If you had liked the older Escape, you would like this more because it does not look as intimidating as before. The Ford Escape 2.3XLT looks a little more gentlemanly this time around and you will appreciate that its more family oriented to be honest. If you are one who likes picnics, family trips and such, this car fits in perfectly. The car is priced at RM134,888 making it one of the more affordable SUVs in this area. Imported from its plant in Philippines, the car comes with a 100,000kilometers or 3 years warranty whichever comes first.
The Escape has won various accolades in around the region including the Car of the Year for for the Best Petrol SUV at the Bangkok International Motor Show and is fitted with an 146horsepower Duratec engine. Ford has also included the Variable Valve Timing (VVT) system into the engine which gives you better efficiency as well as fuel economy. The gear box is something left to be desired as it is a 4 speed automatic while most competitors around this bracket has already fitted in the 5 speed gearbox already.
In terms of design, the front, bumpers, tailgate and the fenders have all been changed from its earlier version with 16 inch wheels which gives you some quite impressive handling especially when you are driving around town. In terms of safety, it follows the standard procedural features which includes ABS that comes with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution). Additional features include automatic climate and cruise control.
As with most SUVs, you can expect this car to be super-spacious. It is only under very uncommon circumstances which you might find yourself in a stuffy situation as the car can be easily customized to free up space inside. The audio system in this car is impressively fitted with a 6 CD changer which can also play MP3 files.
The Ford Escape is aimed to give you options if you are considering a car of this bracket and segment. The car is big in size and you need not find space as it comes in abundance. Whatever the situation, handling of the car is good enough to bring you quickly from one point to another. Ultimately, it is a no-nonsense machine.