Quick Drive: Ford Escape

By Feann Torr - 9/June/2006

Ford's Territory is a success story that can't be ignored. Everyone at Ford Australia is supremely chuffed at it's soaring sales, and why not? It beats Toyota's RAV4 and Prado sales combined, and traditional rival Holden doesn't have an answer for the crossover SUV yet.

But with success comes pressure, and the vehicle that slots into the Ford range below the Territory, the Escape, is feeling the pressure of its incredibly successful bigger brother.

So what is Ford to do? Wait for the updated American model Escape to arrive, or try something more proactive? It decided on the latter, and a number of the Ford Australia design team spent time ferrying between Australia and Taiwan (where the new model is built alongside the European models such as the Focus and Mondeo) and the result is the new ZC Escape, tailor-made for local customers.

The previous model wasn't an ugly-looking vehicle per se, yet it's sister model, the Mazda Tribute - featuring the same underpinnings, with some interior/exterior and suspension tune differences - was a more popular vehicle. But with the advent of the new 2006 model Escape, complete with a fresh new look inside and out, not to mention keener pricing, Ford hopes to get back into the medium SUV race and give the Subaru Forester, Nissan X-Trail and Toyota RAV4 some real competition.

Ford's new Escape will suit drivers with active lifestyles, and has plenty of interior room, with a 935 litre boot (Pics - top: Limited V6, middle: XLS bottom: V6 Limited leather interior)

As we touched down on the airfield in South Australia to have a quick drive of the new ZC Ford Escape, it became obvious that the decision makers at the Blue Oval want to make something of the Escape.

With several of the new vehicles parked next to the runway, I remember being quite impressed by how they looked. Far from the somewhat dowdy model that existed previously, it is clear that Australians have had plenty of input into the new design.

The phrase "Baby Territory" had instantly formed in my thoughts after seeing the new SUV.

How a car looks is sometimes more important to buyers than what it does, and I think Ford has found a nice equilibrium between doing too much and not doing enough with the car's new look.

Granted, it's not dramatically different from its predecessor in terms of proportions, but key design elements such as the head and brake lights exhibit a high level of attention to detail, and attract interest as a result.

Indeed, the front headlights now reflect the styling of the Territory - a smart move - with modern-looking twin head lamps sitting beneath smoked lenses, which now flank a much more purposeful grille. New sheet metal has been sculpted around the front of the Escape, which contributes a stronger front end, which in Ford speak gives it an "urban look".

Stroll around to the rear of the car it's new LED brake light clusters stand out not only from a creative perspective, but also on the road - they're much more visible than standard argon/halogen globes, even in the middle of the day, and the fact that LEDs are more energy efficient is another plus.

The new design was finalised with help of customer feedback spanning three years, and seeing as the pricing begins at under the magic $30,000 mark, Ford has given itself a much better chance of mixing it with the more popular entry-level SUV models that populate the market. Here's the revised ZC range and their purchase prices:

XLS 2.3L 4-cylinder $29,990
XLT 2.3L 4-cylinder $33,490
XLT Sport 3.0L V6 $37,190
Limited 3.0L V6 $41,990

The entry-level XLS, packing a 2.3-litre 4-banger petrol engine, generates 109kW @ 6000rpm and 199Nm of torque @ 4000rpm. Though it doesn't sound like much, it motivates quite well from standstill - just don't expect mind-blowing overtaking performance at highway speeds. A variable valve timing system was added to the 2261cc 4-cylinder engine, giving it a more flexible nature, while reducing noxious emissions.

Where the 4-cylinder XLS model is priced at $29,990 and $33,490 for the XLT - the latter adds things like front fog lights and climate control air-con - the new 2006 model Ford Escape also features a 6-cylinder model, something its Japanese rivals cannot lay claim to. Having a choice of two engine types broadens the Escape's target demographic, and Ford reckons the sales split will be 60:40 between 4- and 6-cylinder models.

Powered by a 3.0-litre 60° V6, generating 152kW @ 6000rpm and 276Nm @ 4750rpm, the 6-cylinder models cost more, but offer significantly improved performance and will appeal to those who plan on towing trailers and the like. Interestingly, the V6 engine has been hitting the gym, improving its metabolism dramatically. Fuel consumption has dropped from an average 12.2L/100km to 10.9L/100km. In contrast, the 4-cylinder engine manages 10.5L/100km, showing just how lean the new V6 is.

There is only one gearbox choice across all models, a 4-speed automatic, and it does it's job quietly and relatively efficiently. Power is diverted to the front wheels in normal situations, and like most other compact SUVs out there half the engine's output is automatically diverted to the rear wheels if the car detects wheel slippage. During our off-road trek through some mild sand dunes near the coast, the system took about a second to initiate when the front wheels lost traction, but the lockable 4WD function proved quite useful in such situations. The locked 4WD function can be switched on by a button on the dashboard, which activates an electro-magnetic coupling that apportions torque 50:50 to the front and rear, and can be activated while the vehicle is in motion.

The heavier V6 lump over the front axle reduces the 6-cylinder vehicle's approach angle slightly, and vice versa for departure, which are as follows:

2.3-litre L4 Models
Approach angle: 28.4º
Departure angle: 25.2º

3.0-litre V6 Models
Approach angle 26.5º
Departure angle 26.2º

Wheel sizes are 16-inch for all models with steel and alloy rims depending on the model, shod with 215/70 R16s for the 4-cylinder models and 235/70 R16s for the V6s. The brakes have also been upgraded, and all models now feature larger 303mm rotors up front, and 302mm discs at the rear, where previously the AWD had 278mm discs up front and drum brakes at the rear.

With it's fairly short front and rear overhangs and 205mm (L4) and 215mm (V6) ground clearances, the Escape can indeed tackle the rough stuff, but as Ford admits, most buyers are likely to spend most of their driving time on the blacktop. Therefore it comes as no surprise that the SUV has a suspension tune that is more suited to sealed roads than rocky ravines. It has a comfortable ride, if a touch stiff at times, and handles very nicely. It feels quite car like in the way it responds to input from hand and foot.

Things like cruise control, air-conditioning, power everything, roof racks and twin airbags are standard features across the range, as is EBA, EBD and ABS, while the Limited model gets additional extras like a sunroof, integrated wing mirror LED indicators, body-coloured bumpers and an upmarket leather interior. The range is available in six exterior colours, including red, blue, black, silver and gold.

In addition to a choice of two engines, another big selling point of the new Escape is it's roomy interior. There's a sense of spaciousness in the cabin, and this combines well with modern-looking centre console and blue-lit instrument dials, and best of all the ye-olde column-shifter has now been relocated to the orthodox position on the transmission tunnel, to the left of the driver. The 935 litre boot is also well sized, increasing to 1792 litres with the rear seats folded flat.

As Ford's chief designer in the Asia Pacific region, Paul Gibson, noted, "You design the outside for others to see, but customers spend most of their time with the interior. We have recognised that fact with the refined craftsmanship of the interior and by making it quieter, improving the ergonomics and using luxury fittings and materials." And he's not wrong - the new-look CD/MP3 stereo with digital display takes centre stage and looks a treat, with intuitive HVAC controls below it, setting the scene in the cockpit and helping to give the interior a thoroughly contemporary feel.

Conclusion

The "Baby Territory" should be in dealerships by the time you read this, and Ford predicts around 300-350 of these SUVs will find owners every month, which is quite a modest prediction if you ask me. With it's impressive new look, tweaked engines and satisfyingly modern interior, I think the changes made to the ZC model will be enough to pique the interest of would-be RAV4, CR-V and Forester buyers.

There's nothing glaringly wrong with the vehicle - it drives nicely on the road, it's able to tackle the rough stuff without breaking a sweat, it looks great and the new pricing isn't too bad either, starting at under thirty thousand clams. Providing the sought-after high driving position, with the versatility of a wagon body, the new 2006 ZC Escape could be just the tonic Ford needs to reinvigorate its mid-sized SUV range.