2017 Ford Escape

An instant hit amongst the masses after the makeover, the 2017 Ford Escape is known for its agility and sporty demeanor. The Escape takes on Ford's practical, economical, and reliable nature, with its mid-cycle update the brings in a host of new safety features that include an automatic parking system, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control amongst others. It also gets 2 new engine options to counterbalance the dearth of power from the 2.5L NA engine.

For a starting price of MSRP $23,750, the variety of engine options offered is no small feat. In fact, the twin-turbo 2.0L block is able to even thrust the 2017 Escape from 0-60 MPH in under seven seconds. Don't be fooled by the Escape's sleek and tapered exterior layout, as with one of the best wheelbases in the segment, the Escape's compact exterior does not necessarily reciprocate inside the cabin. Rivals of the Ford Escape include the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and Toyota RAV4.

Ford offers the 2017 Escape in three trim levels, namely the S, Se, and the top-of-the-line Titanium. Prices for the same start from an MSRP of $23,750 for the base S trim, and go up to $29,250 for the fully-loaded Titanium trim. Further coming to the engine configurations at hand, the base trim is reserved to be offered with the 2.5L NA 4-cylinder engine only, while the other trims get to enjoy the turbocharged variants on offer too, wherein the 1.5L turbocharged unit is the standard one, and the 2.0L unit is the optional one.

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With all the trims in question, decked up to the brim with the flashiest features possible in the compact SUV segment, it turns out to be difficult for us to choose one. Nevertheless, having said that, the SE trim, at its best for an MSRP of $25,250, has particularly caught our attention, as apart from standard features on offer, especially on the creature comfort side, it also gets two optional turbocharged engines powering it through. Further, Ford also offers various stand-alone packages with the 2017 Escape, which makes it that much more worthy of the money you shell out.

Extremely quite and smooth, the 1.5 accelerates to freeway speeds with acceptable gusto, even with three adults aboard - Car and Driver

2017 Ford Escape Engine and Transmission-

The 2017 Ford Escape comes with over three engine configurations, the most offered by any compact SUV in this class. The first and most basic is the standard 2.5L NA Inline-4 engine offered with only the base S trim. This puts out a reasonable 168 hp and 70 lb-ft of torque. The rest of the trim lineup is offered with a new turbocharged 1.5L EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine enough to put up 179 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque.

In addition to the two engines mentioned above, the 2017 Escape also has a 2.0L turbocharged EcoBoost engine on standby, which is privy to only the top-most two trims. This when equipped in the Escape belts out a great 245 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. All of the mentioned engines are coupled with a rather impressive 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

Coupling the two, the whole lot of the power is either sent to the front or all the wheels in the SE and Titanium trims, although the base S trim is available only in the FWD setup. Coming to the competition at hand, Mazda CX-5 turns out to be the top performer in this compact SUV class in terms of outright power figures, although for a whole $600 more than the Escape.

2017 Ford Escape 0-60 MPH and Acceleration

The 2017 Ford Escape manages to sprint from 0-60 MPH in just 9.1 seconds. Now as it is evident from the table above, the power figures put up by the 2017 Escape are the lowest compared to the rest of the segment, which explains the lower acceleration figures. Taking on freeway overtaking, might prove out to be a cumbersome job for the base 2017 Escape, as it's not adequately apt for that sort of thing.

Although fret not, as the turbocharged engines in the lineup offer you with the outright power desired to take on such overtaking maneuvers. Especially, with the 2.0L turbocharged unit on point, the 2017 Escape is good enough to do an under 7-second time from 0-60 MPH.

2017 Ford Escape Handling and Braking

The turbocharged engines on offer make the 2017 Escape one of the go-to choices in this compact SUV segment for an inspired ride and handling dynamics. Taking on corners in this SUV is a bit challenging, with adequate body-roll courtesy of its heft. Nevertheless, with electronic torque vectoring in play, cornering with the heft seems to be engaging as well. The steering input is sharp while taking on major bumps is adequately smooth as well with the help of a well-tuned suspension.

Coming to the braking figures at hand, with 12.8-inch front rotor discs and 12.0-inch rear ones, the 2017 Ford Escape takes the least distance to come to a stop, i.e 112 ft. It renders it to be the best in the segment.

The 2017 Ford Escape is able to deliver 21 MPG in the city and 29 miles to the gallon out on the highway with the base 2.5L engine block and the FWD setup. Even with the base engine setup, the 2017 Escape turns out to be the least fuel-efficient SUV of the lot. The turbocharged engine units aren't any better too. The 1.5L EcoBoost engine will deliver 23 and 30 MPG in the city and highway respectively, and 22 and 28 MPG with the AWD setup.

Then there is the 2.0L EcoBoost turbocharged engine, which with the FWD setup delivers 22 MPG in the city and 29 miles to the gallon out on the highway, whereas with the AWD setup, those numbers go down by 2 MPG. It's 15.7-gallon fuel tank is also enough to take it out to 455 miles out on a stretch.

The 2018 Ford Escape features one of the more upscale interiors among compact SUVs. The design is attractive and there are quality materials throughout - Cars.usnews.com

2017 Ford Escape Interior Seating and Infotainment-

The 2017 Ford Escape's interior is plush and filled up to the brim with the latest creature comforts. Although having said that, it fails to match up to the interior layouts of some of its counterparts such as the 2017 CX-5. The Escape seats in 5 average-sized adults in power-adjustable seats upholstered in cloth for the base trims and even leather for the higher trims. It also receives a major plastic interior treatment, which is a letdown.

For everyday use, the Escape's interior space is right up there with the rest of the major SUV players. Ingress and egress have also been made easy by the big wide opening doors. In the cargo-space department, the 2017 Ford Escape can slide in enough suitcases for a weekend getaway, courtesy of the great 34.3 cu. ft cargo capacity. There is also a two-position load floor for a versatile cargo storing mechanism.

Infotainment-wise, the 2017 Ford Escape gets the same 8-inch touchscreen system although now with the Ford's latest Sync 3 interface. It is one of the easiest and the most intuitive interfaces to use. The Sync-3 interface also provides internet connectivity with the Sync Connect app. For 2017, Ford has always made Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

Some of the interior features on offer are-

• AM/FM/CD player with 6 speakers
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• 110-volt power outlet
• 10-way power front passenger seat
• HD radio
• Manually tilt/telescopic steering wheel

It obviously takes its inspiration from hatchbacks, running shoes, and outdoor gear - The Car Connection

The 2017 Ford Escape gets a minor makeover from top to bottom. The best-selling crossover gains some more visual refinement in the front end with better-designed LED lights and a new grille. Bold and heavily styled, the 2017 Escape gets 17-inch alloys as standard, which can be also optioned for 19-inch ones available through packages in the higher trims.

Character lines are crisper and clean this time around flowing along the sides. On the downside, Kentucky-built Escape has close to nothing in terms to offer through the exterior design department when compared to the best looker in the segment-the Mazda CX-5. Nevertheless, the hexagonal grille structure and the front fenders do bring out the subtle Ford styling cues, that were missing in the previous iterations.

Dimension-wise the 2017 Escape is lowered by 0.1-inches in terms of ground clearance compared to the previous iteration, which makes no difference, as it is still the segment-best, which allows it to wade through small boulders and large bumps with relative ease. It also has one of the longest wheelbases in the segment, which allows it to have an above-average cabin space.

Ford never fails to offer its offerings with the latest in terms of active and passive safety features. Now for the 2017 MY, the compact SUV Escape is treated with an even better driver-assistance feature list, that now includes an updated automatic parking system, lane-keeping assist, and much more. Banking on those systems, the 2017 Escape gets a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and an honorable Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.

Some of the safety features on offer are-

• Forward Collision warning
• Lane keep assist
• Adaptive cruise control
• Rearview camera
• AdvanceTrac with RSC (Roll Stability Control) and Curve Control
• SOS Post-Crash Alert System
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System

If you want a compact SUV that is an all-rounder in terms of performance, outright and upscale interiors, and a consumer-friendly price tag, then the 2017 Ford Escape is the way to go. Moreover, with numerous updates being given to the Escape, Ford has rightly delivered us an SUV that can easily take up on the veteran CR-V and RAV4 quite easily. It is totally worth it, for its value for money factor alone.

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2017 Ford Escape FAQs

Does the 2017 Ford Escape have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Yes for 2017, Ford has introduced both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard with the Escape.

What is the starting price of the 2017 Ford Escape?

Available in 3 trims, the 2017 Ford Escape starts from an MSRP of $23,750 for the base S trim, whereas the top-end Titanium trim is priced at $29,250.

Where is the 2017 Ford Escape built?

The Ford Escape is manufactured and assembled in Ford's Kentucky plant based in the US.