2016 Ford EcoSport 1.0 Ecoboost Review

The EcoSport was brought to the European market last year, but Ford rushed into the move, importing a car designed for emerging markets without too many changes. With Old Continent buyers being known for their DDD, the inevitable happened - the EcoSport sold only 11,000 units, with its main rivals managing to convince ten times as many customers each.

The statistics were a pity, especially since Ford had given Europeans a Fiesta-based crossover way before the genre became popular. We’re referring to the Fusion here. In other parts of the world, the vehicle was marketed as the Mk I EcoSport, but in Europe, the continuity was lost.

As we said, Ford turned to their magic wand, upgrading the Mk II Ecosport for 2015 and recently asking us to drive the crossover.

Our first impression when approaching the Ford EcoSport was that we were about to get behind the wheel of a... puffer fish. The subcompact crossover segment has given birth to some of the funkiest designs around, from the misunderstood Nissan Juke to the all-utilitarian Dacia Duster. While the EcoSport isn’t far away from the Juke in terms of making itself noticed on the road, the Ford is far easier to digest.
We’ve always been against tire-fixing kits replacing spare tires, but when this removes the hunch off the car, we approve of the move.

Not only has the rear visibility improved, but the vehicle length has been reduced from (4,270 mm) to (4,010 mm). A key asset in this class.

While re-engineering the rear swing-gate to turn it into a hatch would’ve been too expensive, the door now offers partial opening. In order to avoid not being able to fully open the door in tight parking situations and having to squeeze your shopping bags in, it’s best to try to pretend you own a larger car and leave some extra room behind you.

The revamp brought multiple changes inside the EcoSport and while there’s no major change, you can feel the added effect of the little ones.

Unfortunately, the interior quality is still behind the class average, while Ford has introduced a standard leather steering wheel to compensate for that, at least when it comes to the driver.

The ergonomics are split in two - the elements that aren’t linked to the Sync infotainment system are just right. As for the Sync present on the EcoSport, this brings the usual confusing button layout and complicated menus. Oh well, at least you can have voice control for mobile apps, which should please hardcore tech fans who are gifted with patience.

However, the EcoSport has one of the most spacious interiors in its class, with adult passengers being perfectly accommodated on the back seat. As for the luggage compartment, this sits at 11.8 cubic feet (333 liters), one of the smallest values in the class.

Most European markets see the EcoSport being offered in two trim levels, the base Trend and the Titanium. The first includes features such as all-round power windows and seven airbags (driver knee bag included), as well as the leather steering wheel mentioned above.

Upgrading to Titanium costs you EUR1,800 in Germany, but the value drops as low as EUR1,250 for other markets. This brings alloy wheels (the 16-inch size remains), partial leather trim, as well as keyless entry.

Ford has also come up with a Winter Package. While it’s unpleasant to have to opt for this in order to get rear passenger floor ventilation, we appreciate the heated windscreen, mirror and front seats.

By the end of the year, Ford will integrate a navigation system into the Sync infotainment system, while also offering a rear view camera, solving the current visibility issue.

We drove the EcoSport through a number of small Italian towns in the proximity of Turin. These are the kind of urban settlements with streets tighter than a CEO’s schedule, so the EcoSport’s manoeuvrability and visibility were put to the ultimate test.

The Fiesta base of the EcoSport shines whenever the scenery seems to shrink around you. Whether you’re forced to pull a three-way turn just to make your way out of an impossible parking lot or you’re going through a busy roundabout, this crossover comes in handy.

For those of you wondering if driving the EcoSport, with its offroad-ready attitude, feels like walking through the city in hiking shoes, the answer is a definite “no.” This Ford feels perfectly integrated into the landscape around us, which includes contraptions ranging from a Mustang to a tractor driven by a little old man that wears a smile for a turn signal.

One of the unseen 2015 upgrades was aimed at making the EcoSport quieter. This has been successful, with the Ford offering decent soundproofing up to about 80 mph (130 km/h).

Stiffer springs and dampers, as well as a more rigid rear torsion beam complete the task of making the EcoSport more European-like.

Don’t worry, though, the Ford EcoSport still comes with a whopping ground clearance of (inches) 190 mm. If you skip the gasoline units and opt for the 1.5-liter diesel version, the engine’s oil pan will lower that to a still-decent 160 mm.

Despite the treatment mentioned above, the suspension remains soft enough to allow this Ford to make use of its ground clearance once you run out of road. Still, with a clutch that doesn't show above-average durability and lacking optional all-wheel-drive, the EcoSport will probably never get to show anybody the fact that it can ford water driving in the wake of a Land Rover.

While Ford offers the EcoSport in all-paw mode on the South American and Russian markets, the carmaker’s data suggests that such an option wouldn’t have made sense in Europe. According to Ford, the rate of European small crossover customers who choose AWD has dropped from 45 percent back in 2010 to 15 percent last year.

Back on the road, the EcoSport feels surprisingly close to a C-Max. Ford engineers have also tweaked the power steering and the Electronic Stability Control and it shows. While most of Ford’s usual engaging handling is absent, the vehicle remains more lively than a Suzuki S-Cross. It’s also more stable than a Dacia Duster, but not as capable as the Nissan Juke, as dynamic as a Mazda CX-3 or as rugged as the Suzuki Vitara.

We’ve spread our time in the EcoSport between highway runs and twisty roads in the Italian hills, with the crossover proving it can be a good long trip partner in both scenarios.

In Europe, the current EcoSport engine range includes a naturally aspirated 112 hp 1.5-liter base, Ford’s 1-liter EcoBoost in 125 hp trim, as well as a 90 hp 1.5-liter TDCi diesel.

As for the transmission department, the base 5-speed manual can be ditched for an optional five-speed auto.

While the entry 1.5 will provide the good old atmospheric engine feeling European drivers are so accustomed to, we’d suggest skipping the diesel option.

The performance figures aren’t something to be happy about while the official efficiency is only slightly better than what you get with the 125 hp EcoBoost three-cylinder turbo: 51.1 US mpg or 4.6 L/100 km for the oil burner and 44 US mpg or 5.3 L/100 km for the EcoBoost.

Most of our time was spent with the EcoBoost, which proves a perfect match for the crossover. Those of you who haven’t experienced a three-cylinder engine before might be scared of the soundtrack at first, but this is the only complaint you might have.

The relatively broad powerband means inexperienced drivers, or those who prefer not to be bothered, won’t have to struggle to extract the performance, the efficiency or both.

We can’t say the same about the five-gear manual, though. This is clearly the weak technical link of the car. From the number of ratios to the shift feel, this transmission is simply outdated.

Those of you wondering why the 125 hp EcoSport needs 12.7 seconds for the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint should also consider the lbs (260 kg) difference between the Fiesta and its crossover incarnation.

On the road, the 125 hp EcoSport feels lively enough, while the Fiesta’s 140 hp 1.0-liter EcoBoost will soon serve those who prefer the statement without the “enough” at its end.

Over the last few years, social media has lead to an increase in what we like to call apparent awareness - consumers are bombarded with information, labels or tags and end up following these mechanically while believing they know their rights and can stand up for themselves in the market expansion battle.

The Ford EcoSport is an excellent example of the consequences deriving from the phenomenon described above. Many will deem the vehicle unsafe due to its four-star Euro NCAP rating, but few of the people who do so will take the time to understand why the EcoSport missed the five-star rating.

With Ford’s subcompact crossover having scored 93 percent for adult occupant safety and 77 percent for child occupant safety, you’d expect it to grab all five starts. However, the problems lie with the pedestrian protection, where the car gained 58 percent, as well as with the safety assistance - the EcoSport’s basic approach to motoring life means it doesn’t even pack a speed limiter, let alone automated emergency braking.

The vehicle held the road even when we tried to unsettle it at high speeds, while its transparent handling keeps the driver updated.

We’ve come to learn that many of the driving attributes mentioned above are less important than we might expect when it comes to the target audience of the segment. Once again according to Ford, those who are currently aged between 17 and 34 (yep, we’re talking Millennials) are the most relevant for the class.

It seems that for Millennials, the most important asset when buying a crossover is the perceived sense of security, as well as the perspective offered by the higher driving position. One might be tempted to question the automaker’s marketing words, but after hearing people on the street going as far as, for instance, disregarding the Mazda CX-3 because they didn’t know the brand well enough, we tend to believe Ford.

The Ford EcoSport may have started out as a subcompact crossover created for emerging markets, but after having been updated for the 2015 model year, the vehicle ticks all the boxes Ford considers relevant for the target audience.

The EcoSport definitely rides high, offers a (very) small touch of driver involvement and has an appearance that sets it apart.

The interior fit and finish still fall behind European standards, but the cabin makes up for this by being extremely spacious for the size of the car.

This Ford would’ve easily earned some extra points had it been more affordable. With a starting price of EUR17,990 (German market, 19 percent VAT included), the EcoSport is among the most expensive cars in its segment. Nevertheless, there are certain markets where Ford is making launch discounts of EUR1,500 or more.

Discount or no discount, the EcoBoost can best be described as a linear experience, one that's delivered in an eye-catching package.