I’ve been driving a 2001 Escape for the last couple of years – and I love it. Of course, there are a few things about the vehicle that can drive you crazy – more later. Last year I rented a 2003 model and noticed a lot of improvements, so I was hoping for a continuation of that trend with the 2004 model. Recently I was on a business trip and had an opportunity to rent a 2004 Escape for a week. ”I wonder what changes they’ve made?” thought I , “perhaps they took note of my consumer response surveys and all my epinions and fixed something”. And perhaps not .. so read on. This is pretty much a rehash of the 2003 review. As far as I could tell, Ford made no major changes between 2003 and 2004 except for jiggering around with the pricing and the packaging bundles on the XLT. It also breaks my heart to say that the Chrome Yellow body is no longer an option > may it rest in peace.
The Market
Originally targeted at the low-end market ($18-25k) the Escape, and its competitors are digging into the low-end of regular SUV sales (Explorer) as well as replacing the family sedan and station wagon. This section of the market is growing rapidly and is putting a smile on your local Ford dealers face. The mini-SUVs, as they are now called, are bringing this kind of vehicle into new territory. When Ford initially launched the Escape several years ago they estimated that 44% of buyers are women, and nearly 2/3rds are new Ford customers.
The Engine
I drove a 2004 Ford Escape XLT 4 by 4 with a three-litre engine and four-speed automatic transmission. Pay attention to the size of the engine – bigger is better. The 3.0L 24 valve Duratec V6 makes for a zippy ride, serving up 201 horses and 196 pound-feet of torque. Certainly enough to rack up a respectable 8.8 seconds for 0-60mph. Pullaway from lights is more than respectable and I had no problems merging onto high-speed interstates or overtaking slower-moving cars when needed. The engine does get a bit noisy at around 80-85mph, but that probably has much to do with the body construction as the mechanics of the engine itself. The Escape can tow up to 3500 pounds, although I have no direct experience of towing anything with either my 2001 model or this 2004.
You do have the option for the lower-price models of getting a 2.0L manual engine. This magnificent animal offers 127 horsepower and is woefully underpowered for the vehicle. Can you say ‘acceleration of a dead sheep” ?
Fuel economy is average at best. I experienced 15-16mpg driving around the city, and about 21mpg on the highway. Which brings me to one of the largest drawbacks of the Ford Escape - THE GAS TANK IS TOO SMALL. Fitting 14 gallons on a good day, you get an effective range of just under 200 to 250 miles. Our local gas station attendant knows me by name. Ford claim it’s a 16 gallon tank, but I just don’t believe them.
Handling
I drove the 2004 Escape in rain, sun and snow. My experience is that the car sticks to the road very nicely and I never had any indication of it being topheavy or leaning in turns. The 4WD gives you that extra traction in the snow and rain, although you shouldn't rely on it when everyone else is fishtailing around you. In regular weather the Escape is fun to drive, although the ride and road noise can get a little wearing on you for trips of more than four hours.
The Interior
Wow. The interior has changed from 2001. The controls are all in the same place, although it’s nice to see that all the rocker switches for power-windows and locking are now illuminated instead of just the single switch for the drivers door. A pet peeve fixed !! However, the gearshift level on the steering column still tends to obscure the radio controls and the ignition is still tough to find in the dark.
The Escape is really the Mazda Tribute in disguise, which accounts for the better than average cheap-Ford care styling inside. As opposed to the 2001 which has cheap plastic everywhere, the interior plastic and panels have been upgraded, and my rental proffered a pleasant two-tone cabin color scheme.
Despite all these minor annoyances, when it comes right down to it, there is a lot of room in these Escapes. The rear seat can be folded down in a 40/60 split (and remember to remove the headrests and tuck them under the front seats before you start) yielding 65 cuft3 of space. The rear seat is also roomy, I managed to fit three six-footers in the back without anyone’s knees getting damaged. As an additional data point, with the 40%-section down I managed to fit four people, two sets of skis, two snowboards and boots etc . in the back. Just make the skis are 180cm or less.
Safety
Dual front air bags are standard on all models. The XLS comes with optional four-wheel antilock brakes. The XLT and Limited styles have ABS as standard. Side airbags are optional on the XLS and XLT, and standard on the Limited, which also has a reverse sensing system – very useful for parallel parking and making sure you don’t run over your boss who is senselessly standing behind the vehicle. Government Crash Test Results
Although I had no-one hit me in my 2004 rental , my 2001 Excape has been through the wars. After numerous minor fender benders, parking lot nudges and dings the car has escaped with no material damage at all - the bodywork is actually more robuets than one would expect.
Reliability
My Ford Escape has never left me FORD (Found On Road Dead) so I should be grateful for that. The Escape has traditionally been one of the most recalled vehicles around – although never for anything really incredibly stupid or dangerous. My friends in the car rental business tell me that their fleets actually age well, although at around 35,000 miles (this is for a 2003) they need a fairly comprehensive overhaul that can easily exceed $1,000 for the general public.
Competition
If you are looking at this car, check out the Honda CRV, Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota RAV4 and Saturn Vue. You should also look at the Nissan Xterra and Jeep Liberty if you want something a little rougher and more rugged..
Specifications (from Edmunds)
Exterior
Length: 173 in. Width: 70.1 in.
Height: 69.1 in. Wheel Base: 103.1 in.
Ground Clearance: 7.8 in. Curb Weight: 3346 lbs.
Gross Weight: 4520 lbs.
Interior
Front Head Room: 40.4 in. Front Hip Room: 53.4 in.
Front Shoulder Room: 56.3 in. Rear Head Room: 39.2 in.
Rear Shoulder Room: 55.9 in. Rear Hip Room: 49 in.
Front Leg Room: 42.7 in. Rear Leg Room: 36.4 in.
Luggage Capacity: 33.1 cu. ft. Maximum Cargo Capacity: 65 cu. ft.
Maximum Seating: 5
Performance
Base Number of Cylinders: 6 Base Engine Size: 3 liters
Base Engine Type: V6 Horsepower: 201 hp
Max Horsepower: 5900 rpm Torque: 196 ft-lbs.
Max Torque: 4700 rpm Maximum Payload: 1174 lbs.
Maximum Towing Capacity: 3500 lbs. Drive Type: 4WD
Turning Circle: 35.4 ft.
Fuel
Fuel Tank Capacity: 16 gal.
EPA Mileage Estimates: (City/Highway)
Automatic: : 18 mpg / 23 mpg
Range in Miles: (City/Highway)
Automatic: 288 mi. / 368 mi.
The Bottom Line
Aside from a pea-sized gas tank and a little more road noise than you’d expect I can’t find a reason not to recommend this mini-SUV if you’re in the market. The 2004 model sports several improvements over the 2001 version, mainly cosmetic, and offers you a sporty, zippy ride. Its not the SUV to buy if you will be spending a lot of time off-road as the 4WD is more for show than necessity, but you can comfortably fit 5 in the vehicle, feel safe driving around town and the highway and know that it is reliable enough to get you there.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 27000
Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: XLT
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