Related: Best 2020 Small SUVs Worth Waiting For – Our Buyer’s Guide The New Ford Escape: Introduction & Priceįord’s new rival to the RAV4, CR-V ( which also gets a Hybrid for 2020), Rogue and the rest will be available in four trim levels in Canada (S, SE, SEL and Titanium). Compact SUVs are big business – pickups aside, the segment is the biggest in North America and the fastest growing, too. ![]() ![]() When the first Ford Escape was launched in 2000, it had just six rivals in its market that figure will likely hit 30 by 2022. Its well-executed blend of on-road comfort and in-car tech should appeal to a very wide cut of the American public, especially those who might bemoan the everything's-an-SUV-now zeitgeist.Louisville, KY – With the withdrawal of its mainstream car range from the US and Canada, Ford has been busy refreshing its SUV lineup with new versions of the Expedition, Edge, Explorer and now the Escape. Nevertheless, I think the 2020 Ford Escape is well positioned to siphon sales from its rivals. The addition of a hybrid trim will keep things interesting, but then again, most of the Escape's competitors have gas-electric variants on offer, too. As comfortably equipped as the Escape is, it has a mountain to climb because it's pitted against other sales champs such as the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson,Īnd Toyota RAV4, all of which bring their own benefits (and drawbacks) to the table. The compact crossover segment is a hot one. ![]() Moving up to the SEL adds a handsfree liftgate, leatherette seats and rear parking sensors, none of which I think are necessary, nor do I need the better sound system or additional creature comforts present in the top-tier Titanium trim, but your needs and wants may vary. I think the SE AWD really is the sweet spot, so this is exactly how I'd equip it, including its attractive Sedona Orange Metallic paint job. It's a missed opportunity, albeit one that Ford is likely to remedy in a future update to its bread-and-butter crossover. Some trims get a 12-volt (cigarette-lighter-style) port in the back, while others make do with a three-prong outlet, but there's no option to put USB ports back there. There's a newfangled USB-C port in the center console, and a USB-A port for front-row occupants hidden in the armrest cubby, but out back? Bupkus. My primary technological grievance rears its head when it's time to charge a device. The mandatory backup camera's resolution isn't as good as the one in my four-year-old VW Golf, but it's better than what Ford's used in the past. No matter your place on Ford's trim spectrum, you'll scoop up an Escape that comes equipped with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist and automatic high beams. Embedded navigation is part of a $695 package that also includes adaptive cruise control, which feels like a screaming deal in this segment, and it's nice that it's not just reserved for the most expensive trims.Īdaptive cruise control is merely the cherry on top of a sundae of standard safety systems across the Escape lineup. You need Waze running on your phone to have it work through Sync 3, which I find a little clunky, so I'd recommend just using it through CarPlay or Android Auto instead. And there's plenty of features in here, includingĪlexa integration, Waze integration and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Sync 3 is attractive, responsive and well laid out, requiring just a couple taps to get to what you need. The only real downsides of this engine are the fact that it shakes a bit at idle and the fact that it sounds like a piece of farm equipment, but life is full of tradeoffs. The EPA estimates my all-wheel-drive SE tester at 26 miles per gallon city and 31 mpg highway, numbers that I have no problem achieving in clear weather. This tiny little guy confers some big fuel economy benefits. The eight-speed automatic transmission is only really felt on the 1-2 shift, blending into the background otherwise. The throttle doesn't do much with a light application from a stop, but with any additional pressure on the pedal, the Escape will hustle forward with authority, whether it's shooting onto the highway or leaving a parking lot. It's a mighty fine engine, offering way more power than the three-pot in the S, SE and SEL trims come standard with a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-3 producing 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The majority of Escapes will likely end up with the engine in my tester. Those desires are definitely reflected in the 2020 Escape. ![]() It's safe to assume that buyers in the Escape's segment care more about fuel efficiency and ride comfort than, say, engine note.
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