2012 Ford Escape Xlt 4d Sport Utility Review
The Auto Connection Expert Review
Editorial Managing director
October 25, 2011
Likes
- 34-mpg EPA city rating
- Rugged styling
- Leading infotainment features
Dislikes
- Dated dynamics
- Thrifty cabin trim
- Rear-seat leg room isn't excessive
Buying tip
features & specs
4WD 4-Door Hybrid
4WD 4-Door Hybrid Limited
4WD 4-Door Limited
If you're cracking on green in crossover form, the 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid earns good gas-mileage ratings, but its styling and handling are showing their age.
Information technology'due south been effectually the block, for certain, but the 2012 Ford Escape isn't your average eleven-year-onetime crossover vehicle. It'southward 1 of the best-selling of its kind, despite its age, thanks probably due to a trucklike appearance, a reasonable base price, an available Hybrid edition, and a good track record for safety and reliability.
Information technology doesn't hurt that the Escape looks like a seven/8ths-scale Explorer--first-generation, of course. While the other compact crossovers whizzing around the car earth range from truly cute utes to advanced pieces of sculpture, the Escape withal looks like a utility vehicle, with tall windows, bluff corners, and a chromey grille that's pure vintage Nineties, if such a affair can be. The blocky looks, in context, are an appealing counterpoint to all the jellybean-shaped crossovers introduced in the decade since it was new. The truckishness carries over within, in a less great way: all the shapes read cleanly and just, but they're clad in plastics that put durability over a quality look and feel. It's downright grainy in there, and looks especially low-rent in lighter colors.
Some Escapes are greener than others. For those who want to live upward the promise of the SUV torso, in that location's a V-6 with enough thrust to carry a total load of people and stuff. That'south not so much the instance with the base four-cylinder; they're fine as solo driver cars, and capable and refined enough for that kind of use. In either version, the half dozen-speed automatic's upwards to the chore, with very smooth shifting extracting amend fuel economy from these engines than they've produced in the by. The Escape Hybrid is our choice above all, thanks to a gas-electric drivetrain that tin prowl along quietly at highway speeds, weaving together battery and combustion ability, trimming fuel consumption to 34/31 mpg in front-bulldoze versions.
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On any version, the Escape's handling isn't bad, but it shows how much automakers accept learned most softening upward ride and sharpening upward treatment in crossovers in the xi years since the Escape took its get-go bow. The Escape feels tall, and trunk roll is a big office of its Yard.O. It also has more than ride harshness than some more suave crossovers; we'd laissez passer on four-bicycle-drive versions for their comparatively potent ride as a event.
The Escape's upright trunk grants it decent headroom, even though it has a relatively loftier floor. Information technology could apply a little more leg room and so four adults can sit in real comfort, merely the cargo surface area's pretty sizable, and the rear seats fold down almost all the way to boost storage chapters.
The Escape is no longer the safe standout information technology had been, at an before fourth dimension when robust, auto-based crossovers weren't the norm. The Insurance Plant for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the 2011 Escape "good" ratings for front end and side impact protection, just calls information technology "marginal" in its new roof-vanquish test. And in the new federal tests, the Escape gets an iffy iii stars out of five in all tests. The Escape has standard dual front, side and curtain airbags; anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control with rollover protection. It likewise offers Ford's MyKey system, which gives parents command over the vehicle'south top speed, book levels and other features, only lacks features similar a rearview photographic camera and bullheaded-spot monitors. Active park assist uses the Escape'due south electric power steering and sensors to guide the vehicle into a parallel parking spot, with the driver controlling braking.
Hybrids and gas Escape models akin tin be fitted with the virtually up-to-date infotainment features in the class, which ends up being the Escape'south saving grace: you can control the audio system and your phone through the SYNC system, plug in your iPod via USB to access your personal music library, or punch up some Sirius satellite radio for beamed-in radio--or traffic information, sports scores and conditions reports. Leather seats, a sunroof, remote first, navigation, Hard disk Radio and a rear-seat DVD entertainment arrangement are major options.
The 2012 Ford Escape lives up to its name, offering an quondam-mode SUV silhouette that'southward a departure from smoother modernistic designs.
Stylistically, the 2012 Ford Escape looks and feels like one of the concluding survivors of a dying brood; in shape and even design details, the Escape still looks like a 7/8th-calibration, 1990s-era Explorer, and its appearance has been dated for so long that information technology almost looks fashionable over again (too bad, as this torso style is to be replaced this year).
The squared-off countenance, alpine glass areas, and somewhat rounded details that the Escape has had in different means for many years take it looking similar a utility vehicle, with its blocky looks an appealing counterpoint to all the jellybean-shaped crossovers of contempo years.
The truckishness carries over inside, in a less great way: all the shapes read cleanly and simply, but they're clad in plastics that put durability over a quality wait and feel. It's downright grainy in there, and looks especially depression-rent in lighter colors. The center stack is taller and more than upright, a metaphor for the rest of the vehicle, and on vehicles with the navigation system it harbors a big, brilliant LCD screen that contrasts heavily with the remainder of the cockpit, even before yous creepo upwards the bright lights on its Settings console.
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The 2012 Ford Escape doesn't handle as well equally more modern crossover models, but its powertrains are respectable and the Hybrid remains a tech leader.
The Escape come in three different powertrain flavors--four-cylinder, V-6, and Hybrid--and for those who desire to live upwards the hope of the SUV trunk, the 240-hp V-6 is the choice as it has enough thrust to conduct a full load of people and stuff. That's not so much the example with the base of operations four-cylinder; they're fine every bit solo commuter cars, and capable and refined enough for that kind of use.
With the 171-horsepower four-cylinder on board, the Escape struggles to hit 60 mph in about nine seconds, if we're splitting the difference between Ford's bourgeois estimates and those from the enthusiast mags. The transmission transmission isn't particularly pleasing to row, according to some reviewers; we've been unable to rails down a test vehicle in this configuration. But in either version, the six-speed automated'south up to the job, with very smooth shifting extracting better fuel economic system from these engines than they've produced in the past.
The Escape Hybrid is our choice in a higher place all, thanks to a gas-electrical drivetrain that can cruise forth quietly at highway speeds, weaving together bombardment and combustion ability, trimming fuel consumption to 34/31 mpg in front end-drive versions. It feels more refined and somewhat more responsive than base of operations iv-cylinder versions too. It can run but on electrical ability upward to almost 25 mph, and with that in mind and the free energy-consumption screen dialed upwards on its nuance, getting the Escape into its highest country of efficiency tin become an interesting driving game, for the true geeks among us.
On any version, the Escape'south treatment isn't bad, but it shows how much automakers have learned about softening up ride and sharpening upwardly treatment in crossovers in the dozen years since the Escape took its first bow. The Escape feels tall, and trunk roll is a big function of its Thousand.O. Information technology likewise has more ride harshness than some more suave crossovers; we'd laissez passer on four-bicycle-drive versions for their comparatively stiff ride as a result.
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The 2012 Ford Escape has more space within than almost other crossovers its size, just there are plenty of reminders that this is an aging design.
While the overall package of the Ford Escape hasn't changed in nearly a dozen years, it saw a virtually-complete renovation for the 2008 model year--getting all-new materials and trims inside--and then its interior stands equally competitive. Fit and cease are a step down from the best vehicles in this class, merely the boxy trunk affords a roomier, more versatile interior than yous might judge.
4 adults volition find plenty of seating room inside the Escape, and the upright configuration grants it decent headroom, even though information technology has a relatively loftier floor. Even with an optional sunroof, the head room in the forepart seat and even in the back bench are at least adequate. Seat comfort is good, too; the perches were reshaped, with firmer cushions, during the final rounds of improvements. Longer seat tracks for the forepart passenger chairs would be welcome, but that would probably hateful a petty less leg room for the rear seat--and information technology'southward not overwhelming in its space, though it's not bad.
Cargo space is impressive--once again mainly due to the boxy shape. At 29 cubic feet of storage space, there's more than some mid-sizers.
The glaring upshot within the Escape'southward cabin isn't room, it's fit and finish, and even and so, more than on the stop side. The interior styling itself looks fine: the plastics used almost everywhere that give this ute a slight downmarket feel. It'south partly an age factor at work, but given the extreme makeover nosotros've seen within the Dodge Journey, the Escape's cabin is disappointing.
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Ride quality likewise shows the age of the Ford Escape design; in that location's a lot more nosedive nether hard braking, besides as fore-and-aft motions on bumpy roads, than you'll notice elsewhere in crossovers its size.
Although the 2012 Escape offers some reassuring safety features, information technology shows its historic period in some worrisome occupant protection scores.
The Escape is no longer the safety standout it had been, at an earlier time when robust, motorcar-based crossovers weren't the norm.
The Insurance Found for Highway Safe (IIHS) says the 2011 Escape offers "good" protection against front and side impacts; in its roof crush rating, the Escape earned a "marginal" rating, which keeps it off the Height Safety Pick list information technology in one case belonged to. And in the new federal tests, the Escape gets an iffy three stars out of 5 in all tests. The Escape has standard dual front end, side and pall airbags; anti-lock brakes, traction and stability command with rollover protection.
Ford's MyKey system, which gives parents control over the vehicle's summit speed, volume levels and other features, is bachelor in the 2012 Escape, only information technology a rearview photographic camera or blind-spot monitors. Active park assist uses the Escape's electric ability steering and sensors to guide the vehicle into a parallel parking spot, with the driver controlling braking.
Visibility remains a bright spot, as glass areas are tall and headrests don't get all that much in the way. The Escape's squared-off styling is also an nugget for maneuverability and visibility, and the rearview side mirrors take blind-spot corners for a wide-angle view.
At that place's nothing dated about the 2012 Ford Escape'due south feature ready; several of its options are tech standouts in its class.
Hybrids and gas Escape models akin tin be fitted with the almost up-to-date infotainment features in the form, which ends up being the Escape's saving grace: you lot can command the audio organisation and your phone through the SYNC system, plug in your iPod via USB to access your personal music library, or punch up some Sirius satellite radio for beamed-in radio--or traffic information, sports scores and weather reports.
Base versions tin be quite lean in their standard equipment, but all include the usual power features, cruise control, and an AM/FM/CD player. Additionally, leather seats, a sunroof, remote commencement, navigation, Hard disk drive Radio and a rear-seat DVD entertainment organization are major options on higher trim levels, but the new MyFord Impact arrangement, which replaces many buttons with touchscreen commands, isn't offered on the Escape.
The Escape also can be fitted with an Active Park Assist function that uses cameras, sensors and the electronic power steering system to steer into a parallel parking spot past itself, while the driver rides the brake pedal as a precaution.
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V-six models of the 2012 Ford Escape are among the thirstier picks, but the Escape Hybrid is one of the greenest crossovers at any price.
With three engines, iii transmissions, and front- or all-bicycle drive, the 2012 Ford Escape runs the gamut between very greenish and somewhat thirstier than typical.
The EPA rates the base Escape four-cylinder, with front-cycle-drive and a manual transmission, at 23/28 mpg. But by the time you add all-bicycle drive, and the V-6, ratings drop to xviii/23 mpg--making information technology one of the thirstier vehicles in this class.
The Hybrid does much, much better. It's rated at 34/31 mpg, but calculation in all-wheel drive, with its mechanical traction system, lowers that to xxx/27 mpg.
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Source: https://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/ford_escape_2012