2020 Ford EcoSport vs Nissan Kicks
The 2020 Ford EcoSport and Nissan Kicks both put a friendly price on city-style travel and efficiency. Which of these subcompact crossovers suits you best? LaFayette Ford’s comparison guide examines each model in detail.
Day-to-Day Comfort: 2020 Ford EcoSport
For comfort, the EcoSport has the Kicks totally beat. Thanks to its high roof and generous legroom, your tallest friends will feel at home in both the first and second rows. This little Ford even sets you up with some luxury features, putting a wallet-friendly spin on leather upholstery and heated front seats.
The 2020 Nissan Kicks serves up a compliant ride, with suspension tuning to smooth over the bumps in the road. However, its passenger seats aren’t for everyone. The front seat bottoms are especially short and narrow, cutting down on thigh support for taller drivers. Some may also find the seatbacks just a bit too upright.
Useful Modern Features: 2020 Ford EcoSport
The EcoSport treats you to some helpful features that aren’t available for the Kicks. For example, its left-hinged tailgate opens to the side, helpful for curbside loading and unloading. The EcoSport also includes important connectivity features, like a standard Wi-Fi hotspot and optional Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone capabilities. Ford’s subcompact crossover is home to 20.9 cubic feet of cargo space, an above-average figure in this segment.
The Nissan Kicks offers a little extra cargo space, with 25.3 cubes for your carryon items. However, Nissan’s small crossover skips the Wi-Fi hotspot and its tailgate only opens in the usual way. However, like the EcoSport, it does keep you connected with the latest smartphone integration technology, standard on the mid-range Kicks SV and upscale Kicks SR.
Sporty Performance: 2020 Ford EcoSport
These subcompact crossovers might be city-sized, but they still offer plenty of sports utility. The EcoSport leads the way in terms of performance, supplying both an optional engine upgrade and sporty all-wheel drive. If you’re looking for a little extra punch, the EcoSport SES gives it to you with a 166-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. For a stickier ride down curvy roads, you can add all-wheel drive to any EcoSport.
The 2020 Nissan Kicks, on the other hand, offers neither an engine upgrade nor sporty all-wheel drive. Instead, its 122-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine focuses less on speed and more on efficiency. When you want a faster performance, look to the EcoSport.
Thrifty Ride: 2020 Nissan Kicks
Here, the Kicks has the edge. With its 33 mpg combined (31 city/36 highway mpg), this little Nissan is great for long commutes.
While not as efficient, the 2020 Ford EcoSport isn’t too far behind, earning up to 28 mpg combined (27/29 mpg). Even when you’ve got a long way to travel, the EcoSport does a fair job of balancing your fuel budget.
In the end, the 2020 Ford EcoSport has more of what modern drivers crave—especially in terms of power, technology, and ride comfort. Don’t believe us? Swing by Lafayette Ford, your Fayetteville, North Carolina Ford dealer, and check out the new EcoSport in the flesh.