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Aerodynamic but compact enough to be called “stubby,” the Ford EcoBoost SES has a 2.0-liter 4. Photo credit: John Gilbert

Sports is guilty of beating a good phrase into being trite, such as with the great line, “deja vu all over again,” which Yogi Berra once said, but now is used so regularly by baseball broadcasters that it’s doubtful they even realize that it’s redundant. Ironically, it might apply here, this week. 
If this review seems redundant, maybe it’s because you just read about the Ford EcoSport about three months ago, and the deja vu is happening all over again.
I got to test an EcoSport Titanium with front-wheel drive back in April, and now I’ve recently gotten an EcoSport SES with 4-wheel drive. But there is a lot more than just the engine and trim to differentiate the two, so it’s not really a repeat performance.
For this one, I asked my wife, Joan, to take a drive in it just for here always-sought impressions, and she wasn’t kind. “It’s a dog,” said Joan. I suggested she should give it another try, and use the steering-wheels to paddle-shift the 6-speed automatic, while stomping harder on the gas.

The SES has upgraded sport suspension and a flashier interior in the EcoBoost line. Photo credit: John Gilbert

She did, and afterward she said: “Still a dog.” Talk about redundancy!
Maybe she’s right, and maybe I give small engines the benefit of the doubt for being able to keep up in traffic and overlook such chinks in pedigree. Maybe some of both.
The EcoSport Titanium in April got mixed impressions, because as Ford’s smallest utility vehicle, it had surprisingly good acceleration from its tiny 1.0-liter 3-cylinder, thanks to the EcoBoost turbocharger. But, tiny or not, it was silly up in the North Woods because a late snowstorm accentuated that it was front-wheel drive only — no 4x4.

Contemporary styling follows front to rear on the 2018 EcoBoost. Photo credit: John Gilbert

Now that the last trace of snow has been fried by our foray into what some might call the Global Warming Sunstroke Season of 90-degree heat in Minnesota, the July-arriving EcoSport shows up with 4-wheel drive. Go figure! It’s true, by the way; I heard a report from Minneapolis, 2 hours south of Duluth, that through July, they recorded 17 days in the usually-rare 90s.

The EcoSport SES with 4WD costs only a thousand more at $25,325 than the Titanium 3-cylinder with FWD and sticker of $24,380. But instead of the conversation-piece 1.0, it has the less noteworthy 2.0 turbo to handle the extra duty of making all four wheels churn. But get this: the 2.0 turbo’s 160 horsepower leaves behind the 1.0’s little-impact123 horsepower, but when it comes to torque, the 2.0 has 146 foot-pounds and the little 1.0 a surprising148 foot-pounds!

Not that the numbers matter. What does matter is that the EcoSport looks to me like a subcompact sedan, but it is classified as an SUV, or more accurately a CUV (crossover utility vehicle). So if you’re going to make and sell me an S UV or CUV in Duluth, Minnesota, make sure it’s a 4-wheel-drive model, OK?

It can be misleading, because a good FWD vehicle with the best winter tires (Nokian, anyone?) can go anywhere in any blizzard, but all things equal, you get more efficient blizzard-beating with 4WD or AWD, or whatever you choose to call it on any particular vehicle. To say nothing of the peace of mind feeling that comes along when a blizzard hits and you know you can barge through it.

Open the hatch, and...surprise — no hatch! Side-opening door allows easy loading. Photo credit: John Gilbert

Attractive silhouette makes the EcoBoost look mainstream, until you park it next to giant SUVs. Photo credit: John Gilbert

The styling is eye-catching and comes together with integrated grille and lights. Photo credit: John Gilbert

Frankly, I do appreciate the EcoSport’s utility. It has surprising room for something that looks so stubby — aerodynamic, yes, but still stubby — to have so much available room to haul a couple other adults in the rear seat and to stow groceries or luggage in the way-back, inside the hatch.
Ah, the hatch. When is a hatch not a hatchback? When it’s an EcoSport SES with a side-opening rear door. Maybe Ford wanted to cater to the reputation of U.S. buyers to not want a hatchback, but this one is hinged on the left side, with the door handle on the right, and then look out, because you have to step back to avoid the wide-swinging door.

As a comparatively tall vehicle, there is plenty of headroom, and the stowage might be misleading if they count cubic feet all the way to that ceiling.
I was disappointed with the fuel economy, which is estimated at 14 city and 36 highway, but I found it unlikely to get it up to 30 in my driving. I also didn’t find the little 3-cylinder approached its EPA estimates, and getting a mini-sized SUV with a tiny engine should at least assure you of lofty mileage.

The sport-tuned suspension in the SES version of the EcoSport does make it handle in a nice, flat, firm attitude around curves or tight corners, and the larger 2.0 4-cylinder has a chance to shine. But you’d be wise to hit the left paddle a couple times and drop down to third or even second if you want anything resembling spunk to be delivered from your little gem.

If you don’t, you won’t have anything at all to stand on as evidence to debate your wife when she suggests the vehicle should be required to wear a collar with a nametag.

(Read John Gilbert’s new car reviews on the website Newcarpicks.com.)