It has been quite a while since I sat behind the wheel of a Ford EcoSport, and with the plethora of new models passing through my hands for review, time to have forgotten what a neat little package it is.
For a self-proclaimed trendy automotive, the EcoSport is, technically, ageing. Ford has confirmed that 2022 is the final year of production of the little SUV in the USA because it is struggling to compete with newer (more fashionable!) options from other carmakers.
As much as beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, fashion is a passing trend dictated by emotion rather than practical reasoning.
Yes, the EcoSport has been around for a long time, and there may be other makes that produce the vehicles desired by this season’s fashion trends, but Ford has a timeless look that sets it apart from all the rest.
The EcoSport Active is based on the mid-range EcoSport Trend 1.0 EcoBoost Automatic and adds a more rugged and dynamic appearance thanks to the black treatment of the front grille, headlamp surround and fog lamp bezels, as well as black front and rear skirts.
Black wheel arch mouldings and 17-inch Active design black alloy wheels accentuate the demeanour.
The dark finishes extend to black mirror caps, roof rails and dark-tinted glass for the rear windows. The roof paint is black - contrary to the four available paint colours: Frozen White and metallic options comprising Luxe Yellow, Solar Silver and Magnetic dark grey.
An ‘Active’ badge on the front fenders runs through to feature on the leather seats, which replace the cloth seats used in the standard Trend models.
The standard kit includes a leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel with cruise control, power windows all around, air-conditioning and an eight-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with built-in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The included navigation system also provides one of the best and most reliable sets of maps I have encountered for a long while.
The EcoSport Active boasts the FordPass Connect system, which includes an embedded modem that allows you to connect with the car and control several vehicle functions from your smartphone via the FordPass app.
While providing practical information such as fuel level and vehicle health alerts, the owner can remotely lock, unlock, and even start the car (automatic models only) to cool or heat the cabin. Through FordPass, owners can effortlessly retrieve the vehicle’s service and warranty information, find the nearest Ford dealer, and even make service bookings. Owners can contact Ford Roadside Assistance directly from the app should the need arise.
In short, it lacks nothing tech-spec lovers demand of modern cars.
Under the hood, there is no change to the motive power. Ford’s 1,0-litre EcoBoost does duty, providing 92 kW of power and 170 Nm of torque – the three-cylinder engine matched to a six-speed automatic gearbox with a Sport mode for a little more zest when needed.
Giving it some perspective, the EcoSport is more dominant than the Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue, which are capacity and price rivals. It does, however, lose out by two Nm to the Koreans and its emissions are marginally higher.
Regarding fuel consumption, the EcoSport test returned an average of 6,5 l/100 km - this is the same as the claimed figure for the Hyundai but 0,5 l/100 km more than is claimed for the Kia.
The EcoSport has a good seating position for an extended forward view of the potholes and the road. If there is anything to complain about, it is perhaps that vertically challenged folk, like myself, may have a little difficulty finding a driving position that gives enough view of the end of the bonnet.
The little engine works willingly and - while not being a record-breaker - takes 12,7 seconds to scoot from rest to 100 km/h and records 180 km/h top speed.
With 206 mm ground clearance available, it can tar roads easily, maintaining its SUV status.
Load volume at 333 litres is moderate, so travel cannot include the kitchen sink – although this does increase to 705 litres with the 60:40 split rear seats folded and where it scores over its Korean rivals with fixed back seats.
There is no compromise on safety. The EcoSport has seven crash bags, along with anti-lock brakes with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and Hill Launch Assist (HLA) - rear parking sensors and a high-grade Thatcham alarm with an immobiliser.
The EcoSport Active 1.0 EcoBoost Automatic has Ford Protect comprising a 4-year/120 000 km warranty, 4-year/unlimited distance Roadside Assistance and a 5-year/unlimited kilometre corrosion warranty. The recommended service interval is 15 000 km or annually, whichever occurs first.
