THE LATEST facelift has made the Ford EcoSport more of a threat to rival compact crossovers.

Improvements in the cabin are especially noticeable, brought about by a smart new Fiesta-inspired dashboard.

And the vehicle’s look is cleaner and sharper than before, with a more aggressive grille bringing the EcoSport into line with Ford’s other SUVs.

Meanwhile, some new technology has been introduced to make the car feel more up-to-date.

Under the bonnet, there’s a real gem to be found in the form of the 1.0-litre Ford EcoBoost petrol engine, six times winner of the International Engine of the Year award.

Available with the options of 125PS, tested here, and the slightly more potent 140PS, it’s a unit that seems to offer similar power to a conventional 1.6-litre engine, but with the fuel economy and low emissions benefits associated with the smaller engine.

The engine is free-revving and provides strong enough performance for most everyday situations.

This model came with a six-speed manual gearbox, which is relatively slick and fits well with the character of the engine.

When it comes to ride quality and handling, the EcoSport falls a little short of some of its rivals.

It offers decent balance and grip, with weighty and trustworthy steering, but tends to feel fidgety over the more broken surfaces on cross-country roads.

On the smoother surfaces, it’s much more at home and, for a larger vehicle, seems quite nimble, composed and fun to drive.

Furthermore, the vehicle isn’t blighted by too much body roll or understeer.

The Ecosport arrived in the UK in 2014 to take on the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur in a rapidly growing sector.

But there were soon criticisms that its design quality didn’t quite match the blue oval’s normal standards.

Some mild revisions in 2015 made the Indian-built Ecosport better to drive, but there’s now a real feeling that the vehicle has been given the revamp it needed.

As part of the change, the EcoSport is now being built in Romania, which Ford says will help to reduce lead times for European customers.

Ford has worked especially hard to improve the Ecosport’s interior quality.

Indeed, the interior is now among the best in class.

Once in the cabin, things are well laid-out, with all the main controls logically-positioned and within easy reach of the driver.

There’s improved technology to enjoy, including a reversing camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a very user-friendly cruise control system.

Meanwhile, Ford’s SYNC 3 touchscreen infotainment system offers excellent functionality.

In terms of space, there’s plenty of head and legroom up front, while the back seats offer just enough space for two adults, although some rivals are even more spacious.

One things to note, however, is that the Ecosport is quite narrow, which means people may feel restricted when it comes to elbow room.

One of the EcoSport’s more notable features is the side-opening boot, which seems to divide opinion.

I found it easy to operate and a bit different, although friends and family Said they thought it less practical in confined spaces than the more conventional top-hinged Boot.

There’s enough space in the Boot for most everyday use, although the capacity is merely average for this class of vehicle.

In conclusion, the latest EcoSport represents a significant improvement on its predecessor.

But the jury is still out on whether or not those revisions are enough to make it truly stand out in a congested sector of the car sector, packed with high-quality competition.