Is the Ford EcoSport good for long drives?

The EcoSport remains one of SA's best-selling compact SUVs for a variety of reasons. It's cheap to run and service, parts for the EcoSport are easy to come by and inexpensive, and the EcoSport is affordable to service as well. But what's it like at road-tripping?

Ané Albertse

25 Oct 2022 · 11:35Buying a Car

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On the road for many hours at a time and in need of a comfortable, frugal compact SUV like the EcoSport? Let's first find out whether this is indeed the car you should consider.

Let's first take a look at the model lineup:

Ford EcoSpoert 1.5 Ambiente, R311 400

Ford EcoSport 1.5 TDCi Ambiente, R322 500

Ford EcoSpoert 1.5 Ambiente auto, R331 800

Ford EcoSport 1.5 Ambiente Black, R346 710 (pictured in this article)

Ford EcoSport 1.0T Trend, R358 700

Ford EcoSpoert 1.0T Trend auto, R375 300

Ford EcoSport 1.0T Active, R393 700

Ford EcoSport 1.0T Titanium, R401 600

Ford EcoSport 1.0T Titanium auto, R416 900

If you're on the road a lot for work or leisure, there is one model that stands out: The Ford EcoSport 1.5 TDCi Ambiente, with a diesel powertrain. Diesel cars just make more sense if you travel long and far and if your budget for fuel is limited. Usually, diesel models are quite pricey compared to their petrol counterparts, but the 1.5TDCi, in entry-level Ambiente trim, is an affordable R322 500 and the second cheapest on the list.

Search AutoTrader for new Ford EcoSport models.

Fuel economy

The diesel EcoSport is rather economical, using only 4.6 litres of fuel per 100 km (Ford's figure), making it the ideal companion for the long road ahead. According to the manufacturer, diesel EcoSport drivers should get about 1130 from one 52-litre tank, which currently costs R1230 to fill if you live at the coast (October 2022, 50PPM). Considering how expensive diesel has become, anything over 1000 km is fantastic - even if Ford's figure is a smidge ambitious.

The other 1.5-litre petrol and 1.0-litre turbocharged models have a range of around 700 km, which isn't bad either. When we road-tripped in the 1.5-litre model, however, we found that we had to drive it quite hard to extract as much power as we could from the naturally-aspirated petrol engine, which impacted our fuel economy negatively (8 litres per 100 km!), and if you live in the city and commute mostly to work and school and back, this is more or less what you should expect.

Space and comfort

The EcoSport is a very comfortable car for road trips, whichever model you opt for, but space on the second row is limited and the boot isn't very spacious at 333 litres. The seats can be folded forward and offer a flat loading bay, if you need more space, at least. If you're travelling far with more than 1 other adult passenger, (unless they are short), things may be a little big cramped in the legroom department, but primary school children will be comfortable enough back there. The other downside to EcoSport ownership is that the rear tailgate opens to the side, so you have to be mindful of where you park.

Verdict

If you're in the market for a car you'll be using for long drives, and some of the most important requirements are low fuel consumption and low running costs, the diesel EcoSport is an excellent choice.

Search AutoTrader for used EcoSport models.

Alternatives

One of our favourite used diesel compact SUVs is the Nissan Qashqai - search AutoTrader for examples of pre-loved diesel models here.

Written by Ané Albertse

Ané was bitten by the motoring bug at a very young age. Her mom recalls her sitting in her stroller as a 3-year old, naming every car that came past. She was creating content for various publications within Media24 when AutoTrader nabbed her for good, and is one of the longest-standing members of the AutoTrader team. She prefers dirt roads to tar and SUVs/bakkies to sports cars, but her greatest passion is helping people find the perfect car for their budget, lifestyle, and personality.Read more