Storage and convenience are top notch.
Wayne Gerdes -
CleanMPG - May 10, 2012
A 2013 Ford Escape in the wilderness - $22,470 to start with the base 2.5L and a 23/33 mpgUS city/highway figure when equipped with the 178 HP 1.6L EcoBoost engine.
We have driven the new 2013 Escape a total of 2-miles in downtown Chicago at rush hour so there is little to be gained from the quick impression other than it offered > 30 mpg on that inner city loop, it looks much nicer than the current Escape and it has an abundance of unique storage space and convenience features.
The second-row seats that fold flat with the touch of a button, it now includes an umbrella holder, second-row floor bin and ticket holder in each sun visor.
Hands-free loading
Kick and “Open Sesame” Liftgate for the Upcoming Escape
The liftgate height can be programmed or adjusted manually to meet specific customer needs. Pretty cool if I do say so myself
The Escape’s storage include:
- Overhead visors with ticket holders for parking or toll tickets.
- Hidden storage bin under the second-row floor.
- Small umbrella holders on both the driver and passenger seat trim panels.
- A card holder below and a stowage bin above the center of the instrument panel.
- Center console space to hold a 1-liter bottle, MP3 player or CDs.
- Eight cupholders – four in the front and rear doors, two in the front center console and two in the optional folding second-row armrest.
- Rear cargo management system.
- Convenient USB ports in the center console and 110-volt inverter located at the back of the floor console for easy plug-in of laptops, cell phone chargers or other electronics.
The 2013 Escape’s rear seats really do fold flat. Touch of a button, the head restraint folds down and with the lift of a handle on the seat, the seatback folds and dives as the seat folds flat and clicks into position.
Other unique features include the composition of its interior spaces. Look no further than
A Few “Light” Details about Ford’s Upcoming 2013 Escape for more on that.
Early verdict? The Escape with 1.6L EcoBoost is the right choice but to get it, you are looking at a lower end SE with a base price of $26,670 with the basic SYNC package. That is Prius v territory folks and while the v is not quite an crossover, it provides a lot more fuel economy, room for rear seat passengers and surely resale given the hybrid drivetrain.
2013 Ford Escape Competitive Comparison
| Year | Make | Model | Price | Passenger Volume (cu. ft.) | Cargo Volume (cu. ft.) | Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined - mpgUS) |
| 2013 | Ford | Escape | $22,470 - $31,195 | 98.1 | 34.3 | 23/33/26 (at best) |
| | | | | | | |
| 2012 | Toyota | Prius v | $26,400 to $29,990 | 97.2 | 34.3 | 44/40/42 |
| 2012 | Chevrolet | Equinox | $23,530 - $30,970 | 99.7 | 31.4 | 22/32/26 (at best) |
| 2012 | Dodge | Journey | $18,995 - $29,995 | 99.5 | 39.6 | 19/26/22 (at best) |
| 2012 | Honda | CR-V | $22,495 - $29,995 | 104.1 | 37.2 | 23/31/26 (at best) |
| 2013 | Hyundai | Tucson | $19,145 - $27,320 | 101.9 | 25.7 | 23/31/26 (at best) |
| 2012 | Mazda | CX-5 | $20,695 - $28,295 | 103.8 | 34.1 | 26/35/29 (at best) |
A few others to think about reveal how tough it is to compete in the compact crossover segment.
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