2021 Ford EcoSport

The Ford EcoSport debuted in the United States in 2018, which was just in time to face off against a rapidly growing crop of subcompact SUVs. Built in India, this diminutive Ford has been on sale in other markets since 2012 and landed in the U.S. without much to differentiate it from the herd of newer tiny crossovers. Because of its age, there’s not much Ford can do to bring the tiny SUV in line with its contemporaries and the EcoSport lags in materials quality, powertrain refinement, style and space.

Ford offers four trims and two powertrain options for the EcoSport. Trims include S, SE, Titanium and SES. The entry-level engine is a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 166 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. The upgraded engine choice is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 166 horsepower and 149 pound-feet of torque. Both mills are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The turbo-three comes with front-wheel drive and the larger four-cylinder gets all-wheel drive.

Neither engine makes the EcoSport feel quick, and both are far more at home puttering around town than they are cruising the highway. The SUV’s upright shape and short wheelbase, combined with overly soft suspension create a ride that feels sloppy and wayward at times. That sensation grows stronger at higher speeds, and though cushy, the suspension doesn’t do well at soaking up imperfections in the road. Surprisingly, the EcoSport can tow up to 1,400 pounds with the three-cylinder engine and up to 2,000 pounds with the four-cylinder engine, though very few people will fit a hitch.

The EcoSport is tiny, and only the Hyundai Venue is smaller among crossovers. It’s tall-and-small styling makes for odd visuals even compared with the Venue and the Buick Encore. Cargo space isn’t terrible for the footprint, at 20.9 cubic-feet behind the rear seat and 50 with it folded, which is roughly equal to the larger Jeep Renegade and much better than the Fiat 500x or the Venue.

You’d think that small engines and tiny dimensions should be a formula for success when it comes to fuel economy, but the EcoSport doesn’t live up to its name. With the base three-cylinder engine, the SUV delivers 27 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg combined. With the four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive, it returns 23 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg combined. Those numbers look much more like they come from a larger SUV and fall behind class leaders, such as the Nissan Rogue Sport and Hyundai Kona, both of which are larger vehicles with more room. Still, it’s about even with the Renegade.

The story is much the same with safety equipment and crash testing scores. The EcoSport hasn’t been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) since 2018 when it debuted in the U.S., and the 2020 model scored just four stars in testing at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Ford’s equipment offering isn’t doing much to help the EcoSport’s cause, either, as there are no advanced driver aids included as standard features. Very few even are even optional, and getting those that are means starting at the mid-level SE trim with the SE Convenience Package, which brings blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts.