Professional Reviews

• “I found the Escape's handling to be stable, predictable, and the driving experience to be enjoyable.” — Canadian Driver
• “...snow traction was disappointing.” — Car and Driver
• “...faster [0-60 mph] than... the Honda Civic EX coupe, Kia Sportage, Nissan Xterra, Saab 9-5 wagon and Lexus RX 300.” — AutoWeek
• “...consumers who want the base four cylinder, front-wheel-drive model with an automatic transmission are out of luck.” — Canadian Driver
• “Burdened with people and gear, a four-cylinder Escape is bound to be rather weedy.” — Edmunds.com
• “First place (tie) [with the Mazda Tribute in 11-vehicle comparison].” — Car and Driver
• “Escape is two inches shorter than the [Ford] Focus sedan, but inside has... nearly as much interior room as an [Ford] Explorer.” — AutoWeek
• “If you want boxy, buy an Escape or a Mazda Tribute.” — The Detroit News
• “CR-V has only a four-cylinder engine." [Jeep] Cherokee has an optional six-cylinder with less horsepower but more torque.” — USA Today
• “Being able to see the leading edge of the hood from the driver's seat makes the Escape easier to maneuver in tight places, whether you're deep in the woods or (more likely) in a tight big-city garage.” — New Car Test Drive
• “Neither the Toyota [RAV4] nor the Honda [CR-V] offers an optional V-6, and the Escape's V-6, mated exclusively to an automatic transmission, is much livelier than the [Nissan] Xterra's.” — Automobile
• “...diminutive gas tank, which requires refilling every couple of days.” — Popular Mechanics
• “Ford Escape and the nearly identical Mazda Tribute may be the best small sport-utility vehicles sold today.” — New Car Test Drive
• “There's a rear liftgate with flip-up glass so you can quickly access the cargo area.” — Woman Motorist
• “Perversely, but typically for Ford, expensive leather upholstery was less comfortable than cloth.” — USA Today
• “...if we just had to have one more SUV, this is the one to welcome with open arms.” — Cars Everything
• “...likely to be the equal of the Chrysler P/T Cruiser as the darling of journalists and buyers alike.” — Cars Everything
• “...the Honda CR-V... looks dainty and dated by comparison.” — New Car Test Drive
• “The Ford Escape offers agile handling on both paved and unpaved roads. It rides smoothly and gets strong acceleration performance from an optional V6.” — New Car Test Drive
• “The Escape handles incredibly well, with none of the steering vagueness and ride tippiness that characterize so many SUVs, and its brakes are unusually strong.” — Automobile
• “...the easy-to-fold rear seatbacks, which can be lowered and raised one-handed...” — Popular Mechanics