Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2020 Ford EcoSport is a small sport utility vehicle rated 25 to 28 mpg combined, with a 5-year fuel cost of $11,600 to $12,990 at U.S. average prices. Engine cooling is the part owners complain about most, with 179 of 400 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. NHTSA gives it 4 overall stars. It has 3 recall campaigns that may apply, covering backup camera, engine cooling, and air bags.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
25–28 mpgcombined; city 23–27, highway 29; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$11,600–$12,990U.S. average; Ohio $10,370–$11,610 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
Owners have filed 400 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 EcoSport. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine and engine cooling
179
0
0
0
Engine
170
0
7
3
Power train
53
0
2
0
Unknown or other
39
1
3
0
Fuel/propulsion system
24
0
3
0
Electrical system
13
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
12
0
0
0
Service brakes
11
2
0
20
Air bags
9
5
1
22
Suspension
4
1
0
1
Seat belts
3
0
0
0
Steering
3
0
0
0
12 more parts
Structure
3
1
0
1
Service brakes, hydraulic
2
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Firerelated
1
0
1
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
1
0
1
Tires
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2020 EcoSport over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Ford 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.
Risk: A 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.
Remedy: Dealers 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.
Ford 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.
Risk: A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers 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. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 EcoSport and 2019-2020 Transit Connect vehicles. Depending on the model, either the driver side or passenger side frontal air bag modules are missing the first-stage booster propellant and sleeve. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: Air bag modules missing the first-stage booster propellant will not deploy as intended in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bag module on either the driver or passenger side, free of charge. This recall began February 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C26.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 64 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2020 EcoSport, the latest on Aug 25, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (32), equipment (28), unknown or other (14), power train (6), seats (3).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2020 EcoSport.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
EcoSport Front-Wheel Drive
1.0 L, 3 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 29 / 28
EcoSport All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
23 / 29 / 25
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data