2020 Chevrolet Trax vs. 2020 Ford EcoSport

The Trax Premier has a standard collision warning system, which detects an impending crash through forward mounted sensors and flashes a bright light and sounds a loud, distinctive tone to warn the driver to brake or maneuver immediately to avoid a collision. The EcoSport doesn't offer a collision warning system.

The Trax Premier’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

Both the Trax and the EcoSport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Ford EcoSport:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Ford EcoSport:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Trax’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the EcoSport’s (6 vs. 5 years).

The Chevrolet Trax’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the EcoSport’s 2.0 DOHC 4 cyl. engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2019 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

The Trax’s 1.4 turbo 4 cyl. produces 15 more horsepower (138 vs. 123) and 23 lbs.-ft. more torque (148 vs. 125) than the EcoSport’s standard 1.0 turbo 3 cyl.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Trax is faster than the Ford EcoSport:

On the EPA test cycle the Trax gets better fuel mileage than the EcoSport:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Trax uses regular unleaded gasoline. The EcoSport with the 1.0 turbo 3 cyl. engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Trax stops much shorter than the EcoSport:

For better traction, the Trax’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the EcoSport (215/55R18 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Trax offers optional 18-inch wheels. The EcoSport’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

The Chevrolet Trax’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ford EcoSport only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Trax has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The EcoSport doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Trax’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the EcoSport (100.6 inches vs. 99.2 inches).

The Trax’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (60.7% to 39.3%) than the EcoSport’s (62% to 38%). This gives the Trax more stable handling and braking.

The Trax Premier handles at .80 G’s, while the EcoSport SE pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Trax Premier executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the EcoSport SE (28.2 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

The Chevrolet Trax may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 200 pounds less than the Ford EcoSport.

The Trax has .1 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the EcoSport.

The Trax’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The EcoSport’s swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

The Trax’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The EcoSport’s passenger windows don’t open automatically.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Trax is less expensive to operate than the EcoSport because typical repairs cost less on the Trax than the EcoSport, including $3 less for front brake pads, $25 less for a starter, $102 less for fuel injection, $56 less for front struts and $46 less for a power steering pump.

The Chevrolet Trax outsold the Ford EcoSport by 59% during the 2019 model year.