Item: 2019 Ford EcoSport
Author: William Kinton

Overview

Not satisfied with feisty styling and a high ride height, Ford continues its mission to woo crossover buyers with the 2019 Ford EcoSport. Coming off its North American debut in 2018, the pint-size crossover is now stuffed with as much technology as Ford can manage.

What's New for 2019

Other than a few option shuffles and a new appearance package, the Ford EcoSport returns unchanged for 2019.

Ford EcoSport

Choosing Your Ford EcoSport

Finding an EcoSport begins with a choice between two powertrains. The first is just as diminutive as the car, a 1.0-liter inline three-cylinder engine producing 123 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. This engine is front-wheel drive only.

The larger engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 166 hp and 149 lb-ft of torque and is available exclusively with four-wheel drive. On all except the top trim (where it's standard), the upgrade costs around $1,500. Both engines come with the same six-speed automatic transmission, but neither is quick – even with the extra power, the EcoSport barely manages to get from zero to 60 mph in under 10 seconds.

Fuel economy is slightly more encouraging, but still mediocre for the class. The EPA estimates that the base engine will do 27 miles per gallon city, 29 mpg highway, and 28 combined, while the larger motor gets 23/29/25 mpg (city/highway/combined).

Despite the EcoSport’s tiny size, Ford does its best to boost practicality. There's 20.9 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, which utilizes a 60/40-split folding bench. With the second row folded, cargo capacity expands to 50 cubic feet. A cargo management system comes standard.

The remaining features are divided across four trims:

Ford EcoSport — S
Starting at $21,090 (all prices include a $1,095 destination fee), the EcoSport S will likely be Ford’s cheapest vehicle once the brand’s passenger sedans are no more. It’s fairly minimalist: manual seats and temperature control, cloth seats, halogen headlights, and a six-speaker audio system.
The EcoSport S does benefit from the standard infotainment system, which uses a 6.5-inch touchscreen to control Ford’s SYNC software. The system comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, two USB ports, and voice recognition. A rearview camera is standard as well.
The only available package adds a cargo net and organizer for $110. For standalone options, a keyless entry keypad is $110 and a remote start system is $495.

CarsDirect Tip

Although leather upholstery is a tempting upgrade, the best value in the 2019 Ford EcoSport range is clearly the SE. Those in colder climates will appreciate the standard heated seats, and the Convenience Package is available for extra tech if necessary.

Get your price on a Ford EcoSport »

Willis Kuelthau

Automotive Editor - February 25, 2019

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Expert Review

Expert Rating

Unavailable

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

William Kinton

Automotive Editor - March 25, 2019

Ford's cheapest SUV. While the EcoSport may be a new name around these parts, it's not a new vehicle by any means. It's been sold in developing markets and Europe for quite some time now, but now that Ford has divested itself of entry-level hatchbacks and sedans, they need a new entry-level vehicle to take their place.

Accordingly, the 2019 Ford EcoSport does one thing fairly well: it's an inexpensive crossover SUV made by Ford. For some, that's enough to sell a car, but it really does lag behind its rivals in most categories. It also has a side-opening rear tailgate, which is a quirky touch that people either love or hate.

The EcoSport was clearly built to a price point, and it shows. The cabin is filled with low-quality materials and seems to have been designed as an afterthought. You can dress it up a little bit with higher trim levels, but you'd be better off with an Escape at that point.

Lackluster performance. While the EcoSport may come with the much-lauded three-cylinder that powers the Ford Fiesta, it also burdens the little engine with a lot of extra weight for the luxury of sitting slightly higher than a standard car. The result is predictable: this car is slow.

A more powerful engine is available in the form of a naturally aspirated four-cylinder, but it only boosts the power to 166 horsepower, which still isn't much for a small crossover. All-wheel drive is available, and it boosts the EcoSport's towing capacity to a full 2,000 pounds from 1,400 in front-wheel-drive models.

Additionally, while the EcoSport is composed in the corners, it has a terrible steering feel that doesn't stay centered easily and it feels prone to wandering. Braking is a much more confident endeavor though, and the suspension manages to soak up bumps without being too jarring.

Ford EcoSport

Average fuel economy. It should be pointed out that the name EcoSport is a bit of a misnomer. As previously discussed, the vehicle is not sporty, and it's not particularly eco-friendly either. Instead, the Eco in EcoSport stands for economical, and is reflective of its price point, not its fuel economy ratings.

Three-cylinder FWD models get an EPA-estimated 27 miles per gallon city, 29 mpg highway, and 28 combined. Fuel economy drops to 23/29/25 mpg (city/highway/combined) on four-cylinder AWD models, which is not far off of the larger and sportier Escape.

Worrisome safety. The Ford EcoSport hasn't aced most of it's crash tests from NHTSA. While it does get four out of five stars overall, with five stars for side-impact ratings, it's more prone to roll-overs than many other vehicles. All-wheel-drive models received a four in this category, while front-wheel-drive models scored only a three.

Additionally, the EcoSport receives virtually no active safety features as seen with many other vehicles these days. Adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, or even forward collision warning are all absent on the EcoSport. In fact, the only one available is blind-spot monitoring.

Final thoughts. The 2019 Ford EcoSport feels like a last minute, panicked addition to the Ford lineup, largely because it is. It was built for markets that haven't been spoiled as much as us in terms of entry-level utility vehicles, and it feels largely uncompetitive.

The EcoSport is only fit for those blinded by brand loyalty. The Ford faithful converting from an Escape of several generations ago probably won't notice anything amiss, even if better options exist.

However, if you can stand the sight of another brand in your driveway, you should check out the Honda HR-V or Mazda CX-3. Both are good looking vehicles with great build quality, and the Mazda in particular is great fun to drive. Alternatively, if you want a Ford, look for a slightly used Escape at a similar price point.

Check prices for the 2019 Ford EcoSport»

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Specs & Features

Highlights

Overall Crash Safety Rating

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque

1.0L I-3 / 123 HP / 125 ft.lbs.

Transmission

6-spd SelectShift w/OD

Drive Type

Front-wheel

Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined

27 / 29 / 28 Mpg

Passenger Capacity

Bumper to Bumper Warranty

36 Months / 36,000 Miles

Mechanical Specs

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque	1.0L I-3 / 123 HP / 125 ft.lbs.
Drive Type	Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Hwy/Combined	27 / 29 / 28 Mpg
Brakes	4-wheel Disc
Front Suspension	Strut
Rear Suspension	Semi-independent Torsion Beam Beam
Spare Tire And Wheel
Fuel Tank	13.6 Gal.
Recommended Fuel Type	Regular Unleaded
Average Cost To Fill Tank	$52

Dimensions & Capabilities

Maximum Cargo Volume	50.0 Cu.ft.
Passenger Volume	91 Cu.ft.
Exterior Length	161.3 "
Exterior Width	69.5 "
Exterior Height	64.8 "
Front Headroom	39.6 "
Rear Headroom	37.5 "
Front Legroom	42.9 "
Rear Legroom	36.7 "
Front Shoulder Room	53.3 "
Rear Shoulder Room	51.3 "
Front Hip Room
Rear Hip Room
Curb Weight	3,020 Lbs.
Wheel Base	99 "
Turning Radius	17.5 '

Exterior Features

Door Count	4 Doors
Wheels	16.0 " Machined W/painted Accents Aluminum
Paint	Clearcoat Monotone
Exterior Mirrors	Dual Power Remote Convex Spotter
Bumpers	Front Body-colored
Grille Moldings	Black
Rear Spoiler
Exhaust	Stainless Steel

Interior Features

Seating

Passenger Capacity	5
Seat Trim	Cloth
Front Seat Type	Bucket
Heated Front Seats
Front Driver Seat Direction Controls	6-way
Front Passenger Seat Direction Controls	6-way
Front Armrests	6-way
Rear Armrests	Center
Rear Seats	60-40 Split-bench

Radio & Infotainment

Radio	Am/fm, Clock, Seek-scan
Speakers	6
Radio Steering Wheel Controls
Apple Car Play
Android Auto
Bluetooth w/ Hands-Free Connectivity

Convenience Features

Steering Wheel Type	Telescopic Tilt
Climate Control
Cruise Control	With Steering Wheel Controls
Sun Roof
Rearview Mirror	Day-night
One Touch Open Window	Driver
Tinted Windows	Light
Vanity Mirrors	Dual Illuminated
Remote Keyless Entry	Keyfob (all Doors)
Power Outlets	2

Safety Features

Overall Crash Safety Rating
Overall Front Crash Safety Rating
Overall Side Crash Safety Rating
Rollover Crash Safety Rating
Front Impact Airbags	Driver And Passenger
Driver Side Impact Airbags	Seat Mounted
Knee Airbag	Driver And Passenger
Passenger Side Impact Airbag	Seat Mounted
Rear Side Airbag	Rear Side-impact Airbag
Seatbelt Pretensioners	Front
Anti-Lock Brakes	4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes (abs)
Forward Collision Warning
Blind Spot Sensor
Lane Departure Warning
Autonomous Cruise Control
Pedestrian Detection
Driver Attention Alert
Daytime Running Lights
Auto High Beams
Adaptive Headlights
Parking Sensors
Security Systems
Panic Alarm
Ignition Disable	Securilock

Warranty

Bumper To Bumper Months Miles	36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Major Components Months	60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Included Maintenance Months
Roadside Assistance Months	60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Corrosion Perforation	60 Months / Unlimited Miles
Accessories Months

Used 2019 Ford EcoSport for Sale