Now in its fourth model year, the third generation of Ford’s Escape crossover is somewhat a sales anomaly: Despite it being a “mature” product in a saturated market where the newest and shiniest usually get the attention — and the volume — the compact-sized Escape remains the king of the hill. Though sales are down this year, it remains the top-selling SUV in Canada and No. 2 in the United States. Oh, it’s in a rumble with the likes of Toyota’s RAV4, the Honda CR-V and the Nissan Rogue — and a half-dozen or more other competitors — but it’s not giving up its crown without a fight. No matter how you slice it, that’s an impressive achievement.
There are a number of reasons for this, but I think it comes down to the fact that the Escape still looks fresh and, more importantly, it offers a broader choice in the powertrain department, certainly more than the one-engine-only philosophy of its keenest rivals (the aforementioned RAV4, CR-V and Rogue).
This brings me to the test subject, the 2016 Escape SE 4WD, and the $1,000 option that drops a 2.0-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder into its engine bay. Simply put, a 240-horsepower (on premium gasoline) turbocharged motor in the compact sport-ute imbues the Ford with a decidedly sportier demeanour than the vast majority of its competition. Without going to a luxury nameplate and the attendant step up in price, only Kia’s Sportage SX and its 260-hp turbo 2.0L can boast more juice under the hood.
Not that the Escape has Mustang-like acceleration, but compared with its other two four-cylinder engine offerings, the base 2.5L Duratec (168 hp, 170 pound-feet of torque) or the available 1.6L EcoBoost (178 hp, 184 lb.-ft.), 240 hp (231 if running 87 octane) and 270 lb.-ft. of torque from the 2.0 is a big step up, especially in the cut and thrust of a daily commute. For a sport-ute that tips the scales at a solid 1,700 kilograms when paired with the all-wheel drivetrain, a zero-to-100-km/h time in the low-seven-second range is nothing to sneer at.
The engine is mated to a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission, which also includes a switch on the left-hand side of the shifter — not the most ergonomically astute place for it — to manually control gear selection. Any added sporting pretension the Escape may enjoy as a result of self-shifting is pretty much nullified as a result of the switch’s location. This is a shame because the Escape has a lively nature to it in both handling and ride, which, considering Ford makes no such claims of overt performance, works in the SUV’s favour.
As for fuel economy, my week with the SE resulted in a reading of 12.4 litres per 100 kilometres in about a 70/30 split of suburban commuting and highway use. This is on the higher side of what I see in most similar-sized — though lesser powered — SUVs and not as good as the 11.4 L/100 km I achieved in the equally powered Lincoln MKC, the Escape’s fancier, more expensive sibling.
Keep in mind that when Ford introduced this third-gen model, it ditched both the previous version’s Hybrid, with its 2.5L Atkinson-cycle/electric motor powertrain, and the 3.0L V6. At the time the Blue Oval claimed the fuel economy of the 1.6L EcoBoost engine would match that of the Hybrid while the 2.0L EcoBoost four-cylinder would offer more power than the V6. While I doubt the V6 is missed, I’m less convinced that dropping the more eco-friendly Hybrid was a good idea. According to respected industry journal Automotive News, Ford will likely return a hybrid version to the Escape lineup when the next-generation model arrives in 2019.
Actual changes for the 2016 model are minor, Ford offering buyers its new Blackberry-based Sync 3 infotainment system. The company claims Sync 3 gives drivers a new interface that utilizes touchscreen technology similar to tablets and smartphones. The new One Box Search feature, with the available navigation system, allows users to look up points of interest or enter addresses in much the same way they use an Internet search engine. Not being sufficiently tech-y in this department, I went to digitaltrends.com for its take. The website’s review is generally positive and proclaims Sync 3 “addresses the major issues that plagued the old MyFord Touch system.”
For those who like to add a little bling to their ride, SE trim levels now come with an available chrome appearance package ($1,350) that includes accents such as chrome door handles, liftgate appliqué, side-mirror caps, roof rails, rear licence plate appliqué and chrome trim on the front fascia grilles; it also includes 19-inch wheels and leather-accented seats. The tester was so equipped, looking all the more stylish for the additions.
2016 Ford Escape SE 4WD
Brian Harper, Driving
It’s the cabin where the Escape loses ground on some of the competition (notably the RAV4 and Hyundai Santa Fe Sport), with hard plastic surfaces around the dash area that look rather cheap. If upscale interiors are your thing, this is the one area where dishing out more bucks for the Lincoln MKC makes sense. Once you wrap your head around shiny black plastic, though, the rest of the Ford’s layout is quite acceptable, with bright well-lit gauges and touchscreen, and knobs and buttons that are where they should be for easy use.
Stowing stuff is easy in the Escape, thanks to a low lift-over height and generous cargo volume — 67.8 cubic feet (1,920 litres) of space behind the first row and 34.3 cu.-ft. (971 L) behind the second row. As for hauling, when properly equipped, the Escape with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine has a maximum trailer tow rating of 3,500 pounds (1,587 kg).
So, what’s the bottom line here? Despite the Escape no longer being the freshest or newest compact sport-ute on the block, it’s still a key player, with competitive pricing, looks, available power and a sporty vibe all going for it. And that’s how it got to be Number One.
2016 Ford Escape SE 4WD
Brian Harper, Driving
