The Escape with the 2.0 pulls like a *** when you get on it! My practical side says that the extra power is needed to merge and pass on the highway, but my fun side says it's needed because weeeeeeeeeee!
But seriously, the 2.0 is great. I love having the power when I need (or want) it. To me, having that power is almost a safety feature, especially when you come across someone on the road who you want to get away from (read: erratic drivers).
The 1.5 is adequate in the Escape. I've driven my sister's '17 SE with it and it's fine, but definitely lacks that "get up and go". Sure, the 2.0 doesn't get the best mileage in the city, but I'll take the trade off.