A FURTHER QUESTION OF SPORT (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 83

The EcoSport, Ford's most compact SUV, was a revitalised package in this post-2018 revised form, aimed more precisely at the fashionable needs of city-bound but adventurous buyers. There was smarter styling, a completely upgraded cabin, improved infotainment provision and, at the top of the range, a fresh 4WD option paired with an efficient 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine. If you're looking for a small supermini-based crossover from the 2018-2023 period and haven't yet considered this car, in this form it's worth a second look.

Modelsword count: 10

5dr SUV (Petrol - 1.0 EcoBoost / 1.5 TDCi diesel)

Historyword count: 592

Thinking of a Ford EcoSport in your search for a small used supermini-based SUV? You may not be - and with good reason. Original versions of this model did, after all, struggle in comparison with obvious rivals. The much improved post-2018 version of this car though, was a better all-round proposition are could seriously interest you. By 2018, on the face of things, Ford had done quite well with the EcoSport since its original 2014 launch, with 150,000 EcoSports sold in Europe in the first four years of production, contributing to a healthy 30% increase in SUV sales across the company's model line-up. In that period though, SUV sales across the continent for the market as a whole increased by a whopping 280%. And the bottom line was that the original EcoSport ought to have done much better. There are a number of reasons why it didn't. For a start, the EcoSport was launched far too late, Ford having mis-judged the growing importance of the segment for small supermini-based SUVs, popularised as early as 2010 by the trendy Nissan Juke. Which was ironic since way back in 2002, the company introduced a Fiesta-based model, the Fusion, which if it had been packaged and marketed right, could have cleaned up in this class way before rivals had even got their contenders to the drawing board. Instead, the Fusion was sold as a slightly bigger, slightly more versatile kind of Fiesta, sat largely unwanted for most of its life in the corner of Ford showrooms and wasn't replaced. When the more overt and in-your-face Juke arrived and started selling by the truck load, the Blue Oval brand realised its mistake - but didn't have a European-designed small SUV product to sell in this segment. The company's South American division though did, Ford having been selling a jacked-up Fiesta-based SUV called the EcoSport on that Continent since 2004. Quickly, the decision was taken to make the second generation version of that car a model that could be sold in Europe as well, with production sourced from a low cost labour Ford factory in India to allow for attractive showroom pricing. In the rush to get this model to market though, there was little time to tailor it for the needs of European buyers and the result was a car that fell below customer and media expectations in terms of ride, handling and cabin quality. The EcoSport was quickly updated - in 2015 and 2016 - with improvements in all these areas, but it was all too little, too late. Which is why we got the car we're going to look at here, a fundamentally updated EcoSport launched in early 2018. It wasn't a completely new generation model, but it was very much the next best thing, with no fewer than 2,360 new parts aimed at transforming this product's proposition. The styling became far more sophisticated and mature, plus the cabin was massively upgraded, featuring the brand's SYNC 3 infotainment technology. Under the bonnet, there was a new entry-level 100PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol unit, while at the top of the range, there was an all-new 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel variant that brought 4WD to the line-up for the first time. And everything was from 2018 onwards screwed together in a state-of-the-art European factory in Romania. The diesel version was discontinued at the end of 2020, at the same time that a lifestyle-orientated 'Active' variant was introduced at the top of the range. The EcoSport was sold until early 2024, when it left the range and wasn't replaced.

What You Getword count: 353

This updated EcoSport certainly looked a lot better. What was previously a cutesy and cartoonish shape became a far more mature and purposeful thing, featuring a front three-quarter profile that Ford says was inspired by rucksack straps. It was all supposed to reflect what the brand liked to see as this EcoSport's 'adventurous character'. The biggest changes featured at the front end, where the rather awkward 'basking shark'-style nose of the original model was replaced by a sleeker trapezoidal grille that gave the car far more of a family resemblance to Ford's larger Kuga and Edge SUV models. Plus, above entry-level trim, Ford fitted the roof rails that by 2018 were an almost obligatory feature on a model in this segment. Talking of trends, here Ford got with the one that saw buyers in this sector wanting to order their small SUVs with contrast-coloured roofs, this being an option with the mid-range trim level and a standard feature on the top 'ST-Line' variant that also featured a full body kit. Behind the wheel, the completely re-designed cabin was very different from the down-market interior provided by earlier versions of this model. Fit, finish and trimming was of a much higher standard, as was the infotainment provision, upgraded to the 'SYNC 3' status introduced by the seventh generation Fiesta. On most variants, this is accessed by a large 8-inch centre-dash screen which features navigation, 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smart-phone mirroring and could include an optional 'B&O PLAY' 10-speaker audio system. On to rear seat space. Getting in isn't especially easy as the door aperture is quite narrow, but once inside, you'll find the back of an EcoSport a surprisingly pleasant place to be thanks not only to the high, airy roofline but also to the fact that the rear seats are set slightly above those in the front for a better view out. And luggage space? Well the side-hinged tailgate can make boot access rather awkward, particularly if you're backed close to a wall. Inside, an unremarkable 356-litre trunk capacity is on offer. If you push forward the 60:40-split rear backrest, it's extendable to 1,238-litres.

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