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2008 Ford Escape Performance Review

October 30, 2008

PERFORMANCE | 6 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

smooth ride and agile handling make for enjoyable driving
Automobile.com

Sadly, the ride quality is more trucklike than carlike
Edmunds.com

acceleration and braking do have weaknesses
Cars.com

At the Test Track, Disappointment and Confusion
Car and Driver

Reviewers had gripes about the general sluggishness and outdated transmission of the 2008 Ford Escape.

Cars.com notes that the handling of the new Ford Escape is “firmer than that of recent models like the Ford Edge and Taurus X.” This rigid ride was considered acceptable, though Edmunds.com was hoping for a bit more absorption in “small road imperfections.” Ultimately, the comfort level comes down to personal preference. Drivers who prefer the firmer feel of a truck will likely enjoy the 2008 Ford Escape, while those accustomed to smaller, sportier rides may be turned off.

Automobile.com knocked off points for the older four-speed automatic transmission, stating that “it is sometimes slow to shift” and is especially reluctant to “shift itself down into first gear.” Car and Driver chimed in on the lackluster acceleration of the 2008 Ford Escape, adding insult to injury with the observation that “we measured distinct decreases in every one of our performance tests” over previous-year models. These performance tests included acceleration, which showed that with the V-6 AWD Limited Escape, Ford’s new crossover, “takes 10 more seconds to get to 100 mph than it did in 2001.”

With the 2008 Escape, Ford made obvious attempts to improve fuel economy. In general, reviewers found these efforts to be satisfactory. ConsumerGuide reported that the 4WD Limited Edition Escape 2008 averaged 17.6 mpg, while the 2WD Hybrid Escape Ford scored an impressive 31.2 mpg. The Limited Edition fuel-economy is comparable to similar models, such as the Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4, though it falls a few miles per gallon below the Jeep Patriot.

The Ford Escape Hybrid, which gets much better gas mileage, is covered separately by TheCarConnection.com.

Conclusion

The 2008 Ford Escape doesn’t accelerate quickly even with the V-6 engine, and handling is more SUV than crossover.

PERFORMANCE | 6 out of 10Expert Quotes:smooth ride and agile handling make for enjoyable drivingAutomobile.comSadly, the ride quality is more trucklike than carlikeEdmunds.comacceleration and braking do have weaknessesCars.comAt the Test Track, Disappointment and ConfusionCar and Driver Reviewers had gripes about the general sluggishness and outdated transmission of the 2008 Ford Escape. Cars.com notes that the handling of the new Ford Escape is “firmer than that of recent models like the Ford Edge and Taurus X.” This rigid ride was considered acceptable, though Edmunds.com was hoping for a bit more absorption in “small road imperfections.” Ultimately, the comfort level comes down to personal preference. Drivers who prefer the firmer feel of a truck will likely enjoy the 2008 Ford Escape, while those accustomed to smaller, sportier rides may be turned off. Automobile.com knocked off points for the older four-speed automatic transmission, stating that “it is sometimes slow to shift” and is especially reluctant to “shift itself down into first gear.” Car and Driver chimed in on the lackluster acceleration of the 2008 Ford Escape, adding insult to injury with the observation that “we measured distinct decreases in every one of our performance tests” over previous-year models. These performance tests included acceleration, which showed that with the V-6 AWD Limited Escape, Ford’s new crossover, “takes 10 more seconds to get to 100 mph than it did in 2001.” With the 2008 Escape, Ford made obvious attempts to improve fuel economy. In general, reviewers found these efforts to be satisfactory. ConsumerGuide reported that the 4WD Limited Edition Escape 2008 averaged 17.6 mpg, while the 2WD Hybrid Escape Ford scored an impressive 31.2 mpg. The Limited Edition fuel-economy is comparable to similar models, such as the Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4, though it falls a few miles per gallon below the Jeep Patriot. The Ford Escape Hybrid, which gets much better gas mileage, is covered separately by TheCarConnection.com. ConclusionThe 2008 Ford Escape doesn’t accelerate quickly even with the V-6 engine, and handling is more SUV than crossover. 2008 FORD ESCAPE STYLING | [8 out of 10] Automobile.com: “one of Ford’s best interiors in years” Cars.com: “more sophisticated” Edmunds.com: “a handsome little rig” Kelley Blue Book: “rugged appearance worthy of a quasi-off-road warrior” The newly redesigned 2008 Ford Escape wins ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The '07 Escape Hybrid was a little on the vanilla side. By giving the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid version a shot of styling testosterone, Ford has made the new Escape more distinctive, not only relative to other Fords but also to several immediate competitors. That can't hurt. But styling takes a backseat to this compact SUV's hybrid powertrain. Being green is the point here, and this little truck hits all the marks. The 2008 Escape Hybrid is the highest-mileage SUV in all the land.

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See the Ford Escape in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

Comments (1 total)

  1. By Gilad #1, Posted: 3/15/2009

    Just read this

    I'm considering to buy this 2nd-hand, thanks for the interesting review

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