Ford Escape 2017

If there was a vehicle award for the most morphed car design, perhaps the new Ford Escape might be a potential winner.  You might recall the outgoing model was quite an upright square shape with rectangular lights.  Well, the 2017 Ford Escape has been designed to be in keeping with the much more streamlined outline of the smaller Ford Ecosport and its larger Ford Territory sibling.  The design is a winner, particularly if you are into the car-on-steroid look that some new SUVs seem to be acquiring.

So, if you were thinking that the latest Escape might have a Discovery or Landcruiser 4×4 shape similar to the old model, then you may be in for a surprise.  That said though, the new Ford Escape is the grown up version of the Ecosport and, therefore, retains the nice aerodynamic oval shaped roofline and spacious car-like interior.  Ride height is over 200 mm so it’s a useful gravel road hauler in AWD guise and is happy enough to venture down an off-road track to the beach – as long as it’s not too seriously hairy.

Hop inside any of the new Ford Escape models, and there is a good amount of leg and head room.  Even in the rear seats there is a comfortable space for long legs and tall torsos.  Slim line front seats enable more space for rear seat passengers, and when you think about what Ford had in mind for the new Escape, the family sized SUV interior is going to be a champ particularly for those Mums and Dads with school age kids.  You’ll enjoy the airy cabin that boasts plenty of natural light, and this is thanks to the large panoramic sunroof that takes up almost 50% of the roof space.  At the touch of a button the roof slides quietly open to reveal a fantastic view of the sky above.

Getting around town is a piece-of-cake because the new Escape provides a wide-angle reverse camera and Park Assist for those tight parking spots and narrow driveways.  If you’re a shopping nut, then the 60:40 split fold rear seats are able to accommodate a huge amount of cargo should the need arise, and there is excellent storage throughout the cabin which also includes cup and bottle holders.  With the rear seats in their upright position there is 400 litres of luggage space, accessible via an auto lifting tail gate.

Ford Escape Luggage Space

Ford Escape 2017

Safety features include a five-star safety rating with features like Lane Keeping, Emergency Brake Assist, a Ford IPS system, the full array of airbags, Hill Launch Assist, Dynamic Stability Control, an Anti-Lock Braking System, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Rollover Mitigation and a very effective Traction Control System.  Titanium models get the really cool adaptive cruise control feature.  Ford’s Intelligent Protection System uses sophisticated technology designed to help prevent an accident, so a Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Enhanced Active City Stop, adaptive Bi-Xenon HID headlamps, and a Forward Collision Alert system a part of the premium safety equipment.  Cruise control is standard on all Ford Escape models.

Techie stuff includes the new Ford Escape SYNC system which can be controlled via voice commands.   A seamless integration between your compatible smartphone via Apple CarPlay means that you can connect with Spotify, communicate with friends and do a whole lot more.  The 8-inch touchscreen features a redesigned interface that supports smartphone-like actions, such as swipe and pinch-to-zoom.

There are a range of models to choose from in the new 2017 Ford Escape range of SUV vehicles.  It all starts off with the Ambiente models which boast the talented new 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine.  The cheapest version comes with a slick six-speed manual gearbox, feeds the front wheels with power, and provides up to 240 Nm of torque between 1600 and 5000 rpm.  This version is very economical and sets out to defeat any rising prices at the fuel pump.  If more power is required, then the little EcoBoost engine is uprated to 134 kW, a considerable leap from the standard 110 kW motor.  A six-speed manual or six-speed auto feeds this FWD family SUV.

The Trend Escape will get you a choice between two petrol engines.  Petrol Trend 1.5-litre models use a 134 kW, 1.5-litre EcoBoost GTDi motor.  The big difference here is that you will get AWD traction alongside the SelectShift 6-Speed automatic transmission along with paddle shifters.  Just because there is loads more torque, I quite like the smooth 2.0-litre EcoBoost GTDi petrol motor.  Here you have 345 Nm of torque on tap between 2000 and 4500 rpm.  A paddle shift six-speed auto is linked to AWD traction, and the set-up is a relaxed and rewarding to drive.  The 2.0-litre Escape can show a clean pair of heels with this much torque and 178 kW of power available at 5500 rpm.

Titanium Ford Escape models run with the same 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine as described above, but with the Titanium you get the provision of a superb 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi turbo-diesel engine with 132 kW and 400 Nm available for AWD traction.  You also enjoy a very low fuel consumption – fuel consumption averages are capable of below 6 litres/100 km.

On the road the Ford Escape is comfortable and safe.  Even with FWD, the well sorted chassis copes with varying road conditions with ease.  All models are responsive both with power delivery and steering agility.

A wide variety of prestige paint colours are available for making your new 2017 Ford Escape a special machine that caters to your own tastes.  Charcoal black cloth trim is found in the Ambiente and Trend model trims, while the flagship Titanium comes with a charcoal/black leather accented seat trim.  The Titanium also gets a classy set of 19-inch alloy rims, while 18-inch is for the Ambiente and 17-inch for the Trend models.

With majorly improved fuel economy, reduced CO2 emissions and a lower overall cost of ownership, the stylish new Ford Escape will be loved by many.  For three years or 100,000km, whichever comes first, the Ford Escape is covered against any defects in factory materials or workmanship.  The Escape will change the way you look at a new SUV, and with so many features this is a stylish machine with a whole lot of modern talent.

Ford Escape 2017

The current Ford Escape models include the:

• Escape Ambiente
• Escape Trend
• Escape Titanium

For any more information on the latest Ford Escape models or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181.  If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Ford dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours.  Private Fleet – car buying made easy!