drzoidberg

http://carrentingreviews.com/2012/06...-sel-awd-2-0l/

IFAR
21/28

PROS:

- Puts the old Ford Escape to shame; handsome exterior
- 2.0L EcoBoost exceptionally smooth, snappy
- High quality interior, door/dashboard composed of soft touch materials
- More knee/hip room for driver and front passenger due to redesigned console area
- Fantastic brakes, firm suspension
- Redundant physical audio buttons on SEL trim; physical buttons for heated seats

CONS:

- Center stack mounted lateral HVAC vents limit driver’s access to touchscreen
- Steering a little too light, could use more feedback
- EcoBoost engine can be slightly noisy under hard acceleration, though quiets down when cruising
- Makes me wish National had bought the Titanium trim

CONCLUSION: If I were to stop renting cars today, I would buy a 2013 Ford Escape. That’s how much I enjoyed driving it.

Also, I liked it much better than the BMW X3 I previously rented. Better interior fit and finish, more tech gizmos, comparable handling and twin turbo 4.

dwbf11

Going to bump this up...

The 2013 Escape has some of the worst seats I have ever experienced in a car, ever. Too short (seat bottom stopped mid-thigh, and I'm not even 6 feet tall), lumpy back support, absolutely horrific. I had to return mid-rental.

Would not recommend this to anyone for a long trip of any kind. Everyone who rode in the front was sore after less than an hour in the seat.

It's too bad because I really wanted to like the new model. I'll never rent one again!

drzoidberg

That's really surprising! They're very similar to the ones on the Focus, and I loved them both. I'm over 6'.

Sorry to hear that.

dtremit

I'm wondering if it might vary by trim level? I had an SEL this week and found it very comfortable, and I'm a big guy and 6'2". dwbf11, what trim level did you rent?

The SEL I picked up at DTW was fitted with the panoramic roof -- definitely a nice touch. Quite liked the car overall. Were there about an inch more shoulder room, I might well end up with one of these as a daily driver. I'm hopeful that the next Edge will go in this direction.

My mileage dropped as low as 17 in stop-and-go traffic, but ended up averaging ~21 in the end.

I did have a few missed button presses on the steering wheel audio controls, but it may have just been me hitting the 'd-pad' wrong.

dwbf11

Mine was an SEL as well, with Panoramic roof, etc. Really wanted to make it work but couldn't.

dtremit

Hmm...if it was dark gray, and you left it with about 220 miles, it might well have been the same car Of all the Escapes I saw at DTW, that was the only one with the panoramic roof.

dwbf11

This was at BWI.

Tuneman1984

Had an Escape Titanium for the day at YYZ in June. I didn't even know what it was at first when I saw it on the aisle! It really caught a lot of attention; both my old landlord and his neighbour came over to look at it at different times.

I thought I wasn't going to like the turbo I-4 but it wasn't bad. I still don't know entirely how I feel about dropping the V6; I just feel a vehicle of that size needs the torque of a 6 and it isn't just about horsepower which a turbo engine can certainly provide. I also noticed a detectable amount of turbo lag when you go to apply passing power, something I haven't noticed since the days of the Audi 5000S and the Pontiac 2000 Sunbird...

Overall it's a great vehicle and would be high on my list. My partner, a diehard Forester fan, actually came out and said she'd prefer the new Escape, after just ONE DAY.

3Cforme

I had forgotten this comment when I picked out an Escape SEL from the ES earlier this week. I'll agree with dwbf11 on this, with the qualifier that it may be a problem for the wide-bottomed male. The short bottom cushion and generously radiused left corner mean the left thigh can see very little support.

I found the ride busy, and noise levels a little high, particularly on coarse pavement. Steering is direct and quick enough (generally good things) to make the handling darty. This is not a relaxing ride.

National cheaped out and didn't get cargo shade. I expect people traveling at typical Midwest highway speeds will fail to achieve the 28 mpg (EPA highway) rating of the 2.0 AWD; I got top scores from the driving minder and couldn't, even at Oregon speeds.

The ecoboost 2.0L made it a hoot over my frequent-elevation-changing route, but I wouldn't take an Escape again for a long trip.

dwbf11

Hey! Who are you calling wide-bottomed? LOL

I can tell you it was not just me (and that I do not have a particularly wide bottom!). Everyone with me found the seats uncomfortable.

3Cforme

Well, now I've disclosed my build!

I could see how the back seats would be uncomfortable, too: low to the floor (yielding a knees-up position and so no weight on thigh bottoms), short bottom cushion, little padding, vertical backrest, and forward vision obscured by front seat headrests.

moeykang

Just returned a Brown Escape SEL in Toronto. All in all, loved the vehicle. I think it's putting all the cars in its class to shame with good acceleration, braking and comfort level. Could be because it was an SEL.

Just as a side note. The custom officers at the border had a kick with kicking the back door open, if you get my drift.

drzoidberg

What?! An SEL with the kick-power-liftgate?! lucky.

ibrandsguest

I rented a 2013 Escape from CLT this weekend and it was great! It had a panoramic roof and the seats were very comfortable.

It had something called "MyKey" that would sign a warning bell when the speed got above 70, and the max was 80. That's a good thing.

I am looking forward to having a 2013 Fusion sometime as well. I'd also strongly consider buying the 2013 Escape after my experience.

drzoidberg

I think you're the only one on this board who actually likes MyKey.

Did you have a Titanium trim Escape?