EcoSport Car Leasing & Contract Hire

Ford Ecosport Review 2021

The Ford EcoSport is a small, high-riding SUV with agile handling, making it a pleasure to drive. Although the EcoSport isn't the most practical SUV on the market, its plush interior and extremely comfortable ride quality make it an excellent lease choice for young professionals and older drivers alike. 

Rivals to the Ford Ecosport include the Citroen C3 Aircross, Peugeot 2008, SEAT Arona, Hyundai Kona, and Renault Captur. 

Our Ford Ecosport Review covers:

• Key Features
• Design, Practicality and Boot Space
• Interior and Trims
• Power and Performance
• Leasing vs Buying

Ford Ecosport Key Features

• Chunky exterior SUV style 
• Minimalist looking interior with easy-to-use infotainment system
• 356-litre boot, which expands to 1,238 litres with rear seats down
• Choice of two engines, either the 1.0L EcoBoost petrol or the 1.5L EcoBlue diesel
• Three trim levels, including Titanium, ST-Line and Active

Design, Practicality and Boot Space

The Ford Ecosport received a comprehensive update in 2018 with changes to its exterior design. The Ecosport's tall, boxy proportions give it a chunkier SUV stance, putting it closer to the SEAT Arona and Peugeot 2008 in terms of style. The ST-Line model also adds a lowered sports suspension, a blacked-out grille, side skirts and a rear spoiler for a more striking appearance on the road. 

As Ford's smallest SUV, the Ecosport is not the most practical SUV. The cabin space inside is average for its class, which doesn't leave much room in the back for tall passengers as legroom is particularly tight. The likes of the Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur offer more space for passengers. 

At the rear, the Ford Ecosport has a boot that can hold up to 356 litres, expanding to 1,238 litres with rear seats folded down. The seats can be split 60:40 and fold forward to make room for taller objects. The Ecosport's boot isn't the most cavernous in class, with the Renault Captur offering another 100 litres more than the Ford.

Interior and Trims

Inside the EcoSport is a minimalist looking interior with the latest infotainment system. The top half of the EcoSport's dashboard consists of soft, expensive-feeling plastics that are much better than the hard materials used in the Hyundai Kona and Citroen C3 Aircross. However, the rest of the interior has the same hard plastics that you'll find in those cars. 

All models come with an eight-inch infotainment system screen with crisp, clear graphics, which is easy to navigate, with intuitive 'pinch' and 'swipe' hand gestures you use when using a smartphone.

Three trim levels are available, including the Titanium model, which comes with partial leather seat trim, automatic temperature control, cruise control, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, rearview camera and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start button. You also get automatic headlights with an auto-dimming rearview mirror and 17-inch 10-spoke Flash Grey machined alloy wheels.

The ST-Line model adds a sporty look thanks to a lowered sports suspension, blacked-out grille, a rear spoiler and side skirts. Inside, you get suede-effect trim, a sporty, flat-bottomed steering wheel and lots of racy-red stitching. You also get ambient lighting with a choice of seven colours and 17-inch 5-spoke Dark Tarnish alloy wheels. 

The Active model is designed for everyday adventures and has a more off-road look. The chunky styling is amped up even further by the black trim inserts and bodywork cladding, which gives it a rugged design. The Active model has similar equipment levels as the Titanium model, though this spec brings privacy glass and an exclusive 17-inch alloy wheel design.

Power and Performance

The Ford EcoSport comes with the award-winning 1.0L Ford EcoBoost petrol engine or the 1.5L Ford EcoBlue diesel engine. You can select from a range of power outputs of 100bhp, 125bhp or 140bhp. However, the 1.0 petrol EcoBoost 140bhp version is only available with the sportier ST-Line models. 

On the road, you'll find the Ford EcoSport is nimble in corners which is excellent for a car in its class. Its heavy steering allows you to feel the car grip around bends, and there's hardly any body roll to put you accelerating quickly. 

All of the Ford EcoSport's engines focus on fuel economy rather than speed, with the most popular choice being the 1.0-litre 125hp petrol as it's cheap to buy and reasonably nippy in town. The EcoSport's easy-changing gearbox and decent driving view also help you drive smoothly around town and is pretty quiet on the motorway as well. 

Leasing vs Buying

Prices for the new Ford EcoSport start from £21,500.00 OTR* or to lease from £199.27 per month.

Want to know more about leasing a Ford EcoSport? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the largest car leasing companies in the United Kingdom. All of our leasing agreements include the manufacturer's guarantee, road tax for the duration of the lease, breakdown coverage, and free mainland UK delivery (exclusions apply).

What's more, leasing a Ford EcoSport could be less expensive than buying outright with a bank loan or dealer finance thanks to fixed monthly rentals, a low initial outlay, and adjustable mileage and contract lengths.

*'On the road' price is correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change. Always check with your nearest retailer.