Help & Support
Price Promise - Double the difference If you find the same quality car for less
Sell your car for FREE Save £199. Limited time only
Price Drops Save over £500 on 100s of cars
Ford Ecosport variants
Total price
Monthly payment
Figures are based on a 20% deposit

Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £13,499. Borrowing £10,799 with a £2,700 deposit at a representative APR of 12.9%.

49 monthly payments
£192.58
Fixed interest rate
12.9%
Total amount payable
£17,708.62
Cost of credit
£4,209.62
Optional final payment
£5,765.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

Despite the Ecosport’s compact dimensions, it’s also impressively practical, with rear seats that split 60/40 and can fold completely flat (because the base cushion you normally sit on folds forwards).

Widespread updates in early 2018 added more appeal, with an extensively re-designed cabin. Rivals include the Suzuki Vitara, Dacia Duster and Vauxhall Crossland X, but perhaps the Ecosport’s closest rival comes from within – the slinky Ford Puma. 

Ford Ecosport buying guide

What Ford Ecosport trim levels are there?

The entry-level Zetec model gets electric windows, fog lights and a touchscreen with digital radio and smartphone mirroring. You even get a Quickclear heated windscreen for those frosty mornings.

Titanium trim is well equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, auto headlights and wipers, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and cruise control.

ST-Line upgrades to sports suspension, more dynamic body styling and tactile suede and leather-effect upholstery with red stitching.

Active amps up the crossover style with a more rugged exterior appearance, including protective black exterior trim.

Ford Ecosport interior and technology

The interior looks quite like what you get in a Ford Fiesta, which isn’t really surprising. That’s to say that all the controls are intuitive and well positioned, so you shouldn’t have to faff around with confusing icons and take your eyes off the road for a long time.

The Ecosport’s comprehensive update of early 2018 introduced Ford’s much-improved SYNC 3 infotainment system across the range, with an eight-inch touchscreen, DAB radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. Voice control is also standard, allowing you to control music, navigation and phone calls using only your voice. 

Ford Ecosport engine range explained

Ford Ecosport 1.0 EcoBoost petrol

Ford’s fizzy 1.0-litre petrol engine is the best fit for the Ecosport, even if the car’s bluff styling means it’s not quite as efficient or quick as a Fiesta. Most Ecosports come with a 125hp version, but there is also a 140hp version reserved for top trim levels. Whichever you pick, 45mpg is achievable, while 0-62mph acceleration takes a respectable 11 seconds or less.

Ford Ecosport 1.5 EcoBlue diesel

If you’d rather have a diesel engine or need the slightly better fuel economy, the Ecosport also came with a 1.5-litre diesel engine. Formerly called TDCi, this EcoBlue engine is offered with 100hp or 125hp, with the latter providing quicker acceleration – plus four-wheel drive for increased grip on wet roads. The 100hp engine offers nearly 60mpg, but the extra power and extra driven wheels mean the 125hp version is marginally less efficient. Over 50mpg is still decent for a car like this, though.

Ford Ecosport FAQs

The Ecosport is available only as a five-door compact crossover. Look out for Active trim if you want to dial up the crossover style. Earlier models tried to look rugged with a 4x4-esque spare wheel holder on the tailgate, but newer models go without this and come with a tyre repair kit instead.

Measuring 4.1 metres long, the Ecosport is teeny by SUV standards. That makes it easy to see out of, and easy to drive in tight city streets and winding country lanes. Headroom is really good and there’s plenty of space for your feet under the front seats, although legroom is tight and it might be difficult to get young children in and out.

The boot is a nice, square shape, and its 335-litre boot is a little bigger than what you get in a Fiesta. Just make sure that you don’t park too far back if you want to get in the boot, as the tailgate swings open to the left rather than opening upwards like most cars.

You can find diesel Ecosports, but you’re much more likely to find a petrol engine slotted in a car this size. The petrol is Ford’s 1.0-litre Ecoboost unit, available in three different power outputs. It might be small and efficient, but it’s also punchy.

All models are front-wheel drive and equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox, unless you hold out for an automatic used Ford Ecosport – which pop up in our range occasionally.

There are almost no bad cars in the Ecosport's compact SUV class because sheer competitiveness has weeded out the weaker models.

The Ecosport itself isn't quite the best to drive, nor is it the most practical option here, bested by the likes of the SEAT Arona and Skoda Kamiq.

It does, however, have a unique selling point thanks to its more traditional SUV styling. Most cars in this class look and feel like slightly overgrown hatchbacks but, with its lofty driving position and a retro side-opening boot lid, the Ecosport has a unique Tonka-toy-like appeal.

Earlier versions of the Ecosport were available with four-wheel drive (4WD) but, even when it was an option, it wasn't especially common. The majority of Ecosports left the factory with front-wheel drive. Ford has since dropped the four-wheel-drive version entirely, leaving only front-wheel-drive Ecosports on sale.

In practice, almost no owners would really benefit from four-wheel drive because the Ecosport was never intended to tackle the kind of serious off-roading where 4WD would be needed.

If you want to make sure your Ecosport copes through the UK's colder months, consider fitting a set of winter tyres. These will give you more than enough grip to use front-wheel-drive Ecosports all year round.

While Ford's performance as a brand in reliability surveys is fairly mid-pack, the Ecosport has tended to perform a little better with the likes of Driver Power ranking it highly for dependability.

Many of the parts and engines are shared with older Fiesta models and most of the common problems have now been worked out.

You can save yourself from the stress of unexpected repair costs by adding an extended warranty to your Ecosport when you purchase it.

All recent Ecosport models are only rated to tow a braked trailer weighing up to 900kg. That means, unless your caravan is very small, you'll probably be better off choosing a larger and more powerful tow car.