participants also had the choice to accessorize as long as their purchase conformed to the budget provided by Ford.

The Tiangge is indeed a dazzling scenery for fashionistas. However, it was quite a challenge, really, given that there are no designated clothing sections for men and women; all stalls were mixed up with different types of clothing.

After the shopping session, we then proceeded to SM Taytay for the photoshoot of our road trip OOTD. The main highlight of this challenge is to incorporate the clothes we bought with the Ford EcoSport.

My entire outfit came out to exactly P610, showcasing an entire millennial look as complemented by the cap and fanny pack. I also bought some easy-fit shorts and a long sleeve shirt.    

Everyone was on fire with their OOTDs, and the EcoSport proved itself worthy of being considered as a practical accessory. Besides its stylish looks, you get a crossover that has decent space for passengers and your precious cargo, power that can handle your extraordinary adventures, and compact dimensions that is sure to appeal to many buyers out there.