Being able to see the leading edge of the hood from the driver's seat makes the Escape easier to maneuver in tight places. Its 7.8 inches of ground clearance may help clear some obstacles, but not big rocks. Outside door handles are easy to grab and feel like they're going to last.

The styling was freshened for 2005 with new headlamps, new fog lamps, a new egg-crate grille, new fascias, revised bumpers, and new wheels. The result of all this was a fresher, more contemporary look for Escape.

Accessories from Ford Outfitters include a snap-in pet barrier and a system to haul two mountain bikes in the cargo area. Bike racks can also be mounted on the roof; the standard roof rack with crossbars holds up to 100 pounds. Foot rails are designed to make it easier to lift kayaks, snowboards and other toys onto the roof rack. The rear bumper is also designed to aid roof access.

The No Boundaries Rack System features a sliding rail that can be repositioned from the roof to the rear of the vehicle, locking into the bumper. This provides two separate loading surfaces: a traditional roof rack and a vertically oriented rack across the rear. When not in use, the sliding rails can be stored within the conventional roof portion of the rack system.

Interior Features

The Escape is a compact SUV, but the front seats are nearly as roomy as those in the midsize Explorer. Getting in or out of the front seats is made easier by low door sills and wide door openings. Overall, the cabin is a pleasant place. The XLS has manually adjustable seats trimmed with cloth. XLT gets premium cloth trim. Leather comes standard on the Limited, optional on the XLT.

A redesign of the interior for 2005 brought upgraded seats, new fabrics, new gauges, and more interior storage. The shifter on automatic models was moved off of the column and onto the floor. Illuminated switches for the power windows and power locks made them easier to find.

White-faced instruments are set in a simple, easy-to-understand instrument panel. The audio system and heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls in the center stack are angled slightly toward the driver for easier access while driving.

Side-impact airbags are optional, and are part of a Safety Package that includes Ford's Safety Canopy rollover protection system. Pretensioners combined with load-limiting retractors are standard on front-seat belts. In a crash, these pretensioners automatically tighten the belts, while the load limiters are designed to reduce the risk of chest injuries in severe collisions. We strongly recommend always wearing seatbelts as they are the first line of defense in a crash; more than half of the nation's approximately 42,000 traffic fatalities each year are people not wearing seatbelts.

The rear seats offer good knee room. The rear seats are split 60/40 for greater versatility.

The rear cargo area offers 69.2 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded down, 33 cubic feet with the seats in place. The rear-seat cushion can be removed for more load-carrying capacity. The flip-up rear glass offers easy access to the rear cargo area for small items.

Driving Impressions

On the road, the Ford Escape offers responsive handling and brisk acceleration performance. The suspension has a comparatively taut ride quality, without the roly-poly and mushy ride that characterizes larger SUVs with big off-road tires and long-travel suspensions. The suspension was upgraded starting with 2005 models with larger-diameter front shocks and a new front stabilizer system to better control ride motions.

We've found the Escape handles well. The steering is responsive, direct and accurate with no dead spot in the center, and there's enough feeling in the steering to impart a sense of control. The tires offer respectable grip in paved corners. Transient response is surprisingly good, meaning the Escape maintains its composure in a series of left-right-left lane-change maneuvers. This permits quick, yet smooth, driving that will not upset passengers.

The 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine offers good power, decent torque (that force that propels you from intersections and up hills), very low emissions. And we found it to be a good match for the automatic transmission. The 2.3-liter engine produces 153 horsepower and 152 pound-feet of torque. It uses a balance shaft for smoothness.

The 3.0-liter V6 engine delivers stronger acceleration performance and we don't pine for power in a V6 Escape. The V6 and four-speed automatic communicate and work well together. The transmission shifts smoothly up and down, and chooses gears appropriately for the situation. The engine's broad power band never lugs or strains. This is neither the smoothest nor the roughest V6 on the market, but it is smoother and more satisfying than the four-cylinder engines found in most compact sport-utilities.