Ford EcoSport - Is it worth the price?

Ford EcoSport is one of the hottest selling vehicles of Ford Philippines. Since its introduction back in 2014, This subcompact SUV has made quite a following and even boosted the subcompact crossover segment in the country. 

The current Ford EcoSport models are powered by either a 1.5-liter Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (TiVCT) engine that can deliver a maximum 123 PS of power at 6,000 rpm and 150 Nm of peak torque at 4,500 rpm and a1.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged engine with direct fuel-injection technology and camshaft timing that produces a maximum output of 125 PS at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 170 Nm at 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. The 1.5 L petrol engine is mated to either a 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. The 1 L EcoBoost engine, on the other hand, gets a 6-speed automatic transmission.

In terms of size, the Ford EcoSport is 4,325 mm long, 1,765 mm wide (not including side mirrors), and 1,640 mm in height for the Ambiente and Trend while the Titanium variant is taller at 1,656 mm. This Ford crossover has a wheelbase of 2,519 mm and a ground clearance of 209 mm. 

Here is a look at the Ford EcoSport price in the Philippines:

Variant	Price
1.5 L Ambiente MT	Php 920,000
1.5 L Trend MT	Php 970,000
1.5 L Trend AT	Php 1.03 million
1.5 L Titanium AT	Php 1.1 million
1.0 L EcoBoost Titanium AT	Php 1.19 million

The EcoSport is not something that you’d expect from Ford. After all, Ford is known to make vehicles that, let’s just say, not in the ‘compact’ category. But as demand changes and the market wants more fuel-efficient vehicles, Ford has started offering midsize and compact vehicles in various car segments. So is the EcoSport worth its price tag? 

To answer that, we have to look into the competition. Some of the popular rivals of the EcoSport in the subcompact crossover segment are the Suzuki Vitara, Mazda CX-3, Nissan Juke, Honda HR-V, and Subaru XV. Relatively new players that are worth mentioning also are the Geely Coolray and SsangYong Tivoli Premium Sport.

Vehicle	Price
Suzuki Vitara	Php 913,000 – Php 1.148 million
Mazda CX-3	Php 1.3 million
Nissan Juke	Php 1.021 – Php 1.239 million
Honda HR-V	Php 1.295 – Php 1.508 million
Subaru XV	Php 1.418 – Php 1.668 million
Geely Coolray	Php 978,000 – Php 1.198 million
SsangYong Tivoli Premium Sport	Php 1.08 – Php 1.16 million

Solely by looking at the price, the Ford EcoSport does have a competitive price range compared to its rivals. In fact, the base model EcoSport Ambiente MT is on the more affordable side together with the Suzuki Vitara. The Titanium also fares well with other top-of-the-line offerings of competitors as well which is a far cry on the price point of the Honda HR-V and Subaru XV.

Engine and Transmission

In terms of performance, Ford is known to build robust and quality vehicles that provide brilliant driving dynamics. The EcoSport vetted out Vitara’s 115 PS, Juke’s 114 PS but is a far cry from the other competitor’s output that plays around the range of 128 PS to 154 PS, especially on Coolray’s 175 PS. The fuel efficiency of Ford’s crossover is also at par with the competition which registers a 7.1 kmpl on city driving and 17.2 kmpl when driving on a highway.

Design & Comfort

Though appreciation of the exterior design can be very relative—like the dated exterior look of the Ssangyong Tivoli or the not so SUV-ish exterior of the CX-3, interior cabin space and comfort is something that can easily be gauged. In terms of size, EcoSport is more beefy and spacious compared to the Vitara, Juke, CX-3, and Tivoli.

The Honda HR-V at 4,335 mm in length and 1,772 mm in width is longer by 10 mm and wider by 7 mm but is shorter by 11 mm. This is the same with the Subaru XV which is longer by 140 mm and wider by 35 mm but is shorter by 41 mm; and with a ground clearance of 220 mm, it sacrifices the headroom that can make any car feel cramped. The same story goes with the Coolray and Tivoli. However, some do complain that the back row on the EcoSport does not have ample leg space to give way for more cargo space—which is a common complaint about most crossovers. 

In terms of the infotainment system, the entry-level Ford crossover already comes with a 9-inch touchscreen display while the top-of-the-line variant comes with all the bells and whistles like an 8-inch touchscreen equipped with SYNC 3 Connectivity System with Applink which makes it compatible to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and comes with voice control. Though most of the competition have touchscreen consoles, some have limited features such as smartphone connectivity and navigation like the Honda HR-V.

Safety features

In terms of safety and passive safety and driver-assist features, the Ford EcoSport specs sheet includes usual hill start assist, hill descent control, electronic stability control, traction control system, a rearview camera, and rear park assist among others. This is a lot more features compared to the Tivoli and Mazda which feels as if their safety and driver-assist systems feel lacking for their respective price points. Except for the Geely that has an additional 360-degree camera and intelligent high beam control—which is somewhat expected given its price tag, the EcoSport is more than adequate to provide safety and security to its passengers as well as in assisting the driver in navigating the road. 

Is EcoSport worth it?

Yes. There are pricier crossovers that do not even deliver in some aspects of engine, power, performance, fuel efficiency, size, comfort, or design. But do remind yourself that besides looking at the engine specs and features of the vehicle, some other considerations and factors come into play when deciding if the car is worth its the price. There is the emotional attachment or in marketing terms, brand loyalty. Familiarity with the brand also comes into play when making the decision on which car to buy. In sum, based on the factors that can be quantified, the Ford EcoSport is definitely worth its salt.

Also read: Ford Ecosport: Hits and misses