If your taste in small SUVs leans more toward maximum fun than maximum space, the Escape might be right for you. Yet it trails the competition in some key areas.
This fleet-footed SUV's taut and agile handling makes it the category's most entertaining-to-drive choice. The ride is steady and the quiet cabin adds a premium feel.
The new turbo engine and automatic transmission combine to deliver smooth power, but at over 10 seconds from 0-60 mph, it accelerates slower than most rivals. And at 23 mpg overall, it's also thirstier than many of them. A new start/stop system intended to aid fuel economy compromises air conditioning during stops, making the cabin humid. A 2.0-liter turbo engine is available for $1,345. It bolsters performance but not mileage.
The cabin is a blend of cheap and upscale touches. The cloth seats are short on support, the driver's space is narrow, and the low, flat rear seat fails to provide adequate thigh support.
Ford's simple to operate yet versatile Sync 3 infotainment system is part of a $1,395 technology package, and it's a worthy upgrade.
A long list of features and options, including a hands-free tailgate and self-steering parking assist, can be had on the top-trim Titanium. But such indulgences bump the price to around $37,000, though discounts are common. Advanced safety equipment such as forward-collision warning is available only on the Titanium.
Read the complete Ford Escape road test.
HIGHS: Agile handling, quietness, easy to use infotainment system
LOWS: Unsupportive cloth seats, flat and low rear seat, relatively expensive, lackluster fuel economy, advanced safety features not readily available
POWERTRAIN: 179-hp, 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine; 6-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
FUEL: 23 mpg
PRICE AS TESTED: $29,630
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Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the June 2017 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
