4th -2013 Ford Escape
As mentioned, the Ford Escape stole the show from the originators moments after it hit showroom floors in 2000 as a 2001 model. The Escape was so successful that even in its final years, it was outselling its closest competitor by more than 1.5 units to 1.
The 2013 Ford Escape therefore has HUGE shoes to fill, and our expectations were stratospheric in stature. Perhaps this is was hurt the Escape the most...
Ford wasted little energy on the design, as it took its delightful European Kuga and adapted it for the North American market. In this case, we were all thumbs-up as we voted the 2013 Ford Escape the best looking of the bunch. The cabin also scored big thanks to what may be Ford’s best interior design to date.
The front seats were fair, as was the rear bench. The upright seating position and the presence of the popular panoramic sunroof cut into the available rear headroom. The Escape’s trunk, although narrow for some applications, remains voluminous with rear seatbacks down or in place.
On the road, the 2013 Ford Escape left the testers wanting more. The ride was less composed than we expected and body-roll, although desirable to scare sense into some drivers, was too prominent for us. The ride was barely affected by the weight of four adults; steering remained sharp and with strong turn-in and, possibly best of all, strong progressive brakes.
Where we were left flat was with the much lauded EcoBoost engine. The turbocharged 1.6L 4-cylinder is promising on all fronts yet failed to score big on all fronts. It’s acceleration times were slightly above average and, worst of all, it consumed the most fuel on test day.
It’s not that the engine is a failure; we loved the turbo’s whistle, near absence of lag and juicy torque curve. We simply have a hard time with an engine that does not produce more power, that consumes more and, because of its increased complexity, will most likely require more maintenance in time.
The 2013 Ford Escape is very good on its own but, like the RAV4, the competition is excessively strong and its shortcomings do not go unnoticed.
As mentioned, the Ford Escape stole the show from the originators moments after it hit showroom floors in 2000 as a 2001 model. The Escape was so successful that even in its final years, it was outselling its closest competitor by more than 1.5 units to 1.
 |
| Photo: Philippe Champoux |
The 2013 Ford Escape therefore has HUGE shoes to fill, and our expectations were stratospheric in stature. Perhaps this is was hurt the Escape the most...
Ford wasted little energy on the design, as it took its delightful European Kuga and adapted it for the North American market. In this case, we were all thumbs-up as we voted the 2013 Ford Escape the best looking of the bunch. The cabin also scored big thanks to what may be Ford’s best interior design to date.
The front seats were fair, as was the rear bench. The upright seating position and the presence of the popular panoramic sunroof cut into the available rear headroom. The Escape’s trunk, although narrow for some applications, remains voluminous with rear seatbacks down or in place.
On the road, the 2013 Ford Escape left the testers wanting more. The ride was less composed than we expected and body-roll, although desirable to scare sense into some drivers, was too prominent for us. The ride was barely affected by the weight of four adults; steering remained sharp and with strong turn-in and, possibly best of all, strong progressive brakes.
Where we were left flat was with the much lauded EcoBoost engine. The turbocharged 1.6L 4-cylinder is promising on all fronts yet failed to score big on all fronts. It’s acceleration times were slightly above average and, worst of all, it consumed the most fuel on test day.
It’s not that the engine is a failure; we loved the turbo’s whistle, near absence of lag and juicy torque curve. We simply have a hard time with an engine that does not produce more power, that consumes more and, because of its increased complexity, will most likely require more maintenance in time.
The 2013 Ford Escape is very good on its own but, like the RAV4, the competition is excessively strong and its shortcomings do not go unnoticed.
 |
| Photo: Philippe Champoux |
| 2012 Chevrolet Equinox 1LT | 2013 Ford Escape SE 4WD | 2012 Honda CR-V Touring | 2012 Kia Sportage EX Luxury | 2013 Mazda CX-5 GT AWD | 2012 Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | |
| Engine | 2.4L L4 | Turbo 1.6L L4 | 2.4L L4 | 2.4L L4 | 2.0L L4 | 2.4L L4 |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic | 6-speed automatic | 5-speed automatic | 6-speed automatic | 6-speed automatic | 4-speed automatic |
| Power (hp @ rpm) | 182 @ 6,700 | 178 @ 5,700 | 185 @ 7,000 | 176 @ 6,000 | 155 @ 6,000 | 179 @ 6,000 |
| Torque (lb-ft @ rpm) | 172 @ 4,900 | 184 @ 2,500 | 163 @ 4,400 | 168 @ 4,000 | 150 @ 4,000 | 172 @ 4,000 |
| Drivetrain | FWD | AWD | AWD | AWD | AWD | AWD |
| Curb weight (kg) | 1696 | 1636 | 1564 | 1582 | 1499 | 1527 |
| Passenger volume (L) | 2822 | 2778 | 2949 | 2832 | 2897 | 3064 |
| Cargo space min/max (L) | 872 / 1,803 | 971 / 1,920 | 1,054 / 2,007 | 740 / 1,547 | 966 / 1,852 | 1,015 / 2,074 |