Ford EcoSport review

With so many Fords on every street corner in the UK, fixing your EcoSport affordably isn’t going to be a problem. It’s built on proven engines, gearboxes and components too, so reliability is assured. It’ll be cheap to run – the thirstiest model is the 123bhp 1.0 EcoBoost auto with economy and CO2 figures of 48.7mpg and 134g/km, while the most economical is the 98bhp 1.5 Duratorq TDCi returning 68.8mpg and 107g/km. Sitting in the middle is the 1.0 EcoBoost manual that’ll fetch you 54.3mpg and 119g/km whether you go for the 123bhp or 138bhp version.

The EcoSport’s biggest problem, though, is that while it offers no real USP over its competitors (other than supreme brand recognition), its pricing is high. For example the newer Citroen C3 Aircross, in top-spec Flair trim and with marginally better performance is over £2,000 less.

Ultimately the EcoSport’s nemesis could come from within, because in mid-2018 Ford will launch the Fiesta Active – a toughened up version of the new Supermini which should be priced similarly, if not a fraction lower. It’s a car that for town-dwellers will do much the same job, but with the added appeal of newness.