Research Another Vehicle

Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2021 Ford EcoSport is associated with 257 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine & Cooling, accounting for 107 reports (42% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1l 3-cyl and 2l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 25 to 28 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 257 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 3 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine & Cooling (107 / 42%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 6 crash / 1 fire / 3 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 4 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 25–28 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2021 Ford EcoSport?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
EcoSport FWD 1L 3-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 27 MPG 29 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
EcoSport AWD 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 23 MPG 29 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2021 Ford EcoSport?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 20.4%
SUV AWD 19.1%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as No and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2021 Ford EcoSport models.
View complete 2021 Ford EcoSport crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2021 Ford EcoSport?

Summary of 257 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
257
Crash Reports
6
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
3
Total Injuries
3

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine & Cooling 107 complaints (1 crash)
Engine 42 complaints
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN 17 complaints
Powertrain 10 complaints (1 crash)
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 5 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2021 Ford EcoSport problems & component breakdown (49 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2021 Ford EcoSport?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #25V442000 Active Recall
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #25V126000 Active Recall
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

Defect Summary: Ford 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers 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 #23V905000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
View all 2021 Ford EcoSport recalls & campaign history (3 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2021 Ford EcoSport

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Ford EcoSport

How many safety recalls does the 2021 Ford EcoSport have?

The 2021 Ford EcoSport is associated with 3 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2021 Ford EcoSport?

NHTSA records list 257 consumer defect complaints for the 2021 Ford EcoSport. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 107 filings (42% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2021 Ford EcoSport?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2021 Ford EcoSport earned an Overall Safety Rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2021 Ford EcoSport get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2021 Ford EcoSport range from 25 to 28 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.