The Escape’s new drivetrains were overdue. An electronic stability system is standard on both front- and all-wheel-drive models, and that lends confidence. I must say, though, the new suspension tuning and rear stabilizer bar seem to decrease the body roll and make the Escape feel a little more grounded. The Escape is maneuverable and handles reasonably well, though it has always felt a bit more top-heavy to me than many car-based compacts, and the rollover rating detailed in the Safety section below supports this notion. It damps out the harshest road surfaces better than the 2008 and the 2009 Jeep Patriot, a close American-made competitor. Like most unibody SUVs, it’s still firm, but it isn’t bouncy like the truck-based, body-on-frame type used to be. Thanks to changes in shock-absorber tuning for 2009, the Escape rides better than ever. Seventeen-inchers are optional on all Escapes except the XLS, which can upgrade to aluminum, but only with a 16-inch diameter. Fog lights are standard on the two higher trims.Īll models come with 16-inch wheels they’re steel on the XLS and varying styles of aluminum alloy on the higher trim levels. If you like the shiny stuff, you can get it on a Limited, too, with the optional Chrome Appearance Package, which my Escape Limited had. The top trim level, the Limited, is all body-colored, with standard black roof rails. The lower two of three trim levels, the XLS and XLT have the full chrome treatment, including the grille, the roof rails (standard on the XLT) and the trim above the rear license plate. Both are steps to improve aerodynamics and thus efficiency. There are no cosmetic changes for 2009, but Ford has reworked the spoiler under the front bumper and added rear tire spoilers, which look like squat little mudflaps in front of the rear wheels. With the exception of the Jeep Patriot, compact SUVs seem to be going in a more refined, less tough styling direction - while still trying not to be too cute - with some success. If you like the effect on those cars, you’ll probably like it here. It looks more like a Ford Explorer now, but with a plunging chrome grille in some trim levels that would be equally at home on a Volkswagen or Audi. The Escape was the most traditionally SUV-looking compact SUV when it first came out, and with its 2008 restyling it took another step away from cute and toward ute. I drove two Escape XLTs: a four-cylinder with front-wheel drive and a V-6 with all-wheel drive. (See a side-by-side comparison with the 2008 model). The most efficient Escape is a hybrid version, which is detailed in a separate review. Despite the increase in power from the four- and six-cylinder engines, the Escape gets better mileage. The 2008 model year brought interior and exterior styling upgrades and a quieter cabin, and 2009 brings two long-overdue milestones: improved drivetrains and higher crash-test ratings. Though it has some shortcomings, incremental improvements make it more attractive every year. A hands-free foot-activated liftgate is now included in the Technology package and standard on Titanium.The Escape has been one of the best-selling compact SUVs for close to a decade, along with the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Updates for 2021 include adaptive cruise control, a convenience feature, now available on the SE and SES trim levels. All Escapes come standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and blind spot warning. The front seats are a bit flat, but the rear seat is quite roomy when set to the rearmost position. Controls, including the rotary gear selector, are easy to use. The optional 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder is more powerful and smooth. A plug-in hybrid with 47-mile range is also available. The hybrid version eliminates that problem and gets a very fuel efficient 34 mpg overall. Although it provides sufficient oomph, the engine transmits an annoying vibration at low engine speeds. The standard 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder engine returned 26 mpg overall in our tests. The redesigned 2020 Escape has curvier styling compared to the previous version, as well as new drivetrains, and standard advanced safety features. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. Our subscribers provide great insights into their satisfaction by answering one simple question: If they had it to do all over again, would they definitely buy or lease the same model? In addition, respondents also rate their cars in six categories: driving experience, comfort, value, styling, audio, and climate systems. To learn about satisfaction, CR has collected survey data from our annual survey on more than half a million vehicles.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |