The Ford EcoSport has never been a favourite of ours, but credit where it’s due: the most recent facelift means that it’s more of a threat to rival compact crossovers than before.
In particular, that’s thanks to big aesthetic improvements in the cabin brought about by a smart new Fiesta-inspired dashboard. The addition of some new technology also helps to ensure that Ford’s smallest crossover no longer feels quite so out-dated alongside newer rivals.
However, it’s no closer to taking over at the top of the class. Mechanically and in terms of practicality, the EcoSport is still flawed. Clumsy driving characteristics, poor interior space and the odd unhelpful quirk all blot its copybook
Rivals like the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur are better resolved, and are likely to make more sense in the longer term.
Our Choice
Ford EcoSport 1.0 Ecoboost 125PS Titanium
The Ford EcoSport is an attempt to carve out a niche for Ford in the booming small crossover SUV sector, taking on class-leaders like the Fiat 500X, Mazda CX-3, Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur.
Ford was a late arrival in the segment, which was energised in 2010 by the arrival of the Juke. Instead of developing a rival based on its top-selling Fiesta supermini, Ford decided to offer European buyers a version of a crossover SUV model designed in Brazil and built in India and Thailand. However, it only arrived in 2014, and disappointing sales led to a series of revisions that appeared in the following year.
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For the 2018 model year, Ford decided to shift production of the European EcoSport to Romania, and this move coincided with a raft of changes – including, Ford says, some 2300 new parts and a much wider, more aggressive grille to bring the EcoSport into line with the company’s other SUVs, the Kuga and Edge. Altogether, the changes are designed to edge the compact SUV closer to its key rivals, and we’ve no doubt that ths latest version of the EcoSport is more competitive, but sadly it’s still unable to match the class leaders.
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On the positive side, the new EcoSport is much cleaner and sharper-looking than before, while its brand new, Fiesta-inspired interior is a huge improvement on the earlier version. Crucially, all-wheel drive has been introduced to the range, along with a sportier-looking, performance-inspired ST-Line model. This comes with a bodykit, 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, a contrast-colour roof and plenty of ST-inspired trappings in the cabin, including a leather-trimmed steering wheel.
The result is a car that certainly has some good points, but its interior still lacks the overall quality feel and refinement of European rivals, and the ride and handling is less than inspiring, too. The EcoSport also has a side-opening tailgate, which is far less practical in confined spaces than the more usual top-hinged arrangement.
The Zetec is the entry-level model, and it’s reasonably well equipped for the price. Standard spec includes 16-inch alloy wheels, a Quicklclear heated windscreen, air-conditioning, Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system (with a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB) and electric front and rear windows.
The Titanium model adds £2,000 to the price tag, along with 17-inch alloy wheels, climate control, automatic lights, rain-sensing wipers, ambient lighting, rear-view camera, rear parking sensors, silver roof rails, keyless start and ambient lighting, as well a a larger touchscreen, with sat-nav.
The new ST-Line breaks the £20,000 mark, but adds sports suspension, a sporty bodykit, rear spoiler, black roof rails, and a host of cosmetic upgrades. It’s hardly attractive, but the EcoSport looks at its best in ST-Line trim.
The excellent 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine is available with 123bhp or 138bhp, with the latter only available on the ST-Line model. The 99bhp 1.5-litre Duratorq TDCi is the cheapest diesel engine, but is soo to be joined by a new 123bhp 1.5-litre EcoBlue TDCi, which also adds all-wheel drive to the mix.
Engines, performance and drive
The 1.0 EcoBoost turbo isn’t as sweet as it is in the Fiesta, while the 1.5 TDCi diesel seems sluggish
The EcoSport should be the best driver’s car in the crossover market. After all, under the skin it features the mechanicals from the latest Ford Fiesta, which is one of the most entertaining superminis ever produced. Somehow, though, the DNA got lost in translation, and the first EcoSports were really quite dire from behind the wheel.
Ford responded to widespread criticism of these cars, and upgraded European-spec models with revised suspension. The results are still a bit mixed, though. The EcoSport has the Fiesta’s nicely weighted steering, but the ride quality remains lacklustre and the body still rolls quite a bit.
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Even on ST-Line models, which come with specially tweaked sports suspension, there’s still plenty of body roll and the ride remains busy, softly wallowing around even on roads that aren’t all that bumpy or undulating.
To make matters worse, the chassis is upset by even small bumps, and due to the short wheelbase, the EcoSport seems to lumber down the road rather than float over it. This would be disappointing from any manufacturer’s product, but it’s especially so from Ford, with its reputation for producing thrilling drivers’ cars.
Engines
The 1.0-litre EcoBoost three-cylinder has always been a lovely engine, and normally would be the one we’d recommend, but in the EcoSport it feels a little bit flat. Again, the extra weight compared to the Fiesta means it’s also just too thirsty when you drive it with the vigour you need to keep the crossover ticking along.
The same goes for the 138bhp version that comes only in the sportier, top-spec ST-Line model. On the plus side, it’s decently refined and economical, but it doesn’t feel as quick as the figures suggest, and it’s a shame that it can’t quite coax a decent turn of pace out of the EcoSport. Even on paper, the 11.8-second 0-62mph ‘dash’ is slower than that of a Citroen C3 Aircross equipped with a less powerful 108bhp three-cylinder petrol. The overall result is that it’s nowhere near as rewarding as it is when fitted to the Fiesta
You might think that a diesel is the best choice, then, but Ford’s 99bhp 1.5-litre TDCi engine feels short of torque in the EcoSport. The company claims it delivers 215Nm, but you’ll struggle to believe it, as the 1.5 TDCi feels as if it’s lacking proper mid-range punch and never manages anything other than leisurely performance.
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It’s around 55Nm down on the likes of Volkswagen’s 1.6-litre TDI diesel, and this means you have to rev it hard to get reasonable performance. For example, on the motorway, you’ll often find yourself needing to drop from sixth gear to fifth just to keep up with the flow of traffic. In turn, this does the fuel economy no favours and the engine can be quite noisy, showing its budget roots. To make matters worse there’s also a lot of wind noise above 60mph
At least the standard six-speed manual gearbox shifts sweetly, and the six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission – an option with the 124bhp 1.0 petrol engine – is fine, too. All-wheel drive is available only with the forthcoming new 1.5 EcoBlue engine.
MPG, CO2 and running costs
While the EcoSport comes with some efficient petrol and diesel engines, it doesn’t make the best use of them
As most EcoSport buyers will drive their cars on urban roads, the 123bhp 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine looks a strong choice. Paired with a manual gearbox, it claims 52.3mpg fuel economy and 125g/km CO2 emissions.
But in order to get close to the official economy figure, you have to drive the Ford EcoSport incredibly conservatively. Press on and you’ll see your fuel returns plummet, with some owners reporting figures as low as 35mpg.
The 138bhp version of this engine, despite its boost in power, returns the same claimed economy figures, so you shouldn’t be paying any more in terms of fuel costs for the faster version, and business users will incur BIK tax at the same rate with both engines.
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The only alternative to these petrol engines is a 1.5-litre diesel, which is more efficient and cleaner. However, it’s also around £850 more expensive, and it could take you a long time to recoup that price difference in fuel and tax savings. Plus, while owners might get near the 68.8mpg official fuel economy figure if they drive the 99bhp 1.5-litre TDCi gently, most of the time, the diesel’s limited torque output dominates the experience behind the wheel.
As a result, most drivers will find they are more aggressive with the throttle and constantly have to work their way up and down the gearbox to keep up with traffic, which won’t help their fuel economy in everyday driving.
Insurance groups
Even if the engines don’t quite deliver on their promise, the EcoSport shouldn’t bring steep annual insurance premiums. The 1.5-litre petrol model sits in insurance group 9E, while even the 1.0 EcoBoost – which is the most expensive version to insure – is only in group 11E, so a year’s cover is unlikely to break the bank.
Depreciation
Our experts predict that the Ford EcoSport will retain around 45 per cent of its new value over the course of three years. That’s about average for the small crossover class.
Interior, design and technology
Much of the interior design is taken from the Fiesta, and the overall quality is now much improved
Since the major revisions at the start of 2018, the EcoSport has shared its basic interior layout with the latest Ford Fiesta, and the extensively redesigned interior is the most impressive aspect of the EcoSport. Most of the switchgear on show is plucked straight from the Fiesta, with a similar tablet-style infotainment screen perched on top of the centre console. Just as in the firm’s big-selling supermini, it’s extremely slick to use, while the screen resolution is bright and sharp.
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Alongside a new, clearer instrument panel and some decent interior plastics, it makes the EcoSport’s cabin a much nicer place to sit than in the previous model. It leaves you with a general feeling that the EcoSport is edging closer to the likes of the SEAT Arona, Fiat 500X and Peugeot 2008, but the facelift cannot work miracles, and many of the rivals have much more of an upmarket, plush feel than the Ford.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
For the 2018 update, Ford upgraded the tech to include the SYNC 3 touchscreen infotainment system, available in 6.5 and 8-inch sizes, depending on trim. It comes complete with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB radio, while on Titanium and ST-Line models, the screen doubles up as sat nav and rear-view camera.
An impressive B&O Play audio system is also available and features a 675-watt output and 10 premium speakers.
Ford does include its Emergency Assistance system as standard: this links to your mobile phone and automatically calls for help if you’re knocked unconscious in the event of a crash, which is a clever feature on a budget crossover like this.
Practicality, comfort and boot space
The EcoSport isn’t the roomiest choice – it’s left trailing for rear passenger space and boot capacity in the crossover class
The EcoSport is a crossover based on the Ford Fiesta, with similar dimensions, so Ford’s smallest SUV is never going to be the most spacious car. Truth is, it doesn’t need to be, as rival models don’t exactly score on practicality, either. But, the car is still left in the shade by some competitors – the Fiat 500X, Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur offer more space.
Size
At just over four metres, the EcoSport is the same length as a Ford Fiesta, so it’s one of the most compact crossovers on the market. Ford used to quote the same measurement when the EcoSport featured its rear-mounted spare wheel, but now this has been taken off the tailgate, you can trust the measurement.
The spare wheel mounting caused controversy when the car was launched, with many people criticising it as old-fashioned and impractical. Ford therefore decided to make it an option on the updated EcoSport, cleaning up the lines around the rear of the car and making it easier to park.
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Trouble is, it’s only a option with the most basic Zetec trim, as it can’t be combined with the rear-view camera on other trim levels. So, with no option to stow a spare under the boot floor, every model comes as standard with a tyre inflation kit.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
Cabin space in the EcoSport is about average for the class, but that’s not saying much. After all, rivals in this market include the Nissan Juke, which is notoriously tight in the back. Certainly, the likes of the Fiat 500X or Peugeot 2008 leave the Ford trailing for rear seat space: rear legroom is particularly tight in the EcoSport, with the result that anybody close to six-foot tall in the back will end up with his or her knees pressed into the seat in front.
Boot
As with passenger space, so with the boot, the EcoSport’s capacity of 355 litres is only average – the Renault Captur offers 100 litres more than that (albeit only when you move the sliding rear seats all the way forward), while most competitors provide around 20 litres of extra space with their back seats in their normal position.
The 355-litre boot doesn’t place the EcoSport near the front of the pack on practicality either, beaten by the 400-litre capacity of the SEAT Arona – itself not the most cavernous in class.
It’s not only the size of the boot that lets the EcoSport down, though; access to the load bay is hampered by the side-hinged rear door. This design just seems needlessly old-fashioned, when every other car in the class uses a more practical top-hinged hatch. Plus it’s hinged on the left-hand side, which obstructs loading if you’re parked with that side of the car next to a pavement.
Reliability and Safety
Proven Ford mechanicals mean the EcoSport should be a reliable choice, but there could be more safety kit as standard
While the low-grade plastics in the cabin might have you worried about the long-term durability of the EcoSport, there should be no questioning the mechanical components.
Ford has been using the EcoBoost petrol engine for five years across a number of models in its range, and no major issues have been reported in that time. Although the 1.5 TDCi diesel is a bit newer, it has been serving well in the B-MAX supermini-MPV, Focus family hatch and C-MAX people carrier, so it should be fine. The same is true of the two gearbox options.
Reliability is an area where the car’s Brazilian origins should help: the EcoSport was designed from the outset to be rugged and stand up to use on poor-quality roads, and developed to be easy to fix if anything does break.
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There aren’t yet enough examples in circulation in the UK for the car to have featured in our annual Driver Power satisfaction survey, but we’d be surprised if any major issues arise.
On the safety front, it’s a case of not bad, but could do better. The EcoSport was awarded a four-star crash test rating by Euro NCAP – one off the best. Its adult protection score is quite good, at 93 per cent, but a score of 77 per cent for child occupant protection is not great for a family car, and a 55 per cent score in the safety assist category of the test shows just how much safety kit is either left on the options list or simply not available at all.
Buyers do get side and curtain airbags all-round, as well as a driver’s knee airbag though.
Warranty
Ford supplies the EcoSport with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard, and the package includes a year’s paint defect cover and a 12-year anti-perforation guarantee.
As with many rivals, the company also allows buyers to extend the standard warranty: it can be boosted to four years and 80,000 miles, or five years and 100,000 miles for a one-off payment.
Servicing
It’s recommended that the EcoSport is serviced every 12,500 miles or once a year, and Ford offers the option of a three-year fixed-price maintenance package. Buyers who choose this also benefit from an extension to the one-year roadside recovery and assistance package that comes as standard with the car.
But if you choose to pay for your services every time you visit the dealer, Ford is known for its fair routine maintenance costs.