Ford is one of the biggest car makers in the world and much is expected from the American automaker such as the likes of the all-electric Mustang Mach-E and the iconic F-150 which sports enormous horsepower as well as coming with an hybrid model and the fully electric variant. The Ford Escape mid-size SUV is yet another cool product from the good ol’ Ford but what makes it interesting and why should anyone even consider this despite a long list of cars that’ll still be released later on this year?

The reason is that much like any normal affordable car, it’s able to get you from point A to B but there comes some perks with it and that includes a newer design and some upgraded technology to match up for the new year 2021.

While it’s not necessarily a “Luxury” car, it come packed with an EcoBoost turbocharged engine with Titanium trim and it’s just going to be a good ride for the moderate user who isn’t trying to push to the extreme. Good quality interior and great suspensions outside with good engine powering it all up might just be all you want to ask for.

While my tone might be passive towards the new 2021 Ford Escape, this doesn’t necessarily mean its a horrible car but instead, there’s just nothing exciting from my point of view. You get a couple of buttons on the steering wheel to control some parts of the car and you also get a small screen for infotainment system and can use the car’s navigation system, listen to music and have fun while you’re riding in your new mini SUV.

Definitely not quality

EcoBoost and AWD with Perks

Speaking of nothing “exciting” about the car, the position of the car’s engine start/stop button is sort of off and this made me wonder if the company actually took time to do some researches with their UX designers in getting things out.

But it’s better than none as it powers up the car’s 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. With that, you get an eight-speed automatic transmission which pushes the car forward when you throttle

Part of the qualities of mid-size SUVs is their fuel-economy which is one of the good things you get from the Ford Escape. Its EcoBoost 2.0T achieved about EPA-estimated 23-miles per gallon city, 31 MPG highway and 26 MPG combined all which closely tie with the 2020 model.

Still on fuel efficiency and performance, there is option to get the 1.5-liter and three-cylinder EcoBoost engine model which sports a 181 HP and 200-HP hybrid and also a plug-in hybrid models. Even the base model comes with Apple carplay system and its mileage is good for a starter.

Handling and braking both come firm and super efficient considering its all-wheel drive and 3,500 pounds of towing capacity which allows the engine to max out its full prowess even though a regular truck might just be the best way to go because some performance of the 2021 Ford Escape might not be incredible if you’re going to be using it for heavy-duty moving.

My favorite part of the SUV is the numerous driving modes which you can chose from to max up the car’s performances. There is sport mode and even a rain/snow mode which can be toggled easily. All the modes includes Normal, Eco, Sport, Rain and Snow.

While its easy to switch from one mode to the other, going back to the previous mode can sometimes be a daunting task. Take for instance you want to switch from Eco mode to Sport mode, this is very easy but when attempting to switch bac, you’ll have to move the dial back which could take about four or five toggles – no attention to details or Ford doesn’t car?

Interesting Interiors and Exteriors

Glancing from afar, the Ford Escape 2021 model looked like a Kia Sportage considering the grille’s design and the entire facelift. The size is very moderate and with that, there is an easy view from the inside of the car.

From the inside, the design is meant to look premium even though majority of the materials aren’t entirely. For example, the faux exposed-gain wood used to accent the interiors of the car as well as the leather-trimmed seats all felt really good. Positioning of other interior gadgets and the central console is well placed aside the start/stop button.

The fake woods can be obvious if you stare at it for long and a lot of materials used in the interior are made of hard plastic which can be easily scratched but I’m of the opinion that you get what you paid for.

Even though some interior materials of the 2021 Ford Escape are cheap, the tech is of high-value. The sound system is from Bang & Olufsen which is a premium audio maker which allows the audio output of the car to be well above mediocre level even though audiophiles might still have something to complain about.

There is also a number of digital displays such as the visor-style heads-up display which pops-up from the instrument cowl used instead of HUD projection seen in other cars.

There is also the Sync 3 infotainment system with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa for voice control and Bluetooth, Satellite and HD radio tuning. Being able to sue natural-language to address the Amazon Alxea system through the Sync 3 system is a smart move.

There is also the Co-Pilot 36 Assist system which is meant to be a driving aid and pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Consumers can also opt for adaptive cruise control system which works in stop-and-go traffic and traffic-sign recognition that should blow the mind of new buyers.

The Plus upgrade also includes lane-centering steering assist and a feature called Evasive Steering Assist which works in concert with the emergency brake assist to help drivers to steer around obstructions. Lastly, there is the Ford’s Active Park Assist which is quite good enough and makes it easy to park your car with the press of a single button which auto turns the car to make some robo-move whereby the steering and braking is done by the car.

You Get What You Paid For

Speaking of the price tag of the new car, the 2021 Ford Escape will set you back US$26,130 including a US$1,245 destination charge for the base model with the 1.5T S model which is just front wheel drive while the fully optioned 2.0T AWD Titanium is in the range of US$40,820 .

Adding up the option of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost gives the 2021 Ford Escape a better performance prowess and advantage over the base and moderate model.

While there is more to expect, there is a little joy in owing this for an advanced consumer but a first time owner might not mind the interesting perks they paid for during the upgrade options of the car. It’s a very competent car in the mid-range arena and that is where it comes in as a good player in the mid-SUV market