2013 Ford Escape SE 1.6 EcoBoost

To say the all-new 2013 Ford Escape is vital to Ford is like saying Peyton Manning is likely to be of some use to the Denver Broncos. Ford has bought more than 2 million of those little SUVs since its launch in 2000. It fights month-on-month with its archrival from Honda, the CR-V, for prime sales honors. It's a necessity for Ford, particularly on this era of soaring fuel prices, that the Escape continues to be a top performer.

So don't mess with an excellent factor, right? Wrong. With the 2013 Ford Escape set to arrive at sellers in May, the brand will unleash the first truly all-new Escape because the original. The global Escape (known as the Kuga in some markets) is now based mostly on the brand new Focus platform, and almost every nut, bolt and body panel is new on this rig.

Not like the original Escape, with its clean however very traditional two-box design, Ford's Kinetic philosophy now stands at the forefront of the Escape's message, with an in-your-face trapezoidal grille, rising beltline, sloping roof line and fancy head- and taillights, all of which make the outgoing Escape look like a prude school girl by comparison.


While styling sells, it's the engines that move you, and the 2013 Ford Escape has three from which to decide on, two boasting the identify EcoBoost - that's turbocharging to the remainder of us.

So how fearful ought to Honda (CR-V), Toyota (RAV4) and Kia (Sportage) be concerning the new, Kentucky-constructed Escape? We traveled to San Francisco for the nationwide press launch to seek out out.

The Focus Giveth

The Escape's general length is elevated by 3.4 inches and it rides on a wheelbase that is some 2.8 inches longer than the 2012 Escape. An extra 1.3 inches of width mixed with a 1.6-inch lower overall top helped the Ford design group hone the sporty shape they had been looking for.

There's nonetheless loads of room inside, even within the rear seat, which we discovered to have glorious head- and foot room and first rate knee room. The 60/40-cut up/folding rear seat now has a simple one-touch lever for fold-flat capacity, as well as a seatback recline function.

The extensive front seats are exceedingly well-padded, with good bolstering for the seatback. Just like the Focus, the Escape has a grippy, thick-rimmed steering wheel that provides to the SUV's sporty driving dynamics. And as with the Focus, interior high quality is great, with gentle-touch materials for the sprint and door sills, along with properly-padded door armrests and middle armrest. We did discover an intermittent rattle in an early-manufacturing Titanium mannequin, coming from the hard plastic heart part of the dash.

Good Decisions Are Good Choices

The 2013 Ford Escape will have three (depend 'em) 4-cylinder engine decisions, all mixed with six-pace automatics and, sadly, Ford's extremely-goofy lever-mounted rocker change for handbook shifting. Both the 2012 Honda CR-V and the all-new Mazda CX-5 make do with only one engine - a naturally aspirated 2.four-liter inline-4 with 185 horsepower and a five-speed computerized in the CR-V, and a 2.0-liter a hundred and fifty five-hp 4 mated to either a six-speed guide or automated on the CX-5.

Unlike with the current Escape, there won't be a hybrid, because the C-Max will take over that duty.

In reality, your foot never needs to touch the tailgate, but rather simply swing below the bumper to set off a sensor supplied you're carrying the important thing fob. It is part of an $1,895 option bundle on the Escape SEL. When it works, it is handy. But it surely did not open for us on first kick every time. Perhaps we're uncoordinated. Or really dangerous at soccer.

King of the Small SUVs

With extra numerous and efficient engine selections, a nicer inside, sportier handling manners, unique out there features and a new look that's sure to grab some stares, the 2013 Ford Escape is healthier in every means than the vehicle it replaces. Sure, it's a bit dearer than before (the base model begins $1,030 higher), but there's also significantly extra content.

Its major opponents - Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 - cannot match its engine selections, whereas the Kia Sportage and Toyota RAV4 can solely dream in regards to the Escape's inside refinement.

But here's probably the most intriguing facet of the 2013 Ford Escape story: Ford offered extra Escapes in 2011 than ever - 254,293 models to be precise - trouncing the CR-V. Given these numbers and the 2013 model's specs, it'd just be more useful to Ford than Manning is to the Broncos.