2018 Ford EcoSport

The 2018 Ford EcoSport SE trim does make a lot of sense, but there will be a lot of customers who will get the Convenience Package, and hence we recommend the SES trim. It gets all features of the SE+ Convenience package, has a better suspension setup, a lot of interior features, and is not very expensive as well at $26,880. 

The EcoSport feels like a bona fide SUV, not a jacked-up hatchback like some of its rivals, and Ford offers a first-rate multimedia system to boot- Cars.com

The 2018 Ford EcoSport features are spread across four different trim levels: S, SE, SES, and Titanium. With a starting msrp of $19,995 that goes up to $27,330 for the loaded top trim, the EcoSport has something for everyone The SES trim stands out from the other three trims, due to its sporty cosmetics. All trims except the SES come with FWD as standard, and get AWD as optional for a premium of $1,500. The 2018 EcoSport S offers features like quad-beam reflector headlamps, cloth upholstery, a 4.2-inch color LCD screen, USB ports, and Bluetooth. 

The 2019 EcoSport SE trim adds a bit more functional features and additions to the car in the form of a bigger 6.5-inch touch screen, heated front row seats, fog lamps, reverse sensing system, power moonroof, and automatic climate control. Lastly, both the Titanium and SES trims share similar features such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, leather-trimmed seats, an 8-inch touch screen system, and a 10-speaker stereo system. Ford offers Mykey feature for safe driving as standard on all trims.

Ford also offers optional packages like Cargo Management Package, adding cargo net and cargo organizer for all the trims. The Cold Weather Package ($500) is optional on all the trims except the base S trim and adds heated steering wheel, windshield wiper de-icer, and heated side view mirrors on the SE and SES trims. The SE Protection Package ($1,795) is optional on the EcoSport SE trim, adding 150W power outlet, ambient lighting, SYNC 3 with 8-inch color touchscreen with voice-activated navigation system, 7-speakers and blind-spot monitoring system with cross-traffic alert. The Interior Protection Package includes cargo mat, and front and rear floor liners. 

EPA-estimated combined mileage for the EcoSport is 28 mpg with FWD and 25 mpg with AWD. That trails most major competitors- Cars.com

The 2018 EcoSport mpg ratings with the 1.0L I-3 engine and FWD are 27 mpg in the city, 29 mpg in highway and 28 mpg in combined. With the 2.0L AWD setup, this gas mileage drops to 23 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined. The gas tank size of the 2018 EcoSport stands at 13.6 gallons. This gives the 1.0L EcoSport a range of 367.2 miles in the city, 394.4 miles on the highway and 380.8 miles in combined driving conditions.

The Mazda CX-3 is the most economical car with a mileage of 31 mpg combined, precisely 3 mpg more than the EcoSport. The other three offer the same combined mileage. The Chevrolet Trax and the Homda HR-V have the most highway mileage, whereas the EcoSport has the most city mileage at 27 mpg. The most city range of 368.3 miles is offered by the Mazda CX-3. despite having the smallest fuel tank. The most highway range is offered by the Chevrolet Trax at 462 miles.

"The EcoSport can fir four adults in comfort, but cargo space is slim and interior quallity is low." -TheCarConnection

The Ford EcoSport 2018 interior is not the most well-made in this class, and there are a lot of bits that won't appeal to the customer in this solid interior. The interior fit and finish levels are not up to the mark, a sign of cost-cutting; and the hard plastic surfaces also feel cheap and inferior. There are no panel gaps, but there are sounds from around the cabin. The higher trims are better finished, with the leather upholstery and the different trim finishes doing their work to feel and look attractive. The cloth upholstery is offered in Medium Stone, Unique Medium Stone and Ebony Black colors. The leather upholstery is offered in Ebony with Orange Accents, Medium Light Stone and Ebony Black Leather. 

Inside, the EcoSport can seat up to five passengers. The front seats are nice, with sufficient cushioning, decent bolstering and back support is on point. In the rear, the seats are flat and have enough space to fit tall passengers comfortably. These seats have decent comfort and good levels of support as well. The tall height of the EcoSport offers a good view of the world outside, but the thick front and rear pillars and a narrow rear window obstruct a complete view. Getting in and out of the EcoSPort is also very easy, thanks to the not-too-taller step-up height. The 2018 Ford EcoSport cargo space is 20.9 cu-ft and can be extended to 50.0 cu-ft. 

The Mazda CX-3 has the least interior volume, whereas the Honda HR-V's interior is massive. The HR-V benefits from a longer wheelbase that gives it a roomy interior. In the front, the Chevy Trax has the most headroom, whereas the EcoSport has the most legroom. In the rear, the Trax again has the most headroom, whereas the HR-V has the most legroom. The Mazda CX-3's rear legroom is the tightest and comes with least trunk volume. The Honda HR-V offers the maximum cargo space, about 3.4 cu-ft more than the EcoSport. 

The 2018 Ford EcoSport comes with a basic Sync infotainment system on the base trim. Higher trim levels get the Sync 3 infotainment system. This system is quite fast to inputs, with no lag of any sort. The interface is quite fluid and simple, with an easy-to-understand system, and navigating through the menu is an easy task. The base model gets a 4.2-inch display, whereas the SE trim gets a 6.5-inch touchscreen.The higher trims get an 8-inch touchscreen that is brisk and quite large in a car like the EcoSport. Standard features on all trims include AM/FM stereo, two USB ports, an antenna, auxiliary audio input, and a six-speaker audio system.

Some of the key interior features on the 2018 EcoSport are:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Keyless entry and ignition
• Six-way power-adjustable driver seat
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• HD Radio
• SYNC 3 interface
• Ten-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system

"Glance at the side of the EcoSport and one is reminded of Ronald Reagan's sole memorable movie line,  from King's Row: 'Where's the rest of me?'" - The Car Connection

The 2018 Ford EcoSport's exterior takes a few design cues from the Ford Escape and the Ford Fiesta, although heavily from the Fiesta. The wheelbase is the same as the Fiesta's. The 2018 Ford EcoSport dimensions give it a SUV-type exterior design. The front end is quite proportional, but the rear of the car ends abruptly just behind the wheel. At the front, a grille design seen on other Ford cars is found on the EcoSport, and the sharp oval headlamps with big fog lamps and a wide bumper give the EcoSport a bigger look than what it actually is. An upswept beltline and a sharp thick line that runs from just above the front wheel to the rear give the side some detailing.

The alloy wheels look pretty, and very well proportional to the car's dimension. The rear is simple, with big taillights and the Ford lettering in the middle. The most attractive part of this car is the side-opening cargo door. It is something different in this class, but it can be quite troublesome in tight spaces. There is an option of adding the spare wheel to the tailgate, as it gives the EcoSport a more rugged SUV look. The SES trim gets 17-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, and black exterior styling elements, which gives the EcoSport a sporty look. The 2018 EcoSport colors like Black, Smoke, Race Red, Lightning Blue, Ruby Red, Moondust Silver, Canyon Ridge and Diamond White make it stand out.

The EcoSport is the heaviest car in this comparison, followed by Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3 and Chevy Trax. The Honda HR-V has the most length, whereas the Chevrolet Trax is the widest. The Chevrolet Trax is the tallest car in this lot, whereas the HR-V has the most ground clearance. The Honda HR-V again has the longest wheelbase. Overall, the 2018 Ford EcoSport dimensions make it a smaller SUV in the comparison. 

Some of the key exterior features on the 2018 Ford EcoSport are:

• Roof Rails
• Sunroof
• Alloy wheels
• Foglights
• Heated side mirrors
• Automatic headlamps

The 2018 Ford EcoSport has received top ratings from the NHTSA, with an overall rating of four stars. The car got a rollover rating of 4-stars as well, with a rollover risk of 19.10%. The IIHS rated the EcoSport with an overall rating of 'Good'. The EcoSport is based on the Ford Global B-car platform, made for subcompact SUVs in a joint partnership between Ford and Mazda. As standard, all EcoSports come equipped with airbags, engine immobilizer, stability control, Post-Collision safety system, and ABS.

Some of the key safety features of the 2018 Ford EcoSport are: 

• Reverse Parking Sensors
• Blindspot Monitoring system
• Rearview camera
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Front Seat-Belt Pretensioners
• Hill Start Assist Control (HAC)

2018 Ford EcoSport vs 2018 Chevrolet Trax

The 2018 Chevrolet Trax is the closest competitor to the Ford EcoSport. The Trax has had a good response, with buyers having a positive response towards its easy pricing and small dimensions. Both the Trax and the EcoSport are similar in two ways: these are not fast cars but are reasonably efficient. It gets a 1.4L turbocharged engine, and makes a little more power than the EcoSport. The Trax also has better performance than the base EcoSport, with a higher top speed as well. It also stops earlier than the EcoSport. Both the cars have the same combined fuel economy, but the EcoSpoort is more efficient in the city, whereas the Trax, on the highway. Coming to handling, both the cars have similar handling but we prefer the Trax.

On the inside, the EcoSport has more front and rear legroom on offer, whereas the Trax's interior is wider and more stylish. The cargo space on the Trax is less than the EcoSPort's. In terms of dimensions, the EcoSport is easier to maneuver and has a higher ground clearance. The Trax's exterior is more appealing, and the longer wheelbase gives a smoother ride quality. The Trax has better safety ratings and also gets more advanced safety features on higher trim levels. The Trax is around $1,100 more than the  EcoSport, in terms of pricing. However, the Trax is a better car to buy, overall. 

2018 Ford EcoSport vs 2018 Mazda CX-3

The 2018 Mazda CX-3 is the better option than the EcoSport in many ways. First off, the CX-3 has a larger engine, with more output than the EcoSport, and this engine is more refined as well. The CX-3 also has better performance run times than the Ford EcoSport. All this performance is then matched with a strong braking setup that helps the CX-3 to stop quicker than the EcoSport. In terms of driving dynamics, the CX-3 has sporty handling, precise steering control, and great stability due to its equal weight distribution. The CX-3 also has a superior fuel economy and a slightly longer range.

The towing capacity is more on the CX-3. The interior on the EcoSport is better in the higher trims, whereas the CX-3's interior has better fit and finish levels throughout. Where the EcoSport excels is the infotainment system, which is easier to use and more fluid as well. The EcoSport also has more cargo capacity on offer. The Mazda CX-3, however, benefits with better safety ratings and a more advanced safety package. At a price of $20,110, the CX-3 is expensive compared to the EcoSport, but a better package overall.

The Ford EcoSport is a part of the global cars sold by Ford and now enters the North American market in this 2018 avatar. The EcoSport gets two low-powered engine options, and it does not have excellent handling nor does it offer strong braking performance. The fuel efficiency on the EcoSport is not the best in this class, and its interiors do not offer the quality levels the competition does. The EcoSport however, does get a roomy front and rear legroom, with above-average cargo capacity on offer. The EcoSport also lacks the necessary safety features, making the rivals much better options than the EcoSport.