2019 Ford EcoSport

Imported from Ford’s plant in Chennai, India, the 2019 Ford Ecosport comes with 2 Engine options and 2 drivetrains namely FWD and AWD. The Base 1.0L 3 Cylinder Turbocharged Motor belts out 123hp and 125lbs-ft of Torque, while the naturally aspirated 2.0L Motor punches out 166hp and 149lbs-ft of Torque. The 4 Trims that are being offered in the 2019 Ecosport includes the base S Trim, followed by the SE, SES and the Titanium Trim. The SES trim is the only trim that comes standard with AWD and the 2.0L Motor. All other trims can be had in either a FWD or an AWD option.

The 2019 Ford EcoSport comes in 4 trims, namely S, SE, SES and the Titanium trim. All trims other than the SES trim can be had in a FWD alteration while the SES can be only had in an AWD configuration.

Trims	S	SE	SES	Titanium
MSRP (FWD)	$19,995	$23,150	-	$26,160
MSRP (AWD)	$22,685	$25,745	$28,370	$28,705
Features	Cloth Upholstery	Adds/Upgrades to S	Adds/Upgrades to SE	Adds/Upgrades to SES
	Ford My Key	Heated Front Seats	Blind Spot Monitoring	Upper Chrome Grille
	Rearview Camera	Rear Parking Sensor	Rear Cross Traffic Alert	Manual Tilt/Telescopic Adjust Steering
	4.2” Touchscreen Infotainment system with SYNC 3 System	6.5” Touchscreen Infotainment with Android Auto, Apple Car Play, Sat. Radio	8” Touchscreen Infotainment System with Navigation, Wi-Fi Hotspot	Interior Chrome Door Release Levers
	2 USB ports	Auto Climate Control	Partial Leather Upholstery	Full Leather Upholstery
	6 Speaker Audio	Push Button Start	7 Speaker Audio	10 Speaker B&O Audio
	4 Way Manual Adjust Front Seat	6 Way Power adjust Driver Seat	Powered, Heated ORVM with Indicators	Center Floor Console with Sliding Armrest
	Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel	Auto-Dimming Rearview Mirror	Silver Painted Roof Rack Side Rails
	Fog Lamps	Power Moon roof

We Recommend

The SE Trim offers a good mix of features and performance and which is why, it is our pick.

"Still, both engines felt peppy leaving stoplights and at city speeds"  -caranddriver.com

Engine and Transmission

Ford has come up with two powertrain options for the 2019 Ford EcoSport. The first one is a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine with a front wheel drive. The engine churns out a maximum power of 123 hp @ 6000 rpm and 125 ft-lbs. @ 3500 rpm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The other engine and powertrain option on the cards is a 2.0-liter engine that comes with Ford’s intelligent 4WD system. This engine punches out a mega 166 hp @ 6500 rpm and 149 ft-lbs. @ 4500 rpm of torque.

Models	Ford EcoSport S	Honda HR-V LX	Chevrolet Trax LS	Mazda CX-3 Sport
MSRP	$22,685	$21,565	$22,195	$21,435
Engine	2.0L Ti-VCT GDI I-4 engine	1.8-liter SOHC i-VTEC I4 engine	ECOTEC 1.4L turbocharged	2.0L SKYACTIV-G DOHC 16-Valve 4-Cylinder
Transmission	6-speed automatic	6 speed Manual	6-speed Automatic	6-speed Automatic
Power	166 hp @ 6500 rpm	141 hp @ 6500 rpm	138 hp @ 4900 rpm	148 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque	149 ft-lbs. @ 4500 rpm	127 ft-lbs. @ 4300 rpm	148 lb-ft @ 1850 rpm	146 ft-lbs. @ 2800 rpm

Speaking of the competition, the Mazda CX-3 comes the closest in terms of power to the Ford but still falls short of it by some margin. The Honda and the Chevy comes in 3rd and 4th respectively and are nearly equally matched in terms of power.

Acceleration

Talking about the acceleration figures, the Ecosport manages to do the 60MPH run in 10.4 seconds and completes the quarter mile dash in just 16.5 seconds. The competition manages to beat the Ford easily by good margins and in terms of emissions as well, the Ford loses out to the others.

Models	Ford EcoSport	Honda HR-V	Chevrolet Trax	Mazda CX-3
0-60 MPH	10.4 sec	9.3 sec	9.0 sec	8.6 sec
Quarter mile	16.5 sec @ 84 mph	16.8 sec @ 80.9 mph	16.8 sec @ 80.9 mph	16.3 sec @ 83.3 mph
Engine	2.0L Ti-VCT GDI I-4	1.8-liter SOHC i-VTEC I4	ECOTEC 1.4L turbocharged	2.0L SKYACTIV-G DOHC 16-Valve 4-Cylinder
Emission Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year	7.0	6.3	6.3	5.7

The 0-60 dash is best performed by the Mazda CX-3 as it takes the least time to achieve the feat. The Chevy Trax, comes in second while the Honda HR-V rakes in the third spot. The Ford redeems itself in the quarter mile runs, as it is just the next slowest to the leader, the CX-3 while the Chevy and the Honda are tied for the 3rd spot.

Braking

While all cars in our comparison are stacked toe to toe in terms of the rotors that they have, the Ford manages to perform as well as the other cars in the segment. With a stopping distance of 125 miles from 60MPH to 0MPH, the Ford comes in 3rd in our comparison for the compact SUV’s.

Model	Ford EcoSport	Honda HR-V	Chevrolet Trax	Mazda CX-3
Brake Front(in)	11.8	11.5	11.8	11.0
Brake Rear(in)	12.2	11.1	11.0	11.1
Curb weight(lbs)	3060	2888	2805	2809
60-0 MPH (ft.)	125	127	121	117

Talking about the rivals, the Mazda CX-3 takes the top honors for the braking performance while the Chevrolet Trax, comes a close second. The Ford Ecosport manages to squeeze in the 3rd spot while the Honda HR-V comes in last.

Ride and Handling

Ford EcoSport has come up with a more reliable suspension that improves the ride quality and you can easily take your car through narrow corners. The Titanium and SES trims gets larger 17-inch wheels and the lower variants wear 16-inch wheels. The steering is also sharp than before. The effect is more linear while cornering.

The compact proportions of the Ecosport, yields it advantages while squeezing through city traffic but loses out on the ride quality. The big 16” wheels adds to the stiff ride quality as compared to the other rivals in the segment. This however gives it straight forward advantage while cornering through winding roads as the body roll is minimized while the tires grip well and not lose out on traction.

Towing Capacity

2019 Ford EcoSport offers a maximum towing capacity of 2000 lbs, which is similar to the rivals like Chevy Trax and Honda HR-V. Meanwhile, Mazda CX-3 offers the maximum towing capacity of 2645 lbs which is highest among these competitors.

Model	Ford EcoSport	Honda HR-V	Chevrolet Trax	Mazda CX-3
Weight (lbs)	2000	2000	2000	2645
Drive Train	AWD	AWD	AWD	AWD
Engine	2.0L	2.0L	1.4L	2.5L

The powertrains are very economical. The new 2019 Ford EcoSport offers an impressive fuel economy of 27 mpg in the city, 29 mpg in highway and 28 mpg in combined. The Mazda CX-3 offers better mileage figures at 29 mpg in the city, 34 mpg in the highway, and 31 mpg combined. While the Chevy Trax and Honda HR-V return common fuel economy at 25 mpg in the city, 33 mpg in the highway, and 28 mpg combined.

Model	Ford EcoSport	Honda HR-V	Chevrolet Trax	Mazda CX-3
MPG (city)	27	25	25	29
MPG (highway)	29	33	33	34
MPG (combined)	28	28	28	31

"We love the big cargo area and configurable load floor"  -kbb.com

Interior Seating and Comfort

The 2019 EcoSport interior has been designed with versatility, offering 30 cubbies, storage bins, and hooks throughout the cabin. The second-row seats can be folded in case you need more cargo space for storing large items. On the other hand, the SES trim features some special interior fitments, with unique copper colored trim pieces and sport seats.

Model	Ford EcoSport	Honda HR-V	Chevrolet Trax	Mazda CX-3
Passenger capacity	5	5	5	5
Passenger Volume(ft cube)	91.1	100.1	93.0	86.3
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	36.6/53.3/42.9	39.5/56.8/41.2	39.6/54.1/40.8	37.6/53.5/41.7
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.5/55.1/38.2	38.3/54.5/39.3	38.8/52.8/35.7	37.2/50.4/35

Once you enter into the 2019 EcoSport, you’ll notice a floating display panel comprising of 8-inch touchscreen that engages Ford’s latest Sync 3 multimedia system. This feature is standard on the Titanium and SES models. The lower trims get either a 4-inch or 6-inch screen mounted on the center console with Sync3 as an option. Ford has also offered Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along the way. The B&O Play is standard on Titanium model, a 675-watt premium audio system, including 10 speakers and a subwoofer.

Infotainment

Ford offers one of the best Infotainment system in the segment courtesy of the SYNC 3 unit on the Ecosport. Different trims get different touchscreen sizes and the Sync 3 interface is available from the 3rd trim onwards. The other features include

• Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility
• 2 USB ports and one 12-volt outlet in the front
• 675-watt B&O Play audio system with 10 speakers
• 8” Touchscreen System with Navigation
• Ford Pass connect
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot
• Sirius XM satellite radio

Cargo Space

Even in the subcompact attire, Ford EcoSport generous cargo space. Honda HR-V is among the segment’s spacious entries, the Mazda CX-3 is the smallest, and the Ford EcoSport falls closer alongside the Chevy Trax.

Model	Ford EcoSport	Honda HR-V	Chevrolet Trax	Mazda CX-3
Behind Second Row(cube ft.)	20.9	24.3	18.7	12.4

The EcoSport wears hatchback duds and lifts them to almost cartoonish SUV heights-Thecarconnection.com

Design and Dimensions

The 2019 Ford EcoSport has been revised thoroughly as the latest upmarket model. The front grille has been moved up, looks bolder than before. Ford’s iconic blue oval is located in the center now. The headlamp unit comprises of projector beams and redesigned LED daytime running lights. The big and round fog lamps now ass more visual mass. Overall, the new EcoSport gets a more SUV-esque stance.

Model	Ford EcoSport	Honda HR-V	Chevrolet Trax	Mazda CX-3
curb weight(lbs)	3060	2888	2805	2809
Length(in)	161.3	169.1	167.2	168.3
Width(in)	69.5	69.8	69.9	60
Height(in)	64.8	63.2	64.9	60.7
Ground clearance(in)	7.0	7.1	6.2	6.2
Wheel base(in)	99.2	102.8	100.6	101.2
Track width(in) F/R	60/60	60.4/60.6	60.6/60.6	60/59.9

Moving to the rear, you will notice spare wheels still mounted on the tailgate. Ford believes that consumers like the placement of spare wheel on the rear gate as it adds to the sporty SUV-like appeal. You can say that there is no much change in the rear part and the rear looks very similar to the old model.

The EcoSport comes with wheels made up of complete Aluminum that provide ultimate traction along narrow corners. The upper trims also offer 18-inch wheels that are good for highway driving. Even Mazda CX-3 offer bigger and better wheels, giving tough competition to the EcoSport.

Exterior Features

• Halogen Quad-Beam Projector Headlights with LED Signature Lighting
• Rain-Sensing Wipers
• Fog Lights
• Black/ Silver Roof Rails
• Heated and Powered Exterior ORVM’s
• Chrome grill

As an improvement over last year, the 2019 Ecosport comes with a lot more features as compared to the 2018 version. The competition offers a bit more standard safety features and we expect Ford to follow the same lines. The IIHS and the NHTSA are yet to test the Ecosport for safety ratings but for now, here are the safety features that come standard with the Ecosport

• Driver and Front Passenger Airbags
• Driver and Front Passenger Knee Airbags
• Front and Second Row side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Emergency brake assist system
• LATCH in rear seats
• Tire Pressure Monitoring system
• Remote Keyless Entry with Ford MyKey

Ford Ecosport vs. Honda HR-V

It all depends on your own personal preference when it comes choosing between the 2019 Ford Ecosport and the 2019 Honda HR-V. The Honda leads the pack when it comes to offering the most space on the inside for passengers and also beats the Ecosport in terms of the MPG figures. The Ecosport on the other hand is technologically far more superior, when compared to the Honda and offers a far better performance. So if you want a family hauler, the Honda should be your choice. For everything else, it’s the Ecosport.

Ford Ecosport vs. Chevrolet Trax

The Chevy Trax comes out on top in this head-to-head comparison with the Ford EcoSport. Though it may be costlier than the EcoSport, but it justifies its ratings through the more spacious interior, high-tech features, and better power output. The Ecosport is not that bad though. It looks sportier than the Trax and has a far better infotainment system than the Chevy. However, both these vehicles share too many similarities, but EcoSport adds some little extra touches that make the driving experience more dynamic and enjoyable.

Ford Ecosport vs. Mazda CX-3

The Mazda CX-3, has been one of the most popular cars in the segment, courtesy of its powerful and fuel efficient motor, coupled with superb driving dynamics. The CX-3 manages to offer a higher sense of space on the inside when compared to the Ecosport and beats it hands down, when it comes to performance. The Ford on the other hand offers a far superior experience on the infotainment front and feels a lot more upmarket, in terms of the design.

Riding on the Success of the Ecosport in the developing markets, Ford decided to bring in the same to the US to replicate the same. The Ecosport rides on its compact proportions that makes it easier to live with in the cities, superb infotainment system and a low price tag. The Ecosport does compromise on the quality of the interiors but in terms of the space, it is at par and better than some of its rivals. In terms of look as well, the Ecosport feels like a Big SUV rather than a compact one. So, if you are in the market to not shell out a lot of money for a Vehicle that can take you off-road, has a superb infotainment system and sporty ride, the Ford Ecosport is the one to go for.