Ford Ecosport review

Much like the ocean washes away the imperfections on a pebble over time, a number of updates and revisions have been made to the Ford Ecosport over the years since it first arrived in the UK way back in 2014, the aim being to keep it competitive in a burgeoning small SUV market.

The analogy of smoothing rough edges is apt here. Early incarnations of Ford’s smallest SUV had far too many shortcomings – a low-rent interior, limited infotainment technology and a cumbersome side-hinged tailgate – to be recommended in the same breath as rivals that include the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur. 

At a glance, it gets the fundamentals right. Its chunky looks give off all the right SUV vibes, and you can see that it’ll lift you nice and high off the ground. What’s more, the Ecosport is based on the Ford Fiesta, and that’s a pretty solid foundation to build upon, plus its choice of two turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol engines, with 123bhp and 138bhp, compares well with the equivalents offered by the likes of the Kia Stonic and Hyundai Kona. 

But, under pressure from fine-handling rivals as the Suzuki Vitara and Seat Arona, the latest version needs to be a pleasure to drive and the previous model fell short of Ford's usually high standards. The Ecosport certainly can’t afford to be embarrassed by its bigger brother, the Ford Puma, our small SUV of the year for 2021 – especially when that model isn’t hugely more expensive.  

In this review, we'll look at if the latest Ecosport has come on far enough to be worth considering in a field of extremely talented rivals. And, if the contender with the Blue Oval badge does take your fancy, don’t forget that our New Car Buying service is at hand for a great deal without the hassle of haggling.