The transmission is a 6-speed automatic that has the option of manual gear selection via a gear lever mounted toggle switch. My tester was powered by the smooth and eager EcoBoost 2.0L 4-cylinder that develops 240 hp and a stout 270 lb-ft of torque. The torque vectoring function undoubtedly helps but the suspension provides a sporty feel that is firm yet somehow isolates occupants from harsh road surfaces. All in all, it performed quite well for a CUV.ĭespite the added weight of the 4WD system, the Escape handles in a surprisingly nimble manner. They gave the Escape a “poor” rating on the small overlap frontal impact test only, but all other crash tests have earned it a 4-star overall rating and 5-star rating for a side impact. On the subject of safety, it may be prudent to mention the findings of the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). These features are standard, as are the numerous airbags, traction control and stability management systems. To ensure the Escape stays on the road while your child is going around a bend, Ford also includes Curve Control that reduces power to all four wheels if need be. Teens will dislike the MyKey system which allows parents to limit things like top speed and the volume of the stereo. The new system also features the swipe and pinch functions we have all become accustomed to on our phones and tablets. You can immediately tell a lot of effort has been put into improving the user experience. The simplicity of the programming and the ease of use allows for a smaller learning curve. In its place is SYNC3 and let me tell you this system is a major improvement. New for 2016 was the replacement of the much maligned SYNC2 system. My tester also came with the $650 19” Alloy wheels, $350 partial leather seats, $150 all-weather floor mats, a $500 class II trailer tow hitch that pulls up to 1,587 kg, and the Ruby Red Metallic paint which added $450 to the final eye-watering price. But the test vehicle had other options as well, which included the $2,000 Canadian Touring Package and consisted of a panoramic sunroof and a good quality Sony-based sound system. ![]() Other tech goodies available include satellite radio Bluetooth with audio streaming, voice commands for nearly everything, a back up camera, cross-traffic alert and a power hands-free tailgate. The system even finds the spot for you, and the spots it finds I would never attempt on my own. Not once did I need to intervene no matter how tempted I was, nor did I ever need to take a mulligan. Not only is it simple to use but it works flawlessly as far as I could tell. This gets you Bi-Xenon HID headlights, BLIS (blind spot detection) with cross traffic alert, rain-sensing wipers and automated parking. The tester I had included the $1,750 Equipment Group 301A Technology package. That’s premium brand money! So, this had better be one spectacular vehicle.įord certainly hasn’t skimped when it came to technology. The test vehicle was also outfitted with $5,850 in options, which brought the as-tested price to (and I cringed when I read this as well) $42,539. I was able to drive the 2016 Ford Escape Titanium 4WD, which is the top-of-the-line model. With a stroke of genius, Ford ran with this idea and gave North American customers access to these rebadged Kugas that were dripping in the high standards of European build, ride, and performance quality. What actually occurred was a sort of compromise of the aforementioned choices with Ford looking at their global model list and discovered that their Ford Kuga (sold in the U.K.) was doing quite well. In the wake of this separation, Ford was left with a choice: either look for another company to team up with or build their own CUV. This was a wise decision because the Tribute and Escape were dreadfully dull to look at and not very interesting to drive. Different versions of this arrangement lasted until 2012 when Mazda decided to stop producing the Tribute and focus on the all-new Mazda CX-5, which was met with critical acclaim and a host of awards. ![]() Mazda did the bulk of the heavy lifting when it came to the design and development, and Ford supplied a V6 engine for the North American market but not much else. The very first version was little more than a rebadged Mazda Tribute. The Ford Escape has been around for some fifteen years now and has come quite a long way in that time.
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