Item: 2022 Ford EcoSport
Rating: 1.8
Author: Joel Patel

Overview

What's New

The 2022 Ford EcoSport adopts standard all-wheel-drive in response to consumer preference for all-weather capability. The previously optional 2.0-liter engine is now standard as well. Ford's smallest vehicle, the EcoSport debuted in 2018.

Choosing your Ford EcoSport

The EcoSport continues in four trim levels: S, SE, SES, and Titanium. Pricing starts at $23,335 including destination and goes to $29,690 for the Titanium.

Engine Choices

Last year's tiny 1.0-liter turbo base engine has been dropped, leaving the 2.0-liter four-cylinder as the sole engine. It generates 166 horsepower and 149 lb-ft of torque and comes with a six-speed automatic transmission. With all-wheel drive now standard, every EcoSport is EPA-rated at 23 miles per gallon city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined.

Passenger and Cargo Capacity

The EcoSport is a subcompact crossover with seating for five. As expected in a vehicle this size, rear legroom is merely passable. The EcoSport can accommodate up to 20.9 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seat and 50 cubic feet with it folded, which is typical for this class. Instead of a traditional liftgate, the EcoSport features a swing-out tailgate that opens like a regular door.

Safety Features

The EcoSport has always been light on driver assistance technology. The S carries the government-mandated review camera only. The SE adds rear parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is available in the $1,495 SE Convenience Package. This feature is standard on the SES and Titanium. Automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control still aren't available on any trim.

Connectivity

The EcoSport S is one of the few vehicles left without a touchscreen. Instead, there's a 4.2-inch audio display screen, plus six speakers, two USB ports, and Wi-Fi capability. The SE gains an eight-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The SE Convenience Package includes navigation, seven speakers, and a household-style power outlet. These items are standard on the SES and Titanium. A 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is exclusive to the Titanium.

2022 Ford EcoSport S – MSRP From $23,335

The S comes with basics like cloth upholstery, keyless entry, cruise control, and automatic headlamps. The outside wears black body trim and 16-inch aluminum wheels.

2022 Ford EcoSport SE – MSRP From $26,805

The SE receives a major infusion of popular features, including heated front seats in upgraded fabric, automatic climate control, a sunroof, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, heated side mirrors, fog lights, roof rails, wiper de-icers, and front LED accent lighting. The SE's exterior is enhanced by silver grille trim and body-color door handles and mirrors. In addition to its aforementioned features, the SE Convenience Package adds ambient interior lighting.

For a different visual vibe, the SE Appearance Package ($495) adds 17-inch shadow silver wheels and orange interior trim and seat accents, plus a six-way power driver seat.

2022 Ford EcoSport SES – MSRP From $29,500

The SES goes in a sporty direction with firmer suspension tuning and 17-inch black wheels with matching body trim. The power driver seat is standard, along with automatic wipers and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Seats are upholstered in ActiveX, a synthetic leather-like material.

2022 Ford EcoSport Titanium – MSRP From $29,690

The Titanium takes on an upscale air with chrome exterior trim, an upgraded center console, perforated ActiveX seats, and 17-inch dark stainless wheels. Other equipment is shared with the SES, with the addition of the Bang & Olufsen system.

Compare EcoSport Trims Side-By-Side

CarsDirect Tip

The 2022 Ford EcoSport in S trim is too austere for most buyers. Unless you must have AWD at the lowest possible price, the well-equipped SE is the wiser choice. The SES and Titanium add some distinction to the EcoSport formula for those willing to pay for it.

John Diether

Automotive Editor - March 04, 2022

Read Less

Expert Review

Pros

Competitive cargo space
Highly maneuverable size
Above-average cargo capacity
Standard all-wheel drive

Cons

Last model year available
Lackluster quality
Base model is bare
Frustrating swing-out liftgate
Middling performance

Expert Rating

1.8

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.

Joel Patel

Automotive Editor - December 22, 2021

2022 marks the end. Reports indicate that 2022 will be the end of the line for the EcoSport. Once Ford’s cheapest vehicle, the subcompact SUV has struggled to find its place in the segment, despite the growing popularity of smaller SUVs. While the EcoSport’s middling sales figures helped Ford reach the decision, a large part of the move is because the automaker decided to close down its plant in India where the EcoSport is built.

Easy to drive. One of the EcoSport’s largest strengths is its compact size. By modern standards, the SUV is tiny. It’s 161.3 inches long and 71.9 inches wide. Those measurements make the EcoSport easy to drive in all areas, including tight city roads.

For 2022, Ford has made all-wheel drive standard on the EcoSport. For consumers that live in areas with inclement weather, this means the EcoSport is ready to tackle poor weather straight from the dealership. The all-wheel-drive system also gives the EcoSport light off-roading capability for dirt trails.

Great optional infotainment system. We can’t recommend upgrading to the available SYNC 3 infotainment system enough. The base system in the EcoSport is a dull 4.2-inch display that feels like it’s from a different century. While the standard Wi-Fi hot spot and six-audio speaker system are nice to see, the display’s graphics are outdated.

The available SYNC 3 infotainment system that’s standard on the SE trim and above includes an eight-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. SYNC 3 is a far more impressive infotainment system, featuring a modern display, crisp graphics, and physical controls. You can also spring for a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, navigation, and an HD Radio, but these aren’t worth the extra money.

Neither sporty nor efficient. The EcoSport may have the words “Eco” and “Sport” in its name, but it’s neither. For 2022, the SUV is only available with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 166 horsepower. It’s not a sprightly engine and the EcoSport struggles to get up to highway speeds. Passing takes a lot of patience and planning. At lower speeds, the EcoSport’s engine does an average job of getting the SUV down the road, but it’s not much better.

Having an underpowered engine is one thing, but the EcoSport’s ride is something that will upset a lot of shoppers. The spongy suspension and top-heavy design result in a large amount of body roll around corners. When not cornering, the EcoSport has a harsh ride that translates small imperfections on the road to passengers.

The EPA hasn’t come out with official fuel economy figures for the 2022 model year yet, but without any changes, we think the SUV will have the same fuel economy figures as last year. The EcoSport with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with all-wheel drive is rated at up to 25 mpg combined. With subcompacts like the Nissan Kicks (33 mpg combined), Hyundai Kona (32 mpg combined), and Kia Seltos (31 mpg combined) getting far better fuel economy, one has to wonder why the EcoSport is so inefficient.

Ford EcoSport

Mixed interior space. With its tall design, the EcoSport has one of the larger cargo areas in the subcompact class. The SUV offers up to 20.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. Folding those down opens cargo space up to 50 cubic feet. While these are spacious figures for the class, the EcoSport has a frustrating swing-out liftgate that opens to the side instead of up. This makes loading cargo when parking in front of a vehicle, wall, or immovable object impossible.

The front seats are the best ones in the EcoSport. While the seating position is upright, the seats are decently comfortable. The room in the rear seats is tight, even for the class. Fitting three people in the back is a squeeze, as two people will be far more comfortable. There is a good amount of rear legroom and headroom for the class, though.

Vehicles like the EcoSport are built to fit into a budget. Before the introduction of the Maverick pickup truck, the EcoSport was the most affordable vehicle in Ford’s lineup. The main drawback with that is that the SUV feels cheap. With ugly plastics and rough materials, the EcoSport doesn’t have the same upscale feel as some of its other competitors.

Final thoughts. The 2022 Ford EcoSport is not a good SUV, especially when you consider all of the new options in the class. The SUV’s tiny size and large cargo area are the only things in its favor. You can find both in much better options.

For example, the Kia Soul is a funky box on wheels with a spacious interior and up to 62.1 cubic feet of cargo space. The Soul is available with a 10.25-inch touchscreen, modern safety features, and a 201-horsepower turbocharged engine.

For a more upscale option, there’s the Mazda CX-30. Beyond having a stunning design, the CX-30 has a high-end interior, athletic handling, a 250-horsepower turbocharged engine, and a standard 8.8-inch display.

Check prices for the 2022 Ford EcoSport

Read Less

Specs & Features

Highlights

Overall Crash Safety Rating

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque

2.0L I-4 / 166 HP / 149 ft.lbs.

Transmission

6-spd SelectShift w/OD

Drive Type

Automatic Full-time Four-wheel

Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined

23 / 29 / 26 Mpg

Passenger Capacity

Bumper to Bumper Warranty

36 Months / 36,000 Miles

Mechanical Specs

Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque	2.0L I-4 / 166 HP / 149 ft.lbs.
Drive Type	Automatic Full-time Four-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Hwy/Combined	23 / 29 / 26 Mpg
Brakes	4-wheel Disc
Front Suspension	Strut
Rear Suspension	Semi-independent Torsion Beam Beam
Spare Tire And Wheel
Fuel Tank	13.8 Gal.
Recommended Fuel Type	Regular Unleaded
Average Cost To Fill Tank	$53

Dimensions & Capabilities

Maximum Cargo Volume	50.0 Cu.ft.
Passenger Volume	91 Cu.ft.
Exterior Length	161.3 "
Exterior Width	69.5 "
Exterior Height	65.1 "
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	3,300 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 Stereo, 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
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 2022 Ford EcoSport for Sale