Ford Escape SE

[Robert Hall]

Back in Ohio for another week, another Pod to unpack.   My rental car from Hertz for this week is a Ford Escape SE, first time I've driven one of Ford's cute utes.

All in all, drives pretty well.   Lots of headroom, outward visibility ok (though the rear window is small).    There is an odd buzz and vibration when stopped w/ my foot on the brake, goes away when I release the brake..

The cab forward design results in a huge, deep dash and minivan like windshield.  The base of the windshield seems so far away.   Like the Fusion I drove last year, it has the neat retro center-meeting wipers.

A few interior quirks, I found the rear wiper controls incomprehensible at first, couldn't figure out how to turn off the rear wiper (was fine having it on Saturday night when it was pouring, but not yesterday when it was sunny).

The power port is on the center console, vertical opening.  But there is no cubby nearby for the phone/etc.  Unless you put it in a cup holder.  There is a small coin-sized cubby beside the power port, managed to wedge my garage door opener there.   I later did discover a hidden mesh pocket on the passenger's side of the center console; with a long enough cord I could put a phone there I suppose (but it is invisible to the driver). 

There is an odd loop in the seatbelt (seen in the attached pic).

The shifter is on the center stack, at about 45 degrees to the horizontal, was awkward to find gears (kept going into neutral when I wanted reverse). 

The radio controls are very far away and nearly on top of the dash (I tend to drive w/ the seat all the way back).

Plenty of rear cargo space, loaded up on household stuff at Target and Home Depot yesterday. 

 

Edited May 8, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[lengnert]

Surprised you got the 'last' Escape for rental.  I know the new one has some styling changes on the exterior.  I am not sure of any interior changes.

It is and always has been a good choice in the segment since Ford introduced it.

I haven't driven any of the newer generation Escape's, however I have driven many of the previous generation(s).  They were always very reliable and good driving vehicles.  I am of 'generous' proportions and never had a problem driving them even on long trips.  I know on these newer Escape's they have gone from more deeply treaded standard tires to more of a street tire, which degrades winter traction, in my opinion.  

My ex had this Escape and traded it in on a new Chevy Trax.  She wanted to lower her payments and possibly get better gas mileage.  From my understanding, she does like the Chevy but misses her Escape still.

And, I have no idea what the loop on the seatbelt is for, either....

Edited May 8, 2017 by lengnert

[Drew Dowdell]

I echo the surprise that you got a pre-refresh Escape... usually that would have been out of the rental fleet by now.

AFAIK, the interior changes are so minimal, you'd have to look at them side by side to really tell much of a difference. 

[A Horse With No Name]

These are neat vehicles, a have a friend who is a realtor who owns one and loves it...hers is white...looks good in that color.

Chris

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I echo the surprise that you got a pre-refresh Escape... usually that would have been out of the rental fleet by now.

Surprised also...it has over 30,000 miles and a Tennessee plate.   At Hertz Cleveland Saturday night, beside my name it said 'Five Star' on the Club Gold sign rather than a specific spot like they usually do, in the 'Five Star' row there was 1/2  dozen random vehicles--the Escape, a gray Rogue, and some midsize sedans...I picked the Escape as I wanted to haul a bunch of stuff from Home Depot, etc. 

Edited May 8, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[lengnert]

As a follow up, I have found out that the loop in the seatbelt is for a small barreled sidearm.... for better comfort and it makes for quicker access than leaving it in your holster or in the center console!

Edited May 8, 2017 by lengnert

[A Horse With No Name]

31 minutes ago, lengnert said:

As a follow up, I have found out that the loop in the seatbelt is for a small barreled sidearm.... for better comfort and it makes for quicker access than leaving it in your holster or in the center console!

If he wanders south into Vinton county, he will need the sidearm...just sayin...

[lengnert]

2 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

If he wanders south into Vinton county, he will need the sidearm...just sayin...

Oh my... a little 'dicey' down there?

[A Horse With No Name]

2 minutes ago, lengnert said:

Oh my... a little 'dicey' down there?

Only if you bathe or have teeth and they realize that your not from around those parts...

[lengnert]

2 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Only if you bathe or have teeth and they realize that your not from around those parts...

Duly Noted!  LOL

[Robert Hall]

On 5/8/2017 at 4:05 PM, A Horse With No Name said:

If he wanders south into Vinton county, he will need the sidearm...just sayin...

LoL...not heading that far south..staying in Cuyahoga County mostly (not going to East Cleveland), but heading down to the family farm in Tuscarawas County Friday afternoon to visit my brother. (just 89 miles down I-77)

Edited May 10, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[A Horse With No Name]

37 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

LoL...not heading that far south..staying in Cuyahoga County mostly (not going to East Cleveland), but heading down to the family farm in Tuscarawas County Friday afternoon to visit my brother. (just 89 miles down I-77)

Thought about you half an hour ago.  i had to leave the campus where I work for a continuing education class in HVAC and motors at TRANE.  Coming back, someone blew a red light and took the twin brother of your old Jeep Grand Cherokee out of the world.  Sad to see the jeep get nailed...glad you are alive and kickin!

[Robert Hall]

Escapes are popular in Parma...parked in a row of 4 plus one Rogue.  The blue one is the restyled 17, I notice they moved the shifter down to the console. 

When I came out, they were all still there..joined by a black Rougue in the empty spot on the left.  It's as if their was a subliminal 'compact CUV parking only' sign...

Edited May 10, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[trinacriabob]

I like the dash.  It has the swoops and curves, much like the Focus, that give it personality, which is sorely lacking in so many European and Japanese dashboards these days.  I think the entertainment zone in the center stack might take some getting used to.  I don't like it when I get into a rental vehicle and the commands aren't that intuitive, and taking too much time to learn them.  Ditto for the Focus ... there's a cubby hole down at the base of the center stack, but it doesn't accommodate a phone that well.  I recently had a Fusion.  I've already reviewed a rented one once before.  It, too, has the center meeting wipers.  They had gone away from that and now they're coming back to it.  The new Cruze has them as well.  I remember that my '92 Regal coupe had them.  I liked them because I had never seen them before.

What sort of mileage did you get?  I don't remember what powers these vehicles.

Cool street view there!  Will you look at that ... an entire street dominated by hip roofed homes.  Nice. The norm in so many CLE neighborhoods seems to be gable roofed homes. 

I believe that Ford has an engine plant near CLE and that GM has a metal fabrication plant further to the east of there.  That would make for some loyal customers of Detroit iron.  You certainly see more of it in that area than you do out West.  I'm hoping those plants are operative and humming along at a good clip.

[A Horse With No Name]

Hopeful on the plants, yes...

Agree on the Ford Dashboard thing-I am looking at small sport compacts right now and may well end up with a GTI.  The ST Focus has a fantastic dashboard though, I love how modern and visually stimulating it is..Ford got that part of their design very right!