2011 Ford Escape Review and Prices

Styling: Its grille, headlamps, and front fascia have evolved. The taillamps are different than they were for 2001. But the wheelbase – the distance between its front and rear axles and the key chassis dimension – is unaltered, down to the tenth of an inch. And Escape’s square-rigged body shape hasn’t changed in a decade. That’s not to suggest this is an unsightly vehicle. To the contrary; the 2011 Escape has a handsome face and classic proportions. For many buyers, this is what an SUV ought to look like and what virtually all of them did before an era of jelly-bean crossovers, those ballooned-up family wagons a little insecure about their station in the automotive pecking order. Interestingly, the 2001 Escape was one of the very first crossover SUVs. It combined a four-door body shell with a front-wheel-drive, car-type chassis to form a single, unibody structure. It was space-efficient and lightweight and was among the first SUVs with an all independent suspension. Before that, most sport-utility vehicles – including the top-selling Ford Explorer -- were essentially enclosed pickup trucks with a body bolted to a separate rear-wheel-drive frame. With their solid rear axles and leaf springs, they could tow heavy loads and withstand the rigors of off-roading. But they were heavy and rode like the trucks they were. Today, body-on-frame SUVs are a nearly dead breed. Even the Explorer, one of the last holdouts, goes unibody for model-year 2011. Still, today’s Escape rides rougher than newer rivals. Its handling isn’t as fluid, its engines not particularly smooth. Poor isolation from road and mechanical vibration are additional geriatric drawbacks. The 2011 Ford Escape will return as a five-passenger wagon with a rear liftgate – same as it always was. The 2011 Mercury Mariner will remain a slightly retrimmed duplicate of the Escape, as will the 2011 Mazda Tribute.

Mechanical: The 2011 Ford Escape will repeat with a choice of two gas engines and a gas-electric hybrid powertrain. All versions are available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive (AWD). The AWD system normally operates in front-drive but automatically reapportions power front-to-rear to quell tire slip. Though it has 8.4-inches of ground clearance – more than the average crossover -- Escape is not intended for severe off-roading and its AWD system lacks low-range gearing. The base engine will again be a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that should retain its model-year 2010 ratings of 171 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque. Also returning will be an available 3.0-liter V-6 that should repeat at 240 horsepower and 223 pound-feet of torque. Expect four-cylinder front-drive models to again be available with a five-speed manual transmission. AWD four-cylinder 2011 Escapes and all V-6 models will continue with a six-speed automatic transmission. The 2011 Escape Hybrid will again combine the four-cylinder engine with an electric motor for 177 total horsepower. This is a true hybrid, able to run exclusively on electricity at low speeds, on the gas engine alone, or on both power sources in combination. It self-charges the on-board battery system, no plug-in required. The 2011 Escape Hybrid uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT). A CVT assumes the role of an automatic transmission but with a rheostat-like delivery of power rather than set number of gears. All 2011 Escape models should continue with front-disc/rear-drum brakes, a cost-conscious alternative to the more consistent feel of the four-wheel discs supplied on many rivals. However, Ford does fit every Escape with an antilock brake system (ABS) to enhance control in emergency stops and with an antiskid system to mitigate sideways slides. With the four-cylinder engines, Escapes can tow trailers weighing up to 1,500 pounds. With the V-6 and towing accessories, Escapes can pull up to 3,500 pounds, about par for a compact-crossover SUV. Hybrid Escapes are rated to tow 1,000 pounds.

Features: OK, Escape feels old on the road and dated inside. Its squared-off cabin shapes and too many hard-touch surfaces are far less charming than the throwback exterior. But few SUVs of any vintage match its array of gadgets and features. Escape adopted electric power steering for model-year 2010. This saves gas by eliminating a hydraulic system’s drain on the engine. It also makes possible two pretty slick features. The Active Park Assist option employs sensors to measure a suitable parallel parking space and then uses the electric steering to back Escape into the slot while the driver – hands off the wheel -- controls the speed with the brake. That’s a neat trick, but more useful and important is that the electric steering makes possible Ford’s Pull-Drift Compensation. This feature reduces driver fatigue and increases steering control by automatically compensating for drift-triggering factors such as strong crosswinds or severely crowned roads. Also available is Ford’s MyKey system. Billed as a teenage-driver safety feature, MyKey lets Escape owners program the ignition key to limit top speed to 80 mph, limit audio volume to 44 percent, and nag with alarms until seat belts are fastened. Available as well is Ford/Microsoft Sync infotainment. The basic Sync setup can deliver turn-by-turn directions and other information through the audio system. Teamed with the optional voice-activated, hard-drive navigation system, Sync expands to incorporate Bluetooth phone and streaming audio, iPod USB interface, and more detailed mapping and information services. It also includes a rearview camera that displays on the navigation screen. You can still get the added safety of a video view aft even without the navigation system through an optional review camera that displays on a portion of the inside rearview mirror. All Escapes come with Ford’s Easy Fuel capless fuel-filler system and with head-protecting curtain side airbags for both seating rows.