Ford EcoSport vs Honda Elevate

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Includes an archived model

Current and archived cars are compared side by side. Archived models keep their verified historical specs, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Ford EcoSport
Ford EcoSport in South Africa

Ford EcoSport

1.0 EcoBoost Titanium Automatic Petrol Automatic Archive reference
ZAR 395,000 last listed
No longer sold new Specs stay visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 17.2 km/l
VS
Honda Elevate in South Africa

Honda Elevate

1.5 Elegance CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 399,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 119 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 16.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance EcoSport
Fuel Economy EcoSport
🛡 Safety Elevate
📦 Practicality Elevate
🔑 Ownership EcoSport
EcoSport starts ZAR 369900 cheaper EcoSport from ZAR 310,000 · Elevate from ZAR 369,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec EcoSport Elevate
Engine Power 92 119
Torque 170 145
Engine Size 998 1498
Claimed Mileage 17.2 16.0
Ground Clearance 200 220
Boot Space 352 458
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1290 1240
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 4 3

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Both EcoSport and Elevate are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance EcoSport +1 pts
Efficiency EcoSport +2 pts
Safety Elevate +11 pts
Practicality Elevate +8 pts
Ownership EcoSport +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

EcoSport

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Elevate

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

EcoSport

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Elevate

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec EcoSport Elevate
Model Introduced Year 2013 2023
Generation Single generation on Ford B2E platform. Produced in India for global markets. SA received the facelift model with improved interior quality and revised safety kit. Built on Honda’s latest compact SUV platform with improved safety and structural strength
Facelift History Facelift in 2017 — revised front fascia and SYNC 3 infotainment introduced Recently introduced model with latest design language and modern features
Facelift Launched Since 2017 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Discontinued - exact end year not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Color Note Not confirmed White, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red, Black
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed published
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec EcoSport Elevate
Ground Clearance 200 mm 220 mm
Wheelbase 2519 mm 2650 mm
Length 4325 mm 4312 mm
Width 1765 mm 1790 mm
Height 1653 mm 1650 mm
Kerb Weight 1290 kg 1240 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 1740 kg 1680 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 352 l 458 l
Towing Capacity 950 kg 1200 kg
Boot Volume 352 l 458 l
Seats 5 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 52 l 40 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1740 kg 1680 kg
Ground Clearance Max 200 mm 220 mm
Ground Clearance Min 200 mm 220 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 200 mm 220 mm
Height Mm 1653 mm 1650 mm
Length Mm 4325 mm 4312 mm
Cargo Volume 352 l 458 l
Tare Mass Kg 1290 kg 1240 kg
Width Mm 1765 mm 1790 mm
Front Track Width Not confirmed Not Applicable
Rear Track Width Not confirmed Not Applicable
Turning Radius Not confirmed Not Applicable
Load Bed Length Not confirmed Not Applicable
Load Bed Width Not confirmed Not Applicable
Front Legroom Not confirmed Not Applicable
Rear Legroom Not confirmed Not Applicable
Front Headroom Not confirmed Not Applicable
Rear Headroom Not confirmed Not Applicable
Front Shoulder Room Not confirmed Not Applicable
Rear Shoulder Room Not confirmed Not Applicable
Boot Space Seats Folded Not confirmed 458 l
Number of Doors Not confirmed 5
Max Payload Not confirmed Not Applicable
Doors Not confirmed 5
Loadbox Length Mm Not confirmed Not Applicable
Loadbox Width Mm Not confirmed Not Applicable
Payload Kg Not confirmed Not Applicable
Turning Circle Not confirmed Not Applicable
Turning Circle M Not confirmed Not Applicable

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Elevate leads by 3 points

Both EcoSport and Elevate are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 60 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 95% confidence
60
#1 Winner

Elevate

95% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 82 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 62
Safety 82
Practicality 66
Ownership 51
Leads by 3 points
57
#2

EcoSport

86% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 71 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 64
Safety 71
Practicality 58
Ownership 55
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance EcoSport +1 Efficiency EcoSport +2 Safety Elevate +11 Practicality Elevate +8 Ownership EcoSport +4

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Elevate

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 82/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 51/100

EcoSport

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 64/100
Safety 71/100
Practicality 58/100
Ownership 55/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Honda Elevate wins with 60 pts vs 57 pts for EcoSport

In structured scoring, Elevate emerges as the stronger overall package. However, EcoSport may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Elevate edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: EcoSport 64 vs Elevate 62. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: EcoSport 71, Elevate 82. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: EcoSport 55, Elevate 51. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: EcoSport 58, Elevate 66. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: EcoSport 40, Elevate 39. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Elevate edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Elevate scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between EcoSport and Elevate in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: EcoSport scores 40 vs 39.

Efficiency: EcoSport scores 64 vs 62.

Safety: EcoSport scores 71 vs 82.

Practicality: EcoSport scores 58 vs 66.

Ownership: EcoSport scores 55 vs 51.

Final structured scoring gives Elevate the advantage in this comparison.