Make your Escape
Ford’s compact SUV blends efficiency, value and fun
The 2016 Ford Escape has been a hit for the blue oval for more than a decade. During that time, the Ford Focus-based compact SUV has evolved from a standard, boxy mini-ute to the more modern, aggressive crossover with great handling attitude.
On the outside, the small slot grille is the spotlight design element, but my top-end Titanium tester got more visual pop with silver roof rails and 18-inch machined aluminum wheels.
The Escape’s sporty exterior cues translate directly into the interior cabin. Passenger space is generous, and the wraparound dashboard puts the instrument panel and its controls in easy view and reach.
In terms of driver visibility, power seat controls provide perfect adjustment for comfort and safe viewing. The Escape’s thick roof pillars do affect visibility, but not enough to hamper safe operation.
I found the front seats to be firmer and a bit slimmer than the competition’s, but comfortable. In the rear space, two adults are the max, though three children might fit easily. Fold-down seats and a flat floor offer enhanced cargo options.
Escape has several extra-easy functions, including the single-motion folding rear seat with flip-down headrests and the clever power back hatch that you can open by simply swinging your foot under the rear bumper.
The Escape is not huge, so everything is relatively in reach, but I do think the climate controls are difficult to reach when the shifter is in Park. The touch screen is large and easily manipulated, though my arms required a full stretch to reach the far-side buttons.
One of the big issues with Fords has been the MyFord Touch system. Thankfully, the Escape gets the Sync 3 interface, powered by BlackBerry, as opposed to Microsoft’s version. I found Sync 3 to be a great step forward, delivering responsive and intuitive use.
The Escape comes with an impressive group of standard features such as the MyKey parental control system, which allows owners to adjust settings for a multitude of features. This is aimed at parents who allow teenage drivers to borrow the car.
The Ford Escape can be had with a 1.6-liter turbo, a 2.5-liter I-4 and a 2.0-liter turbo. My tester featured the 2.0 turbo engine, which offers 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. You can expect this Escape to do just that — by jumping to 60 mph in just 7 seconds, a standout for the class.
Paired with a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission, my tester jumped to attention easily with the turbo’s demands. All-wheel drive is available, and in Chicagoland it will come in handy for inclement weather and challenging road conditions.
Equipped with FWD, the 2.0 offers 22/30 mpg, and AWD versions are capable of 21/28.
The Escape gets an overall 4-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with a 4-star rating for overall front tests and a 5-star rating for overall side tests.
Overall, Escape competes in a very cutthroat class that demands safety, comfort and fuel economy — but it never shorts the fun, either; and that’s why I like it the most at $32,955.