Home›Ford›EcoSport›2021

Ford · Compact SUV

2021 Ford EcoSport

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11

Safety Signal

81 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns3

Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA258

Crash ratingNHTSA overall4★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA28 mpg

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

The 2021 Ford EcoSport is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the EcoSport FWD, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 258 complaints, most often about the engine and engine cooling. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
EcoSport FWD	Gas	FWD	1.0L 3-cyl turbo	27	29	28	$2,250
EcoSport AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl	23	29	25	$2,500

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43157, 43160.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database

○minor

Back Over Prevention

25S72

200,237 vehicles

ProblemFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.RiskA rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.FixDealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

NHTSA campaign 25V442000reported Jun 27, 2025Ford Motor Company

▲high

Power Train

25S12

18,648 vehicles

ProblemFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 EcoSport vehicles. The front axle half shafts may disconnect from the transmission, which can result in a loss of drive power.RiskA loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. In addition, a disconnected half shaft can result in a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.FixDealers will inspect and replace the half shafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S12.

NHTSA campaign 25V126000reported Feb 28, 2025Ford Motor Company

▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

23S64

139,730 vehicles

ProblemFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.RiskA loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. For

NHTSA campaign 23V905000reported Dec 22, 2023Ford Motor Company

NHTSA defect investigations

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Oil/Lubrication:Pump — Oil Pump Failure closed

On September 20, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-015 to investigate instances of engine failure due to loss of oil pressure in model year (MY) 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport vehicles. Some consumers reported a low engine oil pressure warning lamp immediately preceding a complete loss or reduction of motive power while the vehicle was in motion. The investigation revealed that the engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine seizure, which can result in a loss of motiv

Opened Sep 20, 2023 · closed Feb 14, 2024 · action PE23015

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

258complaints filed

6 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 3 injuries · 2 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2021: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 23 · 2024: 97 · 2025: 100 · 2026: 34

Most-cited components

Engine And Engine Cooling134

Engine85

Power Train50

Electrical System23

Unspecified21

Fuel/Propulsion System13

What owners describe

“Check engine light came on at 24k miles. Alert on Ford Pass app said the engine wasn't heating up to operating temperature fast enough. Had a second Alert come up the next time I drove the car saying there was an electrical issue in the vehicle causing anti lock breaks and other important driver assistance features to …”Dec 7, 2023 · Electrical System · NHTSA owner report

“The contact owns a 2021 Ford Eco Sport. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle lost motive power and hesitated while accelerating. The low oil pressure, Wrench, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer …”Nov 17, 2023 · Engine And Engine Cooling · NHTSA owner report

“I was driving my Ecosport when suddenly we heard a ding and a warning came on stating â€œlow engine oil pressureâ€�. We pulled over immediately, was advised by our dealer to not drive it. Our vehicle was towed to a dealership as we were out of state and got a call two days after stating our engine needed to be replaced…”Nov 9, 2023 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	19%
SUV FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	20%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Other EcoSport model years

2022 Ford EcoSport

2 recalls · 10 complaints

2020 Ford EcoSport

3 recalls · 394 complaints

2019 Ford EcoSport

2 recalls · 459 complaints

2018 Ford EcoSport

2 recalls · 726 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

JSON for this page · API