2020 ford escape desert gold11/28/2023 ![]() ![]() Body roll is reasonably contained, though the efficiency-oriented Bridgestone Ecopia tires on most of my test cars allowed a fair amount of slippage through sweeping curves. Some will find feedback too numb, but the SUV’s nose reorients with decisive quickness, a historic strength for the Escape. ![]() That, in turn, could drive up operating costs: A gallon of premium gas averages 23 percent more than regular as of this writing, per AAA.Ģ020 Ford Escape Titanium | photo by Kelsey Mays Handling and Ride QualityĪs before, the Escape steers with light effort but a quick ratio. Because the 1.5-liter engine’s power proved barely sufficient at times even with such fuel, 87-octane gasoline might not cut it, depending on your needs. Ford officials confirmed that all of my test vehicles had 93 octane. Given the change in spark timing, it’s likely both engines lose some horses when running on regular gas (when AAA tested several cars in 2017 for premium versus regular fuel, power increased 1 to 2 percent on average, depending on the test). Ford declined to give power ratings with regular fuel at the time of my drive. Powertrain manager Mary Bourke said the engines run fine on 87-octane regular fuel, and none of the fuel doors on multiple test cars I checked had labels calling for premium. One important caveat: Ford rates horsepower and torque figures for both engines using 93-octane premium gasoline, officials said. (The selector also has Slippery and Deep Snow/Sand programs.) ![]() Even so, this is the way the 2.0-liter Escape should behave by default I wish Ford tuned the Normal mode for more fun, leaving the drive-mode selector’s Eco mode to provide higher efficiency. A driver-selectable Sport mode removes the stubbornness, though it doubtless penalizes fuel efficiency. The new eight-speed resists downshifts while in motion until the accelerator is halfway to the floor. It’s less peaky than the outgoing turbo 2.0-liter Escape, but I miss the latter SUV’s responsive six-speed automatic. With three adults and AWD, the 2.0-liter Escape made quick work of Kentucky’s narrow backroads, with a gratifying band of torque that starts early and ends late. Those who plan to carry such loads regularly should step up to the turbo 2.0-liter engine, which makes 250 hp. The start-off lag became pronounced, and even at full steam, the engine struggled to pull the SUV up to speed. With the optional all-wheel drive (which added around 170 pounds) and a third adult (rude to ask), a different 1.5-liter Escape I tested felt overtaxed. With front-wheel drive and two adults aboard, our example exhibited a little lag from a stop but had sufficient power afterward, with a welcome, lengthy burst of torque to climb up to cruising speed. Non-hybrid variants lose some 200 pounds versus their outgoing counterparts - a much-needed reduction, as the 2019 Escape was one of the heavier SUVs in its class - and the 1.5-liter Escape, which has 181 horsepower, feels all the better for it. Introduced a few miles north of the Kentucky Derby’s Churchill Downs racetrack, the Escape has a little less in its saddle for 2020. Hybrid shoppers: We’ll publish my take on the Escape Hybrid this Thursday. (Per our ethics policy, pays for its own airfare and lodging at such automaker-sponsored events.) The other three variants hit dealers in the fall of 2019. At Ford’s media preview in Louisville, Ky., I evaluated all but the plug-in hybrid, which doesn’t go on sale until the spring of 2020. The redesign offers turbocharged 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter engines, both with new eight-speed automatic transmissions, plus a hybrid and plug-in hybrid.
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