Full 2014 Ford Escape Review
What's New for 2014
The 2014 Ford Escape undergoes minor adjustments to its feature availability. Notably, a rearview camera and Sync are now standard on all trim levels. The Titanium trim no longer gets the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine as standard, though Ford has dropped its price as a result. The SEL trim level has been discontinued.
Introduction
The 2014 Ford Escape stands out as one of the best small crossovers in a segment full of worthy entries. Completely redesigned last year, the Ford Escape remains one of our favorite compact crossover SUVs. It has sharp handling, handsome styling and high-end interior touches that help justify its marginally higher price in this class.
You don't have to look at the 2014 Ford Escape for very long before you start to think it looks like a pumped-up Ford Focus, and with good reason. The Escape is based on the same platform as the Focus, and it shows in the sleek styling. We love the Ford Focus for its quality, versatility and superb driving character, and those traits translate well to the Escape package. Sure, the Escape is heavier than a Focus, but it still has a nicely controlled ride and goes around turns with a surprising level of agility.
Ford offers a trio of four-cylinder engines on the 2014 Escape. The base 2.5-liter four-cylinder, which is a pretty typical offering for a small crossover, provides adequate performance. But what help distinguish the Escape in this class are the available 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged engines. The 1.6 provides more power and better fuel economy than the 2.5, while the 2.0 cranks out 240 horsepower and has only slightly lower EPA fuel economy ratings than the smaller 1.6.
The Escape's interior is furnished with high-quality materials, and when it's equipped with the slick-looking MyFord Touch electronics interface, it feels as if you're driving a much more expensive car. The downside to that, however, is that MyFord Touch can be finicky to use at times, as we've noted slow response times and inconvenient glitches in the vehicles we've tested. Besides that, ticking all the option boxes pushes the 2014 Ford Escape's price above its direct rivals. Keep the equipment level reasonable, though, and it represents solid value in this class.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2014 Ford Escape is a compact crossover SUV that comes in three trim levels: S, SE and Titanium.
The S comes with 17-inch steel wheels, an integrated blind-spot mirror, MyKey parental controls, full power accessories, cruise control, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a rearview camera, the Sync voice command electronics interface, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, a USB/iPod interface and an auxiliary audio jack.
Options on the S include remote start, roof rails and rear parking sensors.
Upgrading to the SE adds 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, foglights, a keyless entry keypad, privacy tinted glass, an eight-way power adjustable driver seat (with power lumbar), reclining rear seats and satellite radio.
The optional SE Convenience package adds roof rails, rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, a 110-volt household-style power outlet, an 8-inch touchscreen with the MyFord Touch electronics interface, upgraded Sync services (including smartphone app integration) and a nine-speaker sound system. Picking the Leather Comfort package gets you heated mirrors, leather upholstery and heated front seats. Also available as individual options are 18-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, a power liftgate and a navigation system.
At the top of the line, the Titanium combines the content of the SE Convenience and Leather Comfort packages plus 18-inch wheels, remote start, keyless ignition/entry, the power liftgate (with hands-free operation), ambient interior lighting and a Sony 10-speaker sound system. Options include a Titanium Technology package (xenon headlights, blind-spot monitoring/cross-traffic alert, rain-sensing wipers and an automated parallel-parking system), 19-inch alloy wheels and the panoramic sunroof and navigation system.
