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2008 Ford Escape Safety Review

October 30, 2008

SAFETY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Acceptable
IIHS

Passenger – five stars; driver – four stars; side impact front – five stars; side impact rear – five stars; rollover rating – three stars
NHTSA

sets the class benchmark for safety features
Automobile.com

The addition of numerous standard safety features, including side curtain airbags in late-2008 Escape models, helped quell much of the safety quibbles reviewers had with the compact SUV. Edmunds.com notes that anti-lock brakes, stability control, side and curtain airbags, and traction control are all standard on the Ford Escape, 2008 edition. According to Kelley Blue Book, the safety ratings of the 2008 Ford Escape are identical or better (minus the rollover rating) than similar models such as the Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner, and Saturn Vue.

Cars.com criticizes the three-star NHTSA rollover rating, noting that the 2008 Ford Escape is “one of only two car-based SUVs with a rating of three stars instead of four” (the Honda Element being the other). This is due in large part to the Escape’s high center of gravity. It is because of this increased rollover vulnerability that side curtain airbags are a must for those seeking an Escape--Ford’s Roll Stability Control system is also helpful here, effectively identifying the start of rollover and acting to stop it in some cases.

Conclusion

Safety features are top-notch, but the 2008 Ford Escape’s potential rollover problems show the age of its basic design.

SAFETY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:AcceptableIIHSPassenger – five stars; driver – four stars; side impact front – five stars; side impact rear – five stars; rollover rating – three starsNHTSAsets the class benchmark for safety featuresAutomobile.com The addition of numerous standard safety features, including side curtain airbags in late-2008 Escape models, helped quell much of the safety quibbles reviewers had with the compact SUV. Edmunds.com notes that anti-lock brakes, stability control, side and curtain airbags, and traction control are all standard on the Ford Escape, 2008 edition. According to Kelley Blue Book, the safety ratings of the 2008 Ford Escape are identical or better (minus the rollover rating) than similar models such as the Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner, and Saturn Vue. Cars.com criticizes the three-star NHTSA rollover rating, noting that the 2008 Ford Escape is “one of only two car-based SUVs with a rating of three stars instead of four” (the Honda Element being the other). This is due in large part to the Escape’s high center of gravity. It is because of this increased rollover vulnerability that side curtain airbags are a must for those seeking an Escape--Ford’s Roll Stability Control system is also helpful here, effectively identifying the start of rollover and acting to stop it in some cases. ConclusionSafety features are top-notch, but the 2008 Ford Escape’s potential rollover problems show the age of its basic design. 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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