2010 Ford Escape

Review

The Ford Escape is one of the best known compact Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) out there. Compact SUVs are fuel efficient, have a limited amount of towing capacity, and can often seat five or seven passengers. This new car guide covers information about the 2010 Ford Escape, including specs, opinions from users based on owner car reviews, photos, and information from a recent road test.

The 2010 Ford Escape has an MSRP that starts at $20,550, and an invoice price that begins at $19,407. Car pricing goes up from there, as it is available in three different trims: the base model, XLS, the XLT, and the Limited at the top of the range. All trims are available in both front wheel drive and all wheel drive. A hybrid model is also available.

Improvements from the 2009 Ford Escape

The 2010 Ford Escape will have a few new features, including a rear view camera system, Active Park Assist, Integrated Spotter Mirrors, and MyKey, which will help parents encourage their teens to drive safer. Parents can program a MyKey to limit the vehicle's top speed, set a top audio volume, give the low-fuel warning earlier, and encourage seat belt use by muting the radio until the seat belt is turned on. MyKey can be programmed to chime sounds at 45, 55, and 65 mph. SYNC technology, which has been available on Fords for a few years, now offers traffic, information, and directions, in addition to its other features. Performance upgrades have also been made over previous years.

Performance

The 2010 Ford Escape performs admirably. It accelerates smoothly, and handles a lot like a car, although unlike a car, the Escape has more top-heaviness. A new stabilizer allows the vehicle to handle corners better than in previous years. With a fuel economy of 21 to 24 mpg, the Escape gets fairly decent gas mileage, although several of its competitors outshine the Escape in this area. The vehicle is quieter than many other cars in its class.

Exterior Features

Exterior features on the 2010 Ford Escape include standard automatic headlights on all trims, standard fog lights on all trims except the XLS, power adjustable exterior mirrors, and a rear windshield wiper. The design has changed very little since it was last redesigned in 2008.

Interior Features

The interior is comfortable and gives enough room to adults of most sizes, which is typical for most SUVs. The rear backs can fold flat to create more storage space, but it can take a few inconvenient steps . Several storage locations are available for small items, and map pockets can be found in each door. The controls for the climate system are easy to use, but the navigation system makes some simple functions more complicated. Ford's SYNC system, as well as buttons on the steering wheel, makes audio operation a little bit easier.

Safety & Specifications

Car safety is one of the 2010 Ford Escape's top features. The NHTSA gives the Escape five (out of five) stars for frontal crashes for both the driver and passenger, and five stars for side impact crashes for both the driver and rear passengers. The rollover rating is three stars. Standard features include antilock brakes, traction control, vehicle stability control, airbags for both the driver and passenger, side head curtain airbags, and electronic brake assistance. Child safety door locks and a vehicle anti-theft system also come standard.

Upgrade Options

Available options on the 2010 Ford Escape depend on the trim that is purchased. The Limited trim comes with more standard features and more options, and the XLS comes with the least amount of standard features and options. The Limited trim comes with an optional electronic parking aid, separate climate controls for the driver and front seat passenger, and heated front seats. Options available on the XLT and Limited versions include a CD changer, DVD player, second row sound controls, subwoofer, and sunroof or moonroof. A telematic system, which can help businesses by tracking the location, speed, and idle time of the vehicle, is offered as an option on all trims.

How the New Ford Escape Compares to Other Affordable Sport Utility Vehicles

When compared to other affordable Sport Utility Vehicles, the 2010 Ford Escape falls slightly towards the front of the middle of the pack. While the safety is excellent, vehicles like the Honda CR-V and GMC Terrain offer equal safety but better gas mileage. Although their features and gas mileage may be better, the Ford Escape might be a better overall buy. The Intellichoice 5 year cost of ownership of the Escape XLS forward wheel drive is $32,232. A similarly equipped Chevrolet Equinox could cost you $35,965, and the Mitsubishi Outlander ownership costs reach $38,938. Car insurance costs are reasonable; five years of insuring the Escape will cost an average of $1109 per year, while insuring the Outlander would cost the average person around $1300 a year. Both of these are just averages, you may be able to find a lower rate by shopping around for cheap auto insurance.

The J.D. Power Quality Ratings for the Escape include three and a half power circles (out of five) for overall initial quality, three circles for overall performance and design, and three and a half stars for predicted reliability. The CR-V received four circles for overall initial quality, and four and a half circles for predicted reliability. While the 2010 Ford Escape may cost less to own, it does not seem to hold the top spot in quality. The Escape comes with the standard Ford factory warranty: 3 year, 36,000 miles of basic coverage, 5 years and 60,000 miles of drive train coverage and roadside assistance, and a five year, unlimited mile rust warranty.

Conclusion: Is the Ford Escape a Smart Buy?

The 2010 Ford Escape is a smart buy for most bargain-conscious buyers who need an SUV. Auto reviews by most users are positive. Is it the best vehicle in its class? Perhaps not. However, many vehicles that do perform slightly better cost a bit more as well. If you are looking for a good deal on an affordable compact SUV, the Escape should be among the vehicles that you test drive. You may wish to try out a few other vehicles, like the Honda CR-V or the GMC Terrain, especially if you are willing to pay a little more money.