There’s a lot that’s new and better about Ford’s refreshed compact utility vehicle.
Words and pictures by Clare Dear
Ford’s best-selling ute
If you’re contemplating the purchase of a compact utility vehicle, you’re not alone. CUVs and SUVs account for a third of all vehicle sales – 700,000 last year in Canada alone – and that proportion is expected to balloon to 40% by 2020. Within the SUV segment, compact models such as the Ford Escape are the hottest, accounting for 18 % of industry sales.
For Ford, a brand known for its truck/SUV-building expertise, its Escape is its best-selling ute, so you’d be wise to put this vehicle on your compact SUV shopping list. To sweeten its appeal, Ford has given the 2017 iteration numerous upgrades, including a fresh new look inside and out, new engines with advanced technologies, new levels of connectivity and additional driver-assist technologies. Three trim levels are offered: the base S, the mid-range SE, which is expected to account for 70% of Escape sales, and the top-of-the-line Titanium.
While the overall shape of the 2017 Escape differs little from the previous model (right), several changes are obvious. The front end has been freshened by replacing the grille with a bold new trapezoidal design, while the lower fascia and fog lamps have been revamped to complement the new grille, which is flanked by redesigned headlamp assemblies.
The new horizontal-bar grille, which reflects the new corporate look found on bigger siblings in Ford’s truck/SUV lineup, helps give the Escape a wider, more rugged look.
The headlight assemblies have been upgraded for 2017 with low-beam projector-type halogen lights. Strips of LED lights are available on the SE-trimmed model – they’re standard on the Titanium model.
Subtle new sculpting on the liftgate and redesigned tail-lamps help distinguish the 2017 Escape (right) from its predecessor.
Ford has responded to owners’ feedback by offering a stylish new Sport Appearance Package on its SE and Titanium models. The upgrade includes 19-inch black-painted alloy wheels, black-tinted tail lights, black-bezel halogen projector headlights with LED daytime running lights, gloss-black paint on the upper grille, side mirror caps, front and rear skid plates, black beltline moulding, black wheel-arch mouldings and black roof rack side rails. In the cabin, there is partial leather trim with contrasting stitching on the sport seats and a leather-wrapped gearshift knob and steering wheel.
Two wheel and tire combinations are offered. The premium black-painted 19-inch alloy rims shown here are included with the Sport package. They are fitted with P235/45R19 all-season blackwall tires. The standard rims are 17-inch aluminum-painted alloy rims with P235/55R17 all-season tires.
Consumer feedback has resulted in several improvements to the Escape’s interior for 2017, including more storage space and enhanced creature comforts. For example, the seats have been redesigned, with additional foam and bolstering – features occupants will appreciate on long drives. During 10-plus hours over two days on our test drive, neither my driving partner nor I had any complaints about the comfort level of the seats – our backs and butts were just fine. Especially impressive was the high level of quietness in the cabin. Ford engineers’ efforts to minimize road and wind noise has paid off – the Escape is among the quietest compact SUVs on the market.
The layout of the Escape’s instrument panel is very similar to the current model, with the instruments clustered under a hood in front of the driver. They are readily readable in daylight, as well as nighttime, with the large tachometer and speedometer separated by a handy driver information display screen and fuel and coolant temperature gauges. A large touchscreen dominates the upper centre stack, with climate controls located in the stack below.
The large display screen is the gateway to the Escape’s enhanced connectivity technologies. Its new SYNC3 system enables the user to interact with either voice commands or by tapping the screen. For iPhone users, the addition of SYNC Connect (free access for the first five years) allows Siri integration by simply using the “talk” button the steering wheel. The SYNC3 system also now supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – the first model in Ford’s lineup to have this feature – while the SYNC Connect technology opens the door to the available FordPass platform, which enables the owner to remotely check the Escape’s fuel level, lock and unlock the doors, start the vehicle or schedule a start time, all through a smartphone app.
While the upper portion of the instrument panel is basically unchanged, a lot has been altered lower down. Storage, for example has been improved, with a new glovebox door that’s more bin-like when opened, preventing the contents from spilling out. The handbrake and its bulky mechanical components, previously consuming precious space in the console, have been replaced by an electronic parking brake activated by a button.
With console space freed up by this change, the gearshift lever has been relocated rearward, allowing easier access to the climate controls, as well as allowing the addition of an additional storage slot at the base of the centre stack plus a lighted, front-mounted USB port and pocket for storing a cell phone, as well as a 12-volt power outlet. The cupholders have also been reconfigured – they now accommodate just about any type of cup or travel mug.
The increased space in the centre console has allowed the interior designers to rework the centre armrest and storage bin. It’s now longer, providing more comfort and support for the front-seat occupants, while the bin inside is larger. There’s also a new open storage bin in front of the armrest.
One of the reasons SUVs are growing in popularity so rapidly is their capacity for readily accommodating lots of cargo – or for a tailgate party. The Escape demonstrates this capability by providing 1,925 litres of cargo space with the 60/40-split rear seatback folded down. (With the seatback upright, there’s still 963 litres of space.) One feature that makes access to the Escape’s cargo area so easy is its available hands-free liftgate activation, enabling one to open or close the rear hatch door by simply swing a foot near the sensor located under the rear fascia.
Two new EcoBoost four-cylinder engines have been added to the 2017 Escape powertrain choices. In addition to the base engine – a 2.5-litre, 168-horsepower, naturally aspirated, double-overhead-cam four with intelligent variable valve control and sequential multiport injection, Ford is now offering a 1.5L, DOHC, turbocharged four (replacing the previous 1.6L four) that generates 179 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, as well as the 2.0L twin-scroll turbocharged four-cylinder that also powers the larger Ford Edge. This spirited four-banger kicks out 245 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque – the highest output in the compact utility segment.
When paired with the available Class II towing package, this engine is capable of hauling up to 3,500 pounds. All three engines are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions, with the two EcoBoost fours also including paddle shift levers on the steering wheel. The base 2.5L engine is only available in front-wheel drive configuration, while the other two can deliver their output through
front-wheel or all-wheel drive configurations.
The two new EcoBoost engines also feature auto stop-start technology, which shuts the engine off when the vehicle is stopped, then fires it up again automatically within half a second as the brake pedal is released. This technology reduces emissions and helps improve fuel economy – the 1.5L’s consumption rating with FWD is 10.2 L/100 km in city driving, 7.8 on the highway; the 2.0L with FWD is rated at 10.6 L/100 km city; 8.0 highway. With all-wheel drive, the ratings increase fractionally (1.5L: 10.7 city, 8.3 highway; 2.0L: 11.5 city, 8.7 highway.)
The base 2.5L four is rated at 11.1 city, 8.1 highway. During our two-day test run, which covered more than 900 kilometres on highways and up and down mountain grades in Banff and Jasper national parks, the 2.0L Escape Titanium AWD models we drove consumed fuel at an average rate of 10.2 L/100km. This powertrain had plenty of grunt for climbing and passing when requested; otherwise it cruised quietly on the open road. While I did not have an opportunity to drive the new 1.5L four, reports from colleagues indicated it was a very capable engine package as well.
There are several new driver-assist technologies available with the 2017 Escape that improve convenience and/or enhance safety, including adaptive cruise control, collision warning with brake support, lane keeping and blind spot warning systems, a driver alert warning system that signals when signs of driver fatigue are detected and enhanced parking assist, which provides steering assistance in parallel or perpendicular parking manoeuvres.
Canadian pricing for the 2017 Escape starts at $25,099 for the base FWD S model. The midrange SE starts at $27,599 in front-drive configuration while the premium Titanium model lists at $33,799. Adding all-wheel drive bumps up the SE and Titanium pricing by $2,200. (Destination and delivery charges on all models total $1,690.)
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