The 2021 Ford EcoSport Trend Is A Practical Small SUV For Families

Recently I had a driving experience testing anew the 2021 Ford Ecosport Trend around the Cavite suburbs traversing some of the favorite places where my daughter frequented as a young junior golfer prior to activity restrictions caused by the pandemic.

The 2021 Ford EcoSport Trend we have here is painted in the shade of Ruby Red. With a suggested retail price of P998,000, the EcoSport Trend we have here is powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that produces 123 hp and 150 Nm of torque and is mated to a 6-speed automatic. The naturally-aspirated engine is good enough for a daily driver like me bringing a young wifey to the nearby Alabang Office and driving our kids to the places they need to go. Even when fully-loaded with the entire family, the EcoSport never broke a sweat. 

At this point, everyone is now familiar with the EcoSport’s looks. Receiving a refresh in 2019, the EcoSport Trend gets a sharper and sportier front end, which is flanked by a pair of halogen headlights with manual leveling and foglights. Its side profile has remained relatively unchanged ever since this model first came out in 2014, though for 2019, the Trend variant also got a new set of 17-inch alloy wheels. The rear remained relatively unchanged as well, which means it still has a rear-mounted spare tire and a tailgate that opens sideways instead of upwards. This could be a problem if there isn’t enough space from the rear. The EcoSport’s tailgate protrudes so far back, its combined length with the hatch opened is more than a Ford Everest’s.

The one thing that I truly like about the EcoSport is its 209 mm of ground clearance. If you are familiar with most villages in Cavite, the roads can be quite unfriendly. The EcoSport easily conquers broken speed bumps and imperfect roads with ease. In addition, women also appreciate the EcoSport’s dimensions. Since it isn’t as tall as something like a Ford Everest, there’s no need for a step board, making it easy for women or older folks to get in the vehicle. Measuring at 4,325 mm long, 1,765 mm wide, and 1,656 mm tall, this subcompact crossover SUV is shorter than a sedan and is lower than a number of other small crossovers. Living in the area where most houses are designed for small upstart families that has a small parking garage, the EcoSport’s size is a perfect fit.

As a mid-level variant, the 2021 Ford EcoSport Trend comes with useful features such as a cooled glove-box, a 9-inch touch screen infotainment system, manual AC, follow-me-home headlight function that keeps the headlights on for a few second after turning the vehicle off, and speed-sensing door locks. Unfortunately, the infotainment system does not have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, unlike the 8-inch SYNC3 infotainment system found in the Titanium variant, though the amount of tech features the Trend variant is still generous. 

For a family of 5, with us the parents seating in front with my eldest weighing around 200 lbs, my youngest at 150 lbs, and my middle-child who is skinny at 100 lbs, the EcoSport provides just enough room to avoid any form of sibling rivalries. The rear seats also have ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the two outboard rear seats.

In addition, the EcoSport’s trunk space is big enough to carry a loadful of bags including a full-set golf clubs with rear-seats that can be folded 60/40 in case you decide to buy a washing machine or a gas range from malls nearby.

Ford’s entire lineup is known to be generously equipped with electronic safety and driver aids, and the Ford EcoSport is just as reassuring for a father like me. As standard, you get dual airbags, 3-pt seatbelts on all seats, ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System) with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution), ESP (Electronic Stability Program), Hill Decent Control, Hill Start Assist, Rear Parking Assist, Rear View Camera and Traction Control. 

For the entire duration that the 2021 Ford EcoSport Trend was with me, it made family life more enjoyable and pleasurable. The high ground clearance and compact dimensions aren’t just family-friendly, but it’s also appropriately sized for out-of-town adventures. The Ford EcoSport still manages to be an excellent small SUV for a family of five like us, even more so to smaller and younger families looking for a tall but compact city slicker.