Ford EcoSport vs Changan UNI-S

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Ford EcoSport Discontinued model
Ford EcoSport in South Africa

Ford EcoSport

1.0 EcoBoost Titanium Automatic Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Discontinued model
ZAR 395,000 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 17.2 km/l
VS
Changan UNI-S in South Africa

Changan UNI-S

1.5T AT CE Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 469,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 138 kW 🔧 300 Nm ⛽ 14.49 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Ford EcoSport vs Changan UNI-S: the short answer

UNI-S has a modest catalogue-index lead, while EcoSport remains close.

Recorded price context EcoSport: last listed from ZAR 310,000 · UNI-S: current from ZAR 389,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification EcoSport UNI-S
Maximum Power EcoSport92 kW UNI-S138 kW
Maximum Torque EcoSport170 Nm UNI-S300 Nm
Engine Size EcoSport998 cc UNI-S1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy EcoSport17.2 km/l UNI-S14.49 km/l
Ground Clearance EcoSport200 mm UNI-SNot Officially Disclosed

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

EcoSport

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Specification evidence leader

UNI-S

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

EcoSport

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

UNI-S

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

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 UNI-S
Model Introduced Year 2013 2026
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. First current South African UNI-S retail generation, offered in CS, CL and CE grades.
Facelift History Facelift in 2017 — revised front fascia and SYNC 3 infotainment introduced No South African facelift has been announced since the UNI-S entered local retail sale in 2026.
Facelift Launched Since 2017 Not Applicable
Facelift Version Ending 2024 Not Applicable
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2021 2026
Production Status discontinued active
Segment SUV Compact SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1290 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger car
Spec EcoSport UNI-S
Length 4325 mm 4539 mm
Width 1765 mm 1865 mm
Height 1653 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2519 mm 2656 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 200 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm 167 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 52 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 352 l 475 l
Kerb Weight 1290 kg 1505 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1740 kg 1825 kg
Payload Capacity 450 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 950 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m 5.66 m
Front Headroom 1000 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 953 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1032 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 890 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This EcoSport and UNI-S comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: EcoSport 40 vs UNI-S 59.

Efficiency index: EcoSport 65 vs UNI-S 55.

Safety-equipment index: EcoSport 92 vs UNI-S 92.

Practicality index: EcoSport 56 vs UNI-S 68.

Ownership-cover index: EcoSport 55 vs UNI-S not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

UNI-S leads by 8 points

UNI-S has a modest catalogue-index lead, while EcoSport remains close.

Evidence leader 69 /100
Lead 8 points
Data 67% source coverage
69
#1 Evidence leader

UNI-S

67% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 55
Performance 59
Efficiency 55
Safety 92
Practicality 68
Leads by 8 points
61
#2

EcoSport

92% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 65
Safety 92
Practicality 56
Ownership 55
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance UNI-S +19 Efficiency EcoSport +10 Safety Level Practicality UNI-S +12

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

UNI-S

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 55/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 68/100

EcoSport

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 56/100
Ownership 55/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Changan UNI-S leads the specification evidence index with 69 pts vs 61 pts for EcoSport

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, UNI-S leads. However, EcoSport may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

EcoSport vs UNI-S questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.