First introduced seven years ago as the corporate stable mate of the Mazda Tribute, the five passenger '08 Escape has been given a full body make-over that brings it stylistically into line with its bigger brother in the Ford camp; the Expedition.
The compact SUV displays a more aggressive stance, evident in its rugged grille, bulging fender flares and 17-inch chrome clad alloy wheels fitted with all season tires. And with 8.1 inches of ground clearance and available all-wheel-drive, the Escape backs up its design with real-world functionality.
There are three trim levels; the base XLS and up rated XLT but we had the pleasure of driving the top of the line Limited edition that brings to the mix a number of special attributes both inside and out.
While the lesser trims come equipped with your choice of 4cylinder engine and manual or auto transmission, the Limited comes only with the 3.0 Liter 200 horse power V6, mated to a four-speed automatic Overdrive-transmission. And all models, except the base XLS can be equipped with All-Wheel-Drive.
EPA numbers for the 6-cylinder Limited model we drove are 17 Miles PerGallon City and 22 Highway.
Braking is provided by an ABS front disc/rear drum system and traction and stability control are employed as well.
Access to the rear cargo is provided by the 60/40 split rear folding seats or via the rear lift-gate that includes a separately opening glass panel. Cargo space is 29 cubic feet behind the rear seats or 66 with the seats folded flat.
Another feature on our test Escape was the 320-Watt entertainment system that shared space in the center console with Ford's DVD based navigation system. Leather seats and leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel round out interior appointments.
MSRP for the base XLS Escape is $18,770 with our top of the line Limited model starting at $23,770. All 08 Escapes come with the factory 3 year/ 36,000 mile warranty.
For around town or the occasional off-road "escape" to the country...the newly redesigned Ford Escape may be just the right choice for your next compact expedition.