A turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine and comfortably bolstered leather seats made the 2014 Ford Escape a good choice for highway travel a week ago.
It was a cold and windy journey to St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 8 miles south of Fleming, for the wedding of Alyssa Muller and Michael Williams, who met as students at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling. Dave and Norma Wagner joined Jan and me and rode from their home in Sterling to the church, then back to the Sterling Elks Lodge for a holiday-themed reception.
Redesigned a year ago, the Escape ranks near the top in the competitive compact SUV/crossover field.
The high-end Titanium four-wheel-drive model we drove is equipped with a 240-horsepower, 2.0-liter engine and 6-speed automatic transmission. Also offered are a 1.6-liter turbo 4 and a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter 4.
The stronger EcoBoost is of quick low-end response and impressive acceleration from 270 lb.-ft. of torque, and can be driven in Sport mode and shifted manually with a switch on the side of the shifter.
The Escape averaged 23.8 miles per gallon, hampered some by the wind. A year ago, a similarly equipped Escape averaged only 22.3 in lots of snow and even colder temperatures. EPA estimate for the 2.0-liter is 21/28.
As I prepared to leave for last week’s drive, both hands filled with such items as luggage, camera and wedding invitation, I walked to the back of the Escape, swung my leg forward like an old-fashioned placekicker, aiming the toe of my shoe right up under the center of the bumper, and the kick was perfect – the tailgate opened automatically. Cargo capacity of the Escape is slightly more than 34 cubic feet, same as for the Subaru Forester.
The Escape, in another feature, can parallel park itself (well, kind of). With the driver’s hands removed from the steering wheel, the Ford guides itself into the parking space. This is an impressive feature. I’d not use it often, though; since the driver still is responsible for gear selection, accelerating and braking, I’d go ahead and steer it, too.
Wagner, who drives a Subaru Outback, thought the ride of the Escape was somewhat rough. I mentioned the stiff suspension in the review a year ago, in which the smaller Ford didn’t measure up to stablemates Explorer, Edge and Flex. Its handling, though, is excellent. Tires are Continental 235/50R18.
The EcoBoost engine and parking assist technology, along with optional navigation, blind-spot detection and automatic headlamps pushed sticker price of the Escape to $35,030 from a base of $30,850.
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