Car Comparison: Ford EcoSport vs. two of its competitors

By Martin Pretorius

It was only recently that the traditional sedan and hatchback started losing their decades-old dominance in the marketplace. This existential thread came from an unexpected source: high-riding hatchback/estate/SUV hybrids, which at first showed at least some off-road ability, but has dropped any pretence in this regard over the years. In reality, a compact SUV crossover is really just a small hatchback with a raised roof and some plastic body cladding, and yet the buyers cannot get enough of these faux-4x4s. Let's take a look at one of the most popular ones on our roads (the Ford EcoSport 1.0T Trend) and compare it to two of its opponents around the same price point. One is also a popular choice (the Renault Duster in Dynamique spec), and the other is a newcomer from the far East, looking to make inroads into this segment (the Haval H2 1.5T Luxury).

	Ford EcoSport 1.0T Trend	Renault Duster 1.6 Dynamique	Haval H2 1.5T Luxury
Engine size (cyl/size)	3-cyl, 1.0-litre, turbo	4-cyl, 1.6-litre	4-cyl, 1.5-litre, turbo
Power/Torque	92 kW/170 Nm	77kw/148 Nm	105 kW/202 Nm
Kerb Weight	1 262 kg	1 136 kg	1 495 kg
Length (mm)	4 010	4 315	4 335
Boot volume (litres)	362 - 705	475 - 1636	~300 - 1500
Airbag count	6	4	6
Ave Consumption *	5.7 ℓ/100 km	7.6 ℓ/100 km	8.2 ℓ/100 km
Warranty	4 yr/120 000 km	5 yr/150 000 km	5 yr/ 100 000 km
Price	R 286 400	R 266 900	R 274 900

*Manufacturer's official figures.

Analysis

While these three vehicles are conceptually similar, the differences between them are actually more significant than you might imagine. The EcoSport comes closest to the original concept of a small SUV crossover, with its short-but-tall stance and obviously raised bodyshell. It's significantly smaller than either of the others, most noticeably in length, whereas the other at first appear to be from a different size class altogether. The Haval casts the biggest shadow of this trio, and also looks the least like an SUV, rather projecting an image of a taller estate car.

Of these three contenders, the Duster comes closest to that “real off-roader” look preferred by buyers. Bulging wheelarches, obviously generous ground clearance and blocky styling projects an image of go-anywhere capability, and that's also where other Dusters leave their competition in the … erm, dust. See, the Duster is the only one in this group with available all-wheel drive, and thus equipped, it's actually surprisingly competent where the tarmac ends. The other two are front-wheel drive only, meaning that the worst conditions they'll likely be able to manage will be the dirt road to the nursery.

The EcoSport's compact dimensions also count against its overall utility space, with the smallest boot and the least utility space. The Duster is the most practical, because it combines a raised roof with extra body length to create a very usable luggage compartment whether the rear seats are in use or folded down. The Haval H2 has a surprisingly small (though still usable) boot in relation to its size, mainly on account of the full-sized spare wheel resting below the boot floor. There can be no question about this: the Renault Duster is by far the most spacious of this group.

All three of these offerings are fairly well-equipped. Safety gets off to a good start, with 4 airbags on offer in the Duster and 6 in the other two. Standard trim is reasonably comprehensive as well, with the Haval being the only one to offer automatic climate control, keyless entry, automatic wiper control, electric driver's seat adjustment and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. The other two are significantly less well-equipped, which makes the Haval H2 a winner in the standard kit contest.

The Haval also has the most potent engine, and thus the strongest performance. It's also the only one with a 6-speed gearbox. However, its portly kerb weight does count against it as far as acceleration goes, and it probably won't be that far ahead of the EcoSport in real-world driving. The Duster is the clear loser here, with the only old-tech non-turbo engine offering the least power and torque of our trio. Having to drag along that substantial body doesn't do its fuel efficiency any good either, but it's still nowhere near as thirsty as the Haval. In contrast, the EcoSport uses Ford's acclaimed 1.0T EcoBoost engine, which endows the little Ford with by far the lowest fuel consumption of the three.

And then we get to value. The Renault Duster is a lot of car for the money, and it has a certain rough-and-ready charm. The Ford is dinky and cute by comparison, but its cheeky looks and compact dimensions makes it a firm favourite with buyers. But the Haval simply wipes the floor with the other two as far as value goes. Its pricetag puts it in the middle of this grouping, but its standard specification and more potent engine puts it in the class above the other two. However, resale value is still an open question, with the Ford likely to retain most of its value in the longer term. In the end, it comes down to personal preferences: the obviously SUV-like Ford, the rugged-looking Duster or the quietly classy-looking Haval H2 will each have their own adherents, and none of those fans will be wrong. They may compete in the same class, but they're quite different. But if you're looking for a small, affordable SUV crossover, either one of these will do the job very well indeed.