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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2014 Ford Escape

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Overview

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2014 Ford Escape Review

By KBB.com Editors

KBB Expert Rating: 7.8

With last year's total makeover, the 2014 Ford Escape compact crossover SUV became one of the segment's leaders in styling, fuel efficiency and forward-looking technology. Highlights include a choice of impressive engines, athletic suspension tuning and an updated version of the MyFord Touch infotainment system. One feature everyone will show off is the power liftgate they can open and close, even with an armload, by waving a foot under the rear bumper. Shoppers may look elsewhere if their top priorities are low price and sheer interior space, but the 2014 Ford Escape is as a must-see for everyone else.

You'll Like This Car If...

Get-noticed styling, great fuel economy and a powerful technology package are three good reasons you might find the Ford Escape is just what you want in a small crossover.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If you and your passengers like to have plenty of room to stretch out, or if you will really emphasize the utility side of compact sport-utility ownership, you might find the Escape comes up a little short for your liking.

KBB Expert Ratings

Overall Rating

7.8
Driving Dynamics

8.2
Comfort & Convenience

7.2
Design: Interior & Exterior

8.3
Value

7.2
Safety

N/A

How It Ranks

#4

out of 7

MPG

#4

out of 8

Horsepower

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Consumer Rating

7.5 out of 10

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consumer ratings

What's New for 2014

After its complete character overhaul last year, the Ford Escape gets no significant changes for 2014, just a few minor revisions to equipment and packages.

Driving the Escape

Driving Impressions The Ford Escape is the sporty compact car of compact SUVs – a title it shares with the Mazda CX-5. Ford has done well to infuse several of its recent...

passenger-car offerings with European-like driving dynamics and feel, and the new Escape also benefits from that effort. With its new-last-year 240-horsepower engine, the Escape runs away from most everything else in its class. Those same characteristics that create the fun factor also help make the Escape easy and pleasant to drive to the store and the office. The 1.6- and 2.0-liter EcoBoost engines are terrific, both delivering smooth, ready thrust around town, effortless cruising on the highway and – especially the 2.0 engine – plenty of passing power. This may not be the segment's softest-riding entry, but most will find it plenty comfortable. Overall, the 2014 Ford Escape is arguably the best-driving compact SUV on the market today.

Favorite Features

HANDS-FREE LIFTGATE
Approach the Escape with your arms full of shopping bags, potted plants or power tools and a simple wave of your foot beneath the rear bumper powers the liftgate open automatically. It's Escape sign language for "open sesame."

MYKEY
Parents can designate a key that will limit top speed, limit audio volume or even disable the audio system altogether if the seatbelts are not buckled. Big Brother can be good or bad, depending on your point of view.

2014 Ford Escape Details

2014 Ford Escape Dashboard, center console, gear shifter view photo

Interior

The inside of the 2014 Ford Escape boasts an impressive display of materials, design and available features. You won't pass it off as a mid-size SUV, though, because the Escape's interior is less spacious than others in the category.

Exterior

Like some others in the compact SUV segment now, the 2014 Ford Escape shows a strong sense of style. Exterior highlights that distinguish upper-tier Escape models include HID headlamps, fog lights, body-color mirrors and trim, dual chrome exhaust tips and big 19-inch wheels.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

The base 2014 Ford Escape S features a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine matched with a 6-speed automatic transmission, 6-speaker AM/FM/CD/Aux sound system, air conditioning, audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel, the parent-friendly MyKey system, and a full complement of airbags and electronic safety features. Base-model compromises include covered steel wheels and black plastic exterior trim elements.

Optional Equipment

A fully loaded 2014 Ford Escape Titanium comes with enough cool features to embarrass many luxury cars. In addition to a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, 4-wheel drive, leather seats and a panoramic moonroof, a top-tier Escape offers blind-spot warning, automatic parallel parking, an 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, Sync with MyFord Touch, and a liftgate that opens with a wave of your foot. You could get an Acura RDX for the same money, but you wouldn't have as many fun features to play with.

Under the Hood

The 2014 Ford Escape offers a choice of three engines (unique in the compact SUV class). The 240-horsepower rating of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine looks irresistible, but truthfully, the 178-horsepower 1.6-liter version is still plenty powerful, just as smooth, and more affordable and more efficient in the bargain. The base 2.5-liter engine would probably be fine for many owners but it comes only in the base Escape S, which doesn't look so grand compared to some competitors. All three engines work with a responsive 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control, driving either the front wheels (FWD) or all four (AWD). If you want AWD you'll have to choose one of the EcoBoost engines. And if you want the Escape's full towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, that requires the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine (and note that the towing package eliminates the clever hands-free liftgate option).

2.5-liter 4-cylinder
168 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
170 lb-ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm
EPA estimated city/highway mpg: 22/31

1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
178 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm
184 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500 rpm
EPA estimated city/highway mpg: 23/33 (FWD), 22/30 (AWD)

2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
240 @ 5,500 rpm
270 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
EPA estimated city/highway mpg: 22/30 (FWD), 21/28 (AWD)

Pricing Notes

The 2014 Ford Escape S starts at about $23,600, but that's with the least desirable of its three engine choices, black plastic exterior trim and covered steel wheels. Stepping up to the Escape SE remedies those shortcomings and adds Sync infotainment and other upgrades for $26,500. That's two to three thousand higher than the better-outfitted Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 base models. At the upper end of the price spectrum, a fully loaded Escape Titanium will exceed $37,000. While that's almost $7,000 more than a loaded CR-V, it also includes a lot more power and technology. We expect the Escape to perform significantly better than its predecessor model in the resale market, so you'll get more of your money back when it comes time to trade or sell.

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2014 Ford Escape Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

7.5

Out of 10

Based on 56 Ratings for the 2013 - 2014 models.

Review this car

Value

7.5/10

Quality

7.6/10
Reliability

7.8/10

Performance

8.4/10
Comfort

7.9/10

Styling

8.2/10

Not a great ride

By sunnygal (CT) on Thursday, August 01, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 9,000

10 5.0

overall rating 5 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 5/10
Value: 6/10
Reliability: 7/10
Quality: 5/10
Performance: 7/10
Styling: 3/10
Comfort: 4/10

Pros: "zippy, ok price, liftgate"

Cons: "poor seat design, poor storage design"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 5

"This car really is alot of hype. My friend has one and is not happy. It does not give great gas mileage as projected. The seating is terribly uncomfortable - seats are short, the leatherette and cloth combo is awful. There is very little storage areas for things. The cup holders are few. I feel like I am in a cockpit when I sit in the passenger seat. The seat wraps around my legs and there is very little area to move around. When driving the Escape, I feel there is too much going on with the dash and controls."

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Great car.

By tippboy (NY) on Tuesday, July 30, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 6,500

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Fun to drive, great gas mileage, Sync/MyFord Touch"

Cons: "None"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I own a 2013 SE and I love this vehicle. It meets all my needs. MyFord Touch works flawlessly, I'm getting the expected mileage and in fact I got 32mpg on a 50 mile drive on a quiet road early one morning. Another important thing - it's built tough. I was sitting at a red light last week when I was hit almost head on by another, larger, vehicle. Three airbags deployed and I walked away with only a few scratches. Due to the airbag deployment and the cost to replace them in NY, the car is a write off, but I have already ordered the 2014 model as a replacement. I looked around to test the market but could not find anything better in this segment."

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Great car, good ride, poor mileage

By gborg (CA) on Saturday, July 20, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 12,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Great pep and handling"

Cons: "Poor mileage or not getting stated mileage"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"This is a good handling car with tremendous get up and go. The mileage stated is not what I am getting, took it back to the Ford Dealer and they claim they took it for a test drive and got the stated mileage. Just came back from a 6 hour all highway trip, got 4 to 5 miles to the gallon less than stated mileage. Have to take it back to dealer and see what I can do. Really like the sync feature and the integration of my smartphone, I can even receive texts with voice."

7 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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Rented This car many times this year across the US

By SuperDave (CA) on Monday, July 15, 2013

I want this car

10 8.0

overall rating 8 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Very fuel efficient, superb electronics"

Cons: "Seat could be more comfy."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"I travel a lot and have found myself requesting the Escape over just about all the other rentals. The car has plenty of room during my travels, is bullet proof in reliability. The electronics are second to none including hands free phone and blue tooth audio. A Very good sound system for a rental car and a solid drive. I am moving forward with buying one."

2 people out of 3 found this review helpful

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Avoid This Vehicle At All Costs!

By Shaun (MD) on Saturday, July 13, 2013

I owned and sold this car
Reason: Horrible Mileage, Bad Ride Quality, Broken Technology, Performance. - My approximate mileage is 3,900

10 1.0

overall rating 1 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 1/10
Value: 1/10
Reliability: 1/10
Quality: 2/10
Performance: 2/10
Styling: 2/10
Comfort: 1/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"First off, I want to begin by saying I have been a loyal Ford customer for over 7 years. This was my fourth Ford vehicle and after this, probably my last. The test drive will not do justice for this vehicle because the engine has this lag that just feels like it's hunting for gears all the time but unless you get it out on the road in regular driving, you won't notice it. MPG is beyond horrible. I combined for 15 to 16 MPG for most weeks and the best I was able to get with it was 18 one time. The sync system is worthless. It freezes at least once a day and can only be reset by turning off the car, opening the door, shutting the door and starting it back up. It doesn't understand most commands and it just a true pain. The vehicle is also so stiff with it's suspension that it is uncomfortable. You feel every little chip in the road right up through your seat. Another gripe is the carpet. It has the cheapest carpet I've ever seen in a vehicle and it's almost impossible to clean it without pulling grass and dirt out by hand because it all gets mashed. When you combine all these things, it's just not the vehicle I was expecting by far. With the price they are selling these things at, it is impossible for me to recommend this car for a buyer. Go test drive it, then drive it again... Then drive it again! If you still love it, go for it! I just think there is too many drawbacks and with Ford basically telling me it's not their problem, it has cost them a customer! I hope I was able to help!"

13 people out of 18 found this review helpful

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