My wife had several positive comments about our recent tester, the 2015 Ford Escape, when she returned home after her first drive.
She noted how it “just felt right.” That it was “very comfortable and quiet.” And that it was “easy and fun to drive.”
I agreed.
The compact crossover’s interior was a darn nice place to spend time. The Escape made the daily work commute less about the worry of the day’s work ahead; less about the slow-moving traffic; less about the bad roads; less about the giant snow, err, ice banks that took over entire lanes; less about a winter that just won’t let spring be spring (damn it!); and more about all of what the Mrs. said.
It’s great when a vehicle can do those things.
My exceptionally-comfortable, powered-everywhere, heated driver’s seat was where all the drive bliss began. Ford makes great seats and the Escape’s throne was supportive and cozy, while it provided great thigh and shoulder room.
The power lumbar helped, too, and the seats heated up fast on every drive through a frigid, snowy test week. Speaking of heat, it would seem that Ford engineers spent some time on the heating system in their 2015 rides (at least the ones I’ve tested so far this year).
The Escape, like the Ford Fusion we had the week after and the hot white Mustang we are in now (both of which we’ll talk about here in the coming weeks) heated up faster than a wiener in a microwave.
I actually can’t recall a tester ever heating up as rapidly. It was great.
The “felt just right” also extended down to my right knee, which always rested comfortably against the side of the centre stack; that’s an area that causes me grief in a lot of vehicles, but not so in the Escape. A happy right knee equals happy me.
I also appreciate that, as a driver, I sit up nice a high in the Escape, while being rewarded with an excellent view out at all our beautiful spring snow and ice. The spots where my arms rested were covered with soft materials, while the steering wheel felt good in the hands.
The leather in the Escape is not that ‘soft’ but it looks and feels durable; like it would keep its form and visual appeal for many years.
Overall, the appearance up front is both bold and a bit busy, but the stuff that makes it busy is simple to use; stuff like the MyFord Touch screen (area) which may require a bit of a stretch to actually touch it; the same can be said for the dual-zone automatic climate controls which are buried low on the centre stack behind the gear shifter.
However, you can avoid the manual labour and just use Ford’s SYNC system and simply ‘ask’ the vehicle to change a song, turn up the volume or temperature, make a phone call, and much more, all the while keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
That MyFord Touch system easily connected my iPhone and offered an endless amount of cool features and options; were one ambitious enough to memorize the 100s of commands for talking to this system, you could have a ton of fun! The Escape’s cabin is about as hushed as you’ll find in its segment.
In the back seat, there’s room for two adults to sit in comfort so long as they’re not more than six feet. If you’re are in the six-foot range, leg room will be tight. I fit just fine back there and had no complaints about head or knee room.
However, the seat cushion was pretty flat and low, while it also was not a giver of thigh support like my friend up front. The kids had ample space and a third would fit in the middle in a pinch.
I suspect the design of the rear seat had much to do with its ability to fold flat, thus enhancing cargo space with the 60/40 seatbacks down. Entry and exit to and from the Escape’s rear was an easy task thanks to wide-opening doors and and low step in/up.
Cargo space behind the seat seat totalled 971 litres and 1,920 litres with the seatbacks folded; access to all that space from the high- and wide-opening rear hatch was made easier by its low load floor and a power hatch that could open by a simple foot swipe under the bumper. It worked every time.
The Escape offers three engine choices — 2.5-litre Duratec 4-cylinder, 1.6-litre EcoBoost 4, and the 2.0-litre EcoBoost 4 that powered our ride; it was worked by its six-speed Select Shift automatic transmission.
The 2.0 turbo 4 was rated for 240 horsepower and a gratifying 270 pound-foot of torque at 3,000 rpm.
On the road, the Escape felt (and was) both quick and energetic, even more so the latter when I tossed the shifter into sport mode which, in turn, resulted in a more responsive powertrain, as it downshifted sooner and held the gears longer.
I would’ve expected some ear-piercing annoyance from the engine when holding those gears or on throttle stomps, but that wasn’t the case; Ford did a great job in fortifying its Escape with plenty of sound-deadening materials throughout, which complemented an already hushed engine compartment.
Its all-wheel drive system made for confident driving on snow- and ice-covered roads and highways. On some more potholed, ice-patched roads, there was some wiggle in the ride, if you will, and those bumps could be felt in the cabin.
Put it fast into an off-ramp or turn and its car-like handling prowess shines though as it exhibits plenty of composure, with very little body lean.
On the whole, this compact crossover, which is one of many choices in a hotly-competitive segment, was fun to drive, had good fuel economy (we got 11.5 litres/100km mostly city driving), was completely loaded (in our Titanium trim) with creature comforts and infotainment features, and provided a spirited, excellent-handing and safe drive experience.
It was an ideal escape from our early-spring winter.
The specs
- Engine: 2.0-litre EcoBoost I-4
- Transmission: six-speed select-shift automatic
- Drivetrain: all-wheel drive
- Horsepower: 240 @ 5,500 rpm
- Torque: 270 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
- Fuel economy: 11.4 litres/100km city; 8.4 highway (realized 11.5 mostly city)
- Steering: rack-and-pinion with electric power assist
- Brakes: four-wheel disc, ABS and ESC; front, 12.6-inch vented discs; rear, 11.0 solid discs
- Wheels and tires: 19-inch alloy; P235/45R19
- Dimensions: wheelbase, 2,690 mm; length, 4,524 mm; width, 1,839 mm; height, 1,684 mm
- Cargo volume: 1,920 litres (behind first row); 971 mm (behind second row)
- Maximum towing capacity: 3,500 lbs (1,588 kg)
- Base curb weight: 3,769 lbs
- Base price: $34,199
- Price as tested: $41,349 (Includes: Titanium Tech Package ($1,750): HID automatic headlamps, blind spot detection system, automated parking system; Touring Package ($2,000): power panoramic sunroof, MyFord Touch/Sirius/Nav; optional equipment: all-weather floor mats ($150); trailer towing/class II ($500); 19-inch alloy luster nickel wheels ($650); partial leather-trim bucket seats ($350)
- Other features: 10-way powered front seats; remote start; push-button start; ambient lighting; 10-speaker Sony audio system; one-touch up/down power windows; 8-inch LCD colour touch screen; two USB ports; SD card reader; audio/video input jacks; rear-view camera; eight cupholders; 110-volt power outlet; engine block heater; and more