Congested city traffic coupled with soaring gas prices has made way for the booming of the subcompact crossover SUV segment in the past few years. The added versatility and space offered by an SUV make it even more enticing than the similarly priced sedans and hatchbacks. Being one of the first modern subcompact SUVs from the Ford stable, the EcoSport ticked all the right boxes for the family buyers who wanted a comfortable and reliable daily driver that also looks great, especially in the second-generation avatar.
With the arrival of the 2022 Ford EcoSport, which is part of the same generation of EcoSport launched back in 2012, Ford doesn't bring many upgrades from the outgoing 2021 model. The 2022 EcoSport only comes with an AWD drivetrain and a naturally aspirated inline-4 for all four trim configurations. The turbocharged three-cylinder engine has been axed and 2022 is going to mark the final year of production for the EcoSport. The starting price has been increased as well. Competing with the likes of Mazda CX-30, Hyundai Kona, and Kia Soul, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Ford EcoSport.
10 Design Feels A Bit Dated
The second generation of the Ford EcoSport received a major facelift back in 2017, which made the design more mature than in the earlier model years. However, with the rising competition and being in continuous production for quite a long time, the design of the 2022 EcoSport doesn't stand out from the rivals. The side profile presents you with an SUV that is one of the shortest in terms of length and wheelbase. It contributes to mediocre interior space as well.
The front end of the EcoSport gets the LED headlights with LED DRLs, a hexagonal grille with blacked-out insides, and impressive ground clearance, all of which add to the manliness. The clean character lines on the side and the blacked-out pillars are onboard too. However, when it comes to the features, many of it is only offered for the higher trim configurations. The rear end looks very bland in comparison to the rest of the angles.
9 Tight Rear Seat
The 2022 Ford EcoSport could seat five passengers and has a maximum cargo capacity of 20.9 cubic feet. The front row offers more than enough headroom and legroom, making it quite comfortable even for the taller folks. However, the rear seat space is underwhelming.
The 37.5" headroom and 36.7" legroom isn't going to cut out for the tall passengers on the rear seat and the under-thigh and lower back support aren't anywhere as good as with rivals such as the Mazda CX-30 and Volkswagen Taos. The higher trims come with leatherette upholstery that adds to the comfort factor. Other features such as a sunroof, automatic climate control, and heated seats are offered too.
8 Not The Most Fuel Efficient
The 2022 model of the Ford EcoSport misses out on the turbocharged three-cylinder engine and FWD drivetrain, which has led to a reduction in gas mileage when compared to the outgoing model year. The naturally aspirated inline-4 mated to the AWD drivetrain, and 6-speed automatic transmission helps the car to churn out 23 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highways.
The 25 MPG of combined gas mileage is much lower than the likes of the Hyundai Kona with 32 MPG and Mazda CX-30 with 28 MPG of combined gas mileage. The EcoSport comes with 13.8-gallons of fuel tank capacity, which helps the car do a combined range of close to 345 miles on a full tank of gas.
7 Interior Doesn't Look And Feel Very Premium
Get into the cabin of the 2022 Ford EcoSport and you are going to meet the same old design that has been doing duty for the past five years. The orange accents coupled with the sloping dashboard design and chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel do make the cabin a bit more premium than what Chevrolet has to offer.
However, the Mazda CX-30 has a perfect blend of style and sophistication in the cabin. The interior quality and overall techs that are offered as standard are also superior to the 2022 Ford EcoSport. The small infotainment screen and the dated gauge cluster display of the 2022 EcoSport lag behind the rivals, too.
6 2022 Model Gets A Few Changes
Since 2022 marks the final year of production for the Ford EcoSport, there are quite a few changes when compared to the outgoing 2021 model. The biggest change is the removal of the FWD drivetrain variants from the trim configurations and this has led to a price hike for the 2022 EcoSport.
The turbocharged three-cylinder engine is also defunct for this 2022 model year and the only engine option is the naturally aspirated inline-4. Even though the price hike of close to $1,600 is not too high, this makes it even less value for money than all the other rivals such as the Mazda CX-30, Volkswagen Taos, and Hyundai Kona.
5 Performance Could Have Been Better
The 2022 Ford EcoSport gets the 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-4 engine putting out 166 hp and 149 lb-ft of torque and comes mated to a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. The power is put down through the full-time AWD drivetrain and this subcompact crossover SUV could tow a maximum of 2,000 lbs making it one of the best in the segment.
Even though the performance numbers of the 2022 EcoSport were better than the Hyundai Kona and Chevrolet Trax, it is nowhere as fast as any of the segment rivals. The 0-60 mph comes in 10.4 seconds and the quarter-mile is done in 16.9 seconds. In comparison, the Mazda CX-30 topped the acceleration chart with a 0-60 mph time of 8.2 seconds.
4 Decent Braking Performance
Coming with the same braking hardware as the older model years of the EcoSport, there are no changes to the braking performance. The 2022 Ford EcoSport gets front and rear solid disc brakes coupled with all the other relevant braking features such as ABS with EBD, brake assist, ventilated front rotors, and hill hold control.
The 70-0 mph braking distance of 182 feet is adequate for the subcompact crossover SUV segment. However, the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona could do the same braking in just 174 feet. The Volkswagen Taos also punched out a lower 70-0 mph braking distance than the EcoSport.
3 Gets The Sync 3 Infotainment System
The coveted Sync 3 infotainment system comes as standard with the top-of-the-line Titanium trim configuration and that takes care of all the infotainment duties very well. This system gets an 8" touchscreen unit that is mounted in the center of the dashboard and comes loaded with all the relevant features such as Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, and Bluetooth.
The interface is smooth and intuitive and the 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system that comes with the Titanium trim is perfect for audiophiles. However, the lower trim configurations get a basic 4.2" infotainment system which losses out on many of the techs and features.
2 4-Star Crash Safety Rating
The 2022 Ford EcoSport managed to receive an overall crash safety rating of 4-stars in the NHTSA crash test. This crossover SUV got a 4-star rating in the frontal crash test, 5-stars in the side impact crash test, and a mediocre 3-star in the rollover crash test.
However, the 2022 Ford EcoSport hasn't been crash-tested by the IIHS yet. When it comes to the safety and driver-assistance techs, many of these are optional extras with the lower trims. This includes blind-spot monitoring, a rear cross-traffic alert system, and rear parking sensors.
1 Average Warranty Coverage
The warranty coverage of the 2022 Ford EcoSport is strictly average when compared to the Korean siblings, which makes it a less enticing purchase for family buyers. The limited warranty is covered for three years or 36,000 miles and the powertrain warranty is covered for five years or 60,000 miles. However, there is no complimentary maintenance coverage on offer.
In comparison, both the Hyundai Kona and Kia Soul come with an impressive limited warranty of five years or 60,000 miles and a powertrain warranty of 10 years or 100,000 miles. There is a 3-year complimentary maintenance coverage on offer too. Nevertheless, the 2022 Ford EcoSport received no customer complaints or recalls according to the NHTSA.