Fred Beans Ford Lincoln of Doylestown

Powertrains and Performance
All trim levels of the non-hybrid 2012 Ford Escape can be had with either front- or all-wheel drive. A 171-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is standard, with a 240-hp 3.0-liter V6 optional on all but the XLS. The 2.5 can be fitted with either a five-speed manual transmission (XLS only) or a six-speed automatic. The V6 comes only with the automatic transmission. Properly equipped, the Escape V6 can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

The Escape's fuel economy with the four-cylinder, six-speed auto and front-wheel drive is 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined. All-wheel drive drops that to 20/26/22 mpg. The front-wheel-drive six-cylinder Escape returns an estimated 19/25/21 mpg, while all-wheel drive gets 18/23/20 mpg.  Edmunds testing found a V6-equipped model delivered adequate performance, running from zero to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds.

The Escape Hybrid features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine teamed with a battery-powered electric motor; combined they produce 177 hp. Power is sent through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that provides seamless transitions between gas and electric modes. All-wheel-drive (AWD) models come with an additional electric motor to power the rear wheels when additional acceleration or traction is needed.


Safety
Antilock brakes, traction control, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length curtain-type airbags are all standard on the 2012 Ford Escape.

In the government's new, more stringent crash tests introduced for 2011 (which can't be compared to previous years' tests), the Escape earned an overall rating of three stars (out of five) for its protection in frontal-impact, side-impact and rollover tests. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing, the Escape scored the highest rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset and side-impact tests. The IIHS's roof strength test resulted in a score of "Marginal."

Unfortunately the Escape is hampered by poor braking performance. From 60 mph, the last Escape we tested stopped in a lackluster 154 feet; that's about 30 feet longer than the average class performance. Brake fade was also encountered, with stopping distances increasing with each run thereafter.

Interior Design and Special Features
The Escape's interior is generally attractive, and the center stack consists of neatly grouped buttons that are designed to work specifically with Ford's Sync system. This electronics interface connects with your cell phone and MP3 player, allowing you to control them through voice commands.

In terms of comfort and space, though, the Escape feels its age. Up front, the seating position is too tall, which gives the driver the feeling of hovering above the controls, and there's no telescoping steering wheel. The bottom cushion of the backseat is flat in order to promote a flat load floor when the seated is folded forward, and the seat is devoid of the reclining backrest or fore/aft adjustments seen in vehicles from the competition.

Cargo space stands at 29 cubic feet (28 cubes for the Hybrid) behind the second-row seats and 66 cubic feet with the second row folded down. Folding the second row is a hassle, as the headrests must be removed and the bottom cushions tumbled forward before the seatbacks can be flipped down, a design that ensures a flat load floor.

 The electric-assist power steering makes parking and low-speed maneuvers easy, and the suspension is smoother over rough pavement than older Escapes. Acceleration from all engines is adequate, though the V6 isn't as energetic as the more powerful mills found in the Equinox and RAV4.