A Look at the 2013 Ford Escape Crossover Vehicle

Author: Marty Sykes August 3, 2012

Ford’s compact crossover, the Escape, was first launched in 2001, back when the term “crossover” wasn’t yet in vogue when talking about vehicles that combine the elements of a traditional car and a sports utility vehicle. It has been a very popular choice for consumers looking to drive a vehicle with the look and feel of a SUV without paying the traditional costs associated with one – in fact, Ford has been marketing it as more of a compact SUV than anything else. This brings us now to the present, as we check out the 2013 Ford Escape, a vehicle that had actually been launched this spring.

In terms of appearance and design, the new Escape shares similarities with other Ford vehicles, such as the Fusion and Focus. It isn’t as boxy and SUV-like in appearance as previous-generation Escapes, yet some may have an issue with the smaller windows and unorthodox windshield design. The interior of the 2013 Ford Escape, however, is a definite upgrade over previous iterations. The dashboard is particularly large and the upholstery feels comfortable, a combination of cloth and leather material. Buyers, however, can pay more to get 100 percent leather seats. Drivers shouldn’t have any problem either with the legroom or headroom, though there are other crossovers that offer more legroom in the back seats.

Unlike previous Escapes, the 2013 Ford Escape no longer offers V-6 and hybrid options. All 2013 Escapes now come with four-cylinder engines under the hood, and two of the three options come with EcoBoost turbocharging. The least powerful, non-turbocharged engine is a 2.5-liter, 168-hp exclusive for the front-wheel drive version. As for the EcoBoost engines, one is 1.6 liters with 178 hp, while the 2.0-liter version cranks out a muscular 240 hp. Standard transmission option is a six-speed automatic. Buyers can choose between the aforementioned FWD version and an all-wheel drive version. The latter is capable of 21 mpg fuel economy in the city and 28 mpg in the highway. Pricing ranges from $22,470 for the most basic trim to $30,370 for the top-rated Titanium edition.