[wiz043]

The video's commentator said "lower" and more "sporty"...eyes rolling here...
If a "lower" and more "sporty" CUV is what Ford was looking for, then a Mazda'd up Toyota Matrix is what they got.
It looks good if buying a car that looks like a SUV is what someone is looking for.
I'm pretty sure Ford is now expecting it's "more macho" followers to default into one of the new Bronco variants, which I am excited to say look and may very well deliver on what Ford has been lacking for a decade now.
Though I loved the looks of the 14' Escape I got as modern and rounded and good on gas, I was a bit shocked when I realized the current model Escapes only had 6" of clearance under the front (though I was able to fix that problem!).
I for one am not interested in going any lower to the ground.
The way I looked at it, if I wanted a car, I'd buy a car.
With the likes of Broncos, Bronco III's and the new Wranglers and Gladiators out there, there really is some "go anywhere" SUV selection once again.
Non-enormous wheels and bigger AT rubber (with room for even bigger) is where the overall market may once again be heading.
If I could fit 15" wheels on my 14' Escape and put in 31" X 10.5" Mickey Thompson Super Swampers on my Escape, I probably would!!!
I wonder if a new Xterra will ever make a comeback as well.

Yeah....I don't get it. I thought one of the reasons when buying an SUV was to use the extra height for a bit of light off road use and for ease of entry and exit etc.
Now the new 2020 model ground clearance doesn't seen any higher than the average sedan??

 

[jb in az]

Yeah....I don't get it. I thought one of the reasons when buying an SUV was to use the extra height for a bit of light off road use and for ease of entry and exit etc.
Now the new 2020 model ground clearance doesn't seen any higher than the average sedan??

Because the Escape isn't really an SUV, rather a CUV. I always laugh when someone refers to their Escape as "their truck".

A CUV or crossover is basically a cross between a car and an SUV, if I am nit mistaken.

From a quick google search: "A crossover or CUV, is a vehicle built on a car platform and combines features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle."

Personally, I like CUV's for the higher step in and seating point, (ease of entry/exit) and really don't care much about the road clearance, but that is me.

 

[needliftnow]

Yeah....I don't get it. I thought one of the reasons when buying an SUV was to use the extra height for a bit of light off road use and for ease of entry and exit etc.
Now the new 2020 model ground clearance doesn't seen any higher than the average sedan??

Agreed. I remember when I got the my first Ranger and drove Blazers. Compared to a car, they had clearance, were good in deep snow and were really fun. Were they more tipsy and harder on gas? Yes, but I accepted those as reasonable tradeoffs for the easy step in height, the clearance and the fund. And I drive it accordingly and didn't try high speed cornering and other sports car stuff. Many people had the same thoughts when they got their first trucks. You know the CD player was a step up from the tape deck. Newer trucks don't need crazy features. Just a CD radio with USB and Sirius and maybe sat nav. A manual transmission adds fun and saves $, as does a manual transfer case instead of a fully automatic setup.

Manufacturers are killing cars and making trucks into cars. I get that a CUV is a crossover...but when manufacturers then blend a CUV with a Car, it becomes more and more of a car and much less like a usable truck. I'm all for people getting what they want to drive, but everyone needs to think about this. If people living in cities but SUVs in mass, most will never use their SUV off the tar. The buying mass of these city SUV drivers also bring the overall fuel economy down for a manufacturer. On the other hand, you have folks that live in the country and out in the bush. The clearance and proper AT tires are needed for every day travel and to get around in the winter.. Now that manufacturers are trying to increase fuel economy by "carifying" their trucks, people that need trucks for their "truckness" have very few options. You go in the woods and risk having the front fascia fall off the car if you hit something...which is very likely. City drivers are loving all the car stuff and getting a higher road view like in a truck...but truck people have been left out cold with a complete lack of products that will fit their needs at a price that will fit their budget. I complained to GM for the past 10 - 20 years that they need to make their Blazers even more rugged and off road capable. The Traverse is "The Blob" and hugs the ground. The new Blazer is a joke and a sad story of what used to be a half-way capable truck. Their customers ask for one thing and got something completely else. he car market is frustrating for those that need capable vehicles. Body shops are loving all the repairs to body damage caused by driving on dirt roads or hitting snowbanks and people in cities are loving the car attributes...but there is no reason why every manufacturer can't offer at least one true SUV. Furthermore, all the manufacturers had to do was put turbo 4's in and other efficient measures to get similar or even better than CUVs that are out there today.

 

[EscapeTape]

Here is a good article summarizing the details today: https://www.consumerreports.org/suvs/2020-ford-escape-preview/

Personally, I hate how the front looks. Looks like a Kia. I would defiantly call this one a "wifemobile" since it seems way more effeminate now. With the cars going away, this and the EcoSport will be Ford's only low end models. I guess if you want a car you are supposed to buy a Mustang now, and if you want real capability you'll have to buy an F150 or a Broncho model.

Wondering if they reduced the specs of the AWD system since this is more of a wimpy car-replacing SUV.

I'm still waiting for the day I can buy a Ford wagon that isn't ugly.

 

[Vader101]

I read another article on the 2020 FE. It said it will offer "enhanced traction for snow, sand, and rain. Options include front-wheel and all-wheel drive. Like the Explorer.". They said the 2nd row has as much leg room as a Suburban. I saw video of 3 basketball players, two are 6'4", and they still had lots of leg room to spare. So far it is looking quite tempting. I honestly like the looks of it. I prefer the front end of the current gen FE, but this will grow on me.

 

[Hellb0y]

Ford must have high hopes this will stop the Escape bleeding market share!

I am not sure about the Kia inspired looks, right now I am leaning towards buying a RAV4 hybrid...:-(

 

[my2cents]

Hybrid fuel mileage claims buried in the article:

....up to 40 MPG
....550 miles of range

I'm very interested!

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/b...02/new-2020-ford-escape-premieres/3283882002/

 

[KY.BORN]

I think they are going for a more softer look, to attract more woman buyers..Noticed the rear seats folding down aren't near as flat as my mine, not even close...Don't care for that stick out screen on dash like most foreign cars have, I like the integrated one we have, seems cheap...

 

[chrisgb]

I also want to see the screen in person. To me, it just screams, "Oh crap! We forgot the screen!"

Rumor has it that there will be an optional "Bagel" setting for the pop-up screen...

 

[UofMEngineer]

Hybrid fuel mileage claims buried in the article:

....up to 40 MPG
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/b...02/new-2020-ford-escape-premieres/3283882002/

Lines up with what I saw on an early build. In the non-winter period, I routinely beat the EPA rating in my Fusion by 10-15% so I'll be curious how high I can get one of these.

I think they are going for a more softer look, to attract more woman buyers...

I think it would've been nice to show the baby bronco at the same time. That's the more rugged look.

They said the 2nd row has as much leg room as a Suburban. I saw video of 3 basketball players, two are 6'4", and they still had lots of leg room to spare.

Yeah, it's something like 40 inches max with the seats all the way back in the rear. Hybrid is an inch and change less. It's a big improvement from the current gen IMO as it's the main thing I dislike about the wife's FE. I need an extra 2" or so to be able to get an actual comfortable driving position but the car seats already hit the back of my seat. Makes for annoying long trips.

 

[hammer52]

Of note to me is the fact that the hybrids come with a CVT, not the 8 speed tranny. Had a Subaru with a CVT...did not like it. Most CVT's have a hard time getting out of their own way on acceleration.....

 

[catch22]

The jury's still out for me, but I showed some of the pictures to my wife (our Escape is her daily driver), and the first thing she mentioned was something I hadn't noticed: "They finally wised up and put the fuel fill on the driver's side."

 

[Melvin]

Up front it looks like a KIA Sportage and Ford Focus blend. The rear looks like a Dodge Journey. Now, the engine offerings. The 2.5 goes in the hybrid. That is a good call on Ford’s part. Dropped: The 1.5 Ecoboost 4 cylinder. Another good call on Ford’s part. The 1.5 Ecoboost 4 cylinder is a dog. It’s underpowered and driven by a timing belt. The new 1.5 Dragon Ecoboost (3 cylinder) produces more power and is chain driven. We’ll have to wait and see on the 2.0 Ecoboost. Will it be offered on anything other than the Titanium model?

 

[needliftnow]

An honest into video on the Escape for America with Ford rep commentary. "Lower, Larger With Longer Range". Even the Ford rep says they understand they would lost more some buyers with the Escape's attributes...but did admit that the global platform it is built on would allow a more "off road" tuned variant (probably the leaked Bronco III/Baby Bronco)...so there is hope...just not in the Escape as we know it. The more I see pictures and videos of the Escape, the more it reminds my like a Nissan Rogue Sport. Side by side, the Rogue Sport is lower and smaller than the Rogue. The new Escape is bigger than the Rogue Sport...but it is low like the Rogue Sport. It is curvy like a car and low like a car...but the car is dead! Only time will tell how shifting car to CUV buyers will pan out for auto manufacturers and the new Escape. As for me, I'm running my 14' into the ground, so I hope it has a lot of life left to it. Though a new Bronco/Bronco III or Wrangler is certainly in my interest if I win the lottery !

 

[AndrewFordMedina]

Wow, looks similar...love the interiors though minus the flip up HUD. Seriously Ford, that HUD needs to go

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RushMan]

Up front it looks like a KIA Sportage and Ford Focus blend. The rear looks like a Dodge Journey. Now, the engine offerings. The 2.5 goes in the hybrid. That is a good call on Ford’s part. Dropped: The 1.5 Ecoboost 4 cylinder. Another good call on Ford’s part. The 1.5 Ecoboost 4 cylinder is a dog. It’s underpowered and driven by a timing belt. The new 1.5 Dragon Ecoboost (3 cylinder) produces more power and is chain driven. We’ll have to wait and see on the 2.0 Ecoboost. Will it be offered on anything other than the Titanium model?

The Tech Specs say that the 2.0L is also available on the SEL.

https://media.ford.com/content/dam/...t/2020/escape/2020-Ford-Escape-Tech-Specs.pdf

 

[needliftnow]

If the 2.0 is more readily available in different trim packages, that's one good thing.

I wonder if leather will be segregated to the top trim package or if customers will get it on an SE or SEL as well.
My prior gripes on vehicles costs are highly related to "packaging"...where if you want a bigger engine or leather, you must pay $10,000 more than you would without it as you have to get all the silly stuff you don't need to get one or two items you do need.
I hope Ford doesn't do that with the Escape and other newer vehicles like they have with the Ranger (where leather is only available on the Lariat).

 

[needliftnow]

Here's a reasonable question to ask: If Ford has toned down CUV's so much and made them so low that they are basically cars, should we consider the new Escape a "station wagon with AWD" or "4 door hatchback with AWD" because the vehicle is basically a car??? I mean the "utility" disappeared with the ground clearance, right?!?! Old school station wagons and hatchbacks had storage but were not considered "utility" vehicles...they just had versatility. I think the "sport" in SUV might be gone too...unless you call the Escape a "sports car"!!! LOL! Just saying...

 

[Hellb0y]

Wow, looks similar...love the interiors though minus the flip up HUD. Seriously Ford, that HUD needs to go

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is exactly what’s holding my excitement back...somehow the Kia looks....dare I say...better to my eyes. I prefer the more aggressive looks...

The headlights also look seriously modern - a la Porsche:

 

[Vader101]

The more I look at the front end, I actually like it.