2020 Ford EcoSport vs Jeep Renegade
Two subcompact sport utility vehicles. Only one can be champion. Today we’re talking about the 2020 Ford EcoSport and Jeep Renegade. While it’s true that the 2020 Renegade is the better off-roader, there are plenty of reasons to get the Ford SUV over the Jeep, especially if off-roading isn’t really your hobby. You’ll see what we mean as we dive into this comparison guide between these subcompact SUVs.
Price: 2020 Ford EcoSport
If you’re looking to save some money upfront, the Ford EcoSport is a better price for almost the same standard features. The 2020 EcoSport starts at just $19,995, a phenomenal price for the 2020 model year. For your hard-earned cash, you get SYNC infotainment on a 4.2-inch display, two USB ports, six-speaker audio system, cloth upholstery, four-way manually adjustable front seats, Wi-Fi hotspot, MyKey driver system, and rearview camera.
You pay considerably more for the 2020 Jeep Renegade, starting at $22,275. For that price, you get a rearview camera, cloth upholstery, Uconnect infotainment system with a 5-inch touch screen, six-speaker audio system, USB port, and Bluetooth. As you can see, there’s not much daylight between these two lists of standard offerings.
Fuel Economy: 2020 Ford EcoSport
If you’re interested in going green or saving on fuel costs, the 2020 Ford EcoSport is the obvious choice. It might be the very reason you’re looking at a subcompact instead of something bigger. The EcoSport gets 27 city miles and 29 highway miles per gallon. That’s just average for the subcompact SUV class. But it’s a significant improvement over the Jeep Renegade’s lackluster 22 city and 30 highway miles per gallon.
It’s unusual that anything this size tows at all. So it’s to Ford and Jeep’s credit that both the EcoSport and Renegade tow up to 2,000 pounds when properly equipped. That makes this comparison a tie. But if you’re getting either for the starting price, that tie disappears. Because the only subcompact SUV in this comparison that can tow right out of the gate is the EcoSport, which can tow at least 1,400 pounds at any trim level. A starting-price Renegade isn’t slated to tow any weight at all.
Legroom: 2020 Ford EcoSport
If you’re interested mostly in headroom, the Renegade, with its iconic boxy Jeep frame is your best bet. But in terms of legroom, the 2020 Ford EcoSport wins the prize. It has almost two inches more legroom in front compared to the Renegade, and more than an inch and a half extra for backseat passengers. There’s also one and a half cubic feet more storage space behind the rear seats.