2005 Ford Equator Review

Specifications

Fords Escape Never Looked So Good

As it stands, the Ford Escape is the best selling compact sport utility vehicle. Its success isnt limited to the U.S.A. , however, as in Its success isnt limited to the U.S.A., however, as in nearly every market that it is sold, the Escape (also sold as the Maverick in Europe and Asia) has helped make Ford a segment leader. The question you might now be asking yourself is, “What does Fords Escape have to do with this vibrant orange SUV concept making its global debut at the Tokyo Motor Show?” This concept could very well be foreshadowing the next Escape.

As with Chrysler and General Motors, the “Big Three” are discovering that Asia, much like Europe, is a growing market and a key place to broaden horizons. Ford isnt exactly new to the Far East like the reborn Chevrolet or Chrysler, but its looking at creating new products for all areas of the world. The Equator Concept is the perfect vehicle to get a good footing - a compact SUV which pairs good performance and economy with all-weather capability, good versatility and the desirability of the raised seating position.

According to Paul Gibson, stylist of the Equator (not to be confused with the Ford Equator concept that debuted at the 2000 North American International Auto Show in Detroit), and chief of design for Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, the Equator is “more track than it is truck,” celebrating the sport side of its SUV designation. The concept is heavily rooted in the current Escape, building up off the existing chassis and platform. In fact, inch for inch, dimensions have been matched, measuring 174.2 inches long, 70.1 inches wide, 70.8 inches tall, and riding on a wheelbase of 102.4 inches. In these photos the Equator looks shorter and closer to the ground, an amazing optical illusion.

Although the Equator was designed in the Lio Ho Design Technology Center in Taipei, Taiwan, the concept fits inline with an international theme seen on everything from the Ford Focus Vignale concept (Europe), to the Ford Sport Trac Concept (North America). This design center was also responsible for the Ford Focus Sedan Concept, a vehicle which introduced the look of the second generation European Focus at Auto Shanghai 2005. If eventually the Equator were to go on sale, it would easily blend in with every regional Ford lineup.

Visually, Gibson wanted to create a vehicle that would give buyers the look of a high performance sports car without losing any of an SUVs day-to-day capabilities. The exterior additions include a completely new front end featuring detailed high intensity discharge lights, a bold, brushed metal grille encompassing elements of style found in the new Fusion sedan and Ford Truck products, as well as way-cool turn signal indicators on the mirrors and bumpers. A separate floating lower dam with honeycomb mesh, body-colored roof racks and wide tires make it look like a completely different vehicle.

From added vents to twin hood bulges, the Equators body certainly has a story to tell about its powertrain. Given its 193-horsepower rating, it may seem that mechanically it is no different than the production Escape, which is equipped with the 3.0-liter DOHC Duratec 30 V6 engine. Whats really unique here is that torque has been bumped up from 193 lb-ft to a whopping 265 lb-ft, produced at 4,700 rpm giving it the low-down punch of a V8. Likewise, the transmission has been upgraded to a six-speed automatic, enabling greater efficiency, smoother gearshifts and better all-round performance.

The utes all-wheel drive system also poses surprises. Dubbed Intelligent 4WD, the systems name may initially confuse. Like the Escape, the Equator is powered by the front wheels in normal conditions, but sensors that measure wheel slip at a rate of 200 times per second and quick-acting electrics allow up to 99 percent of torque to be sent to the rear wheels if needed. Rather than call it AWD, like VW and Volvos Haldex systems, the operator still has control; drivers can select 4WD-lock mode, giving the same capabilities of a truck with a transfer case. This is all in spite of the fact that it rides on 19-inch high Michelin performance tires.

Getting back to the Equators exterior, it may be a little bit difficult to see beyond these changes when facing the vehicle head on, but beneath the snazzy front end is the Escape. This is most apparent when viewing it from rear three quarters angle where the pillars and door structures carry forward unmodified. Changes at the back also reveal a symmetrical lower valance featuring slick integrated tailpipes and new bezels on the clear tail lamps.

Finished in “First Light Orange” paint and highlighted with “chrome shadow” alloy wheels, make it look as if its a Land Rover Range Stormer concept run through the wash cycle; which isnt too far fetched considering Land Rover is owned by Ford.

With a sporting tone set by its racy exterior, it wouldnt be too much to expect a sporty interior, which is exactly what Ford has delivered. The interior of the Escape has been completely redone, split into two by the center cabin divider. Four deeply bolstered bucket seats look as if trimmed in expensive leather, however, theyre lined in a new kind of luxury PC Vinyl for extra durability and resistance to wear. The three-spoke sport steering wheel and center console are new, the latter reworked completely to include what looks to be an intuitive navigation system and digital climate control. Accent trim pieces are finished in Chrome Shadow and Cobalt Blue for additional flair.

Given that the next Escape will most likely be based on a modified version of the global Ford P1 platform, which has been suggested to underpin the next Land Rover Freelander, Mazda Tribute and the upcoming Volvo XC50, its unlikely that the styling and interior previewed on the Equator will be applied to production before 2008. Nevertheless, like the Ford Sport Trac concept, the Equator, no doubt, provides us with a good idea of where Ford would like to take its popular compact sport utility vehicle in the near future - and at first glance, thats a good thing.