Ford Escape Totally Explained

Everything about Ford Escape totally explained

   The Ford Escape (designated U204) is a compact SUV sold by the automaker Ford Motor Company beginning in the 2001 model year and priced below the Ford Explorer. The Escape was sold in Europe as the Ford Maverick. It was jointly developed with Mazda, in which Ford owns a controlling interest, and was released simultaneously with the Mazda Tribute. In the United States, Ford's Mercury division released a luxury version called the Mariner starting with the 2005 model year.
   A hybrid version of the Escape was released in 2004, making it the first hybrid SUV.
   The Escape is built on the Ford CD2 platform, which is in turn based on the Mazda GF platform, which was used by the Mazda 626.

2001–2007

The first generation Ford Escape was released in North America in 2001. It was slotted below the larger truck based Explorer in Ford's lineup, but was larger than the small SUV offerings from Honda and Toyota. At the time, most sport utility vehicles used a truck based Body-on-frame design. Solid rear axles were commonly used due to their ability to carry heavy loads at the expense of a comfortable ride and good handling. Ford realized that most SUV owners didn't take their vehicles off road, and decided instead to use a car-like Monocoque design with a fully independent suspension and rack and pinion steering for the Escape. Although not meant for serious off-roading, a full time all wheel drive system supplied by Dana was optional which included a locking center differential activated by a switch on the dashboard. The all wheel drive system normally sends most of the power from the engine to the front wheels. If slipping is detected at the front, more power will be sent to the rear wheels in a fraction of a second. The entire braking system was built by Continental Teves including the ABS and various related suspension components. CKD production began in 2002 at Ford Lio Ho Motor Co. in Taiwan for various Asian markets.

Safety and Security

Crash test results for the Escape have been mixed. In the New Car Assessment Program administered by the USA based National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the car received 5 out of 5 stars for driver protection and 4 out of 5 stars for passenger protection in a frontal impact. The SUV received 5 stars for both driver and rear passenger in the side impact test. In the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's frontal offset test, 2001-2004 Escapes received a score of "Marginal". Vehicles equipped with the optional side air bags received a score of "Good" in the side impact test, while those without the optional air bags received a score of "Poor".
All Escapes are equipped with a passive Immobiliser called SecuriLock. This feature includes a RFID chip embedded in the key which is read by the car each time the vehicle is started. If the vehicle fails to receive a valid confirmation signal from the key, the vehicle won't run even if the key is perfectly cut to match the original. Theft, Injury, and Collision losses reported to insurance companies for the Escape are among the lowest in its class.

Hybrid version

In 2004, the Ford Escape Hybrid was released. This hybrid electric vehicle is 75% more fuel-efficient than the regular Escape according to Environmental Protection Agency tests and was the first sport utility vehicle available to the public with hybrid technology. The Escape Hybrid also offers a 110 volt AC (150 watt) plug-in outlet, for powering small household accessories, as an option.
In January 2006, at the Washington Auto Show, Ford showed a prototype for an Escape Hybrid that would allow E85 fuel to be used.

2005 changes

The Escape and Tribute were updated for 2005 with a new base engine (the 2.3 L Duratec 23), which replaced the Zetec 2.0 L 127 hp 4-cylinder. The most powerful engine remained the Duratec 3.0 L V6, with new engine mounts. Ford also added airbag and seatbelt safety systems, an intelligent all wheel drive system, and exterior changes. 2005 was the first model year an automatic transmission was available on the base four-cylinder models. The automatic shifter was moved from the column to the console on all models equipped with automatic transmissions. Ford also deleted the recline feature on the rear seats to improve the safety of occupants in the rear seats in the case of a rear crash.

European SUV

From 2001 to 2004 the Ford Escape was sold in Europe under the Maverick name replaced a rebadged version of the Nissan Mistral/Terrano II. Only two versions were made, the 2.0 L Zetec engine with manual transmission and 3.0 L Duratec with automatic transmission, both using gasoline as fuel. The absence of a diesel version didn't help sales and production halted in late 2003.
The Maverick was primarily designed for on-road use - sold with normal road tires, and to be used with front-wheel drive most of the time. A second "gear lever" for the transfer gearbox enabled four-wheel drive mode with no centre differential and a limited slip rear differential - this precluded using full-time four-wheel drive on the road as it caused undue wear on the transmission and tires.
The Maverick was reintroduced in 2005 in certain European markets with a 3.0L DOHC Duratec 30 engine. It was announced that the Maverick would be assembled in Russia for the Russian market.

2007 changes (Asian/Pacific)

A revamped 2007 Escape went on sale in the second half of 2006 for the Asian and Pacific markets (except South Korea, where the North American-market Escape is sold). Major external changes include a redesigned front bumper, grille, headlights and hood, as well as LED taillights and rear bumper.
   On the inside, changes include a floor-mounted automatic transmission shifter, in place of the old column shifter, as well as a redesigned center stack comprising of audio and climate controls. Climate control is automatic on all models except the XLS. The Limited model also features full color-coded bumpers, wheel arch and side moldings, as well as side mirrors with integrated LED indicators.
   Rear drum brakes have been replaced by disc brakes all round.
   The 3.0 L V6 has been modified to reduce fuel consumption by over 10%, while the 2.3 L 4-cylinder has improved mid-range torque and an electronic throttle, as well as a slight increase in power to 109 kW (146 hp). Both engines had been certified to meet Euro III emission regulations. A four-speed automatic carries over and is the sole transmission choice.
   The 2007 Asian/Pacific Escape is now built in Taiwan, instead of Japan.

Recalls

In the USA, the Escape has been recalled 10 times, although the bulk of the problems only affected the first model year. In April, 2007 Ford announced it would recall nearly 500,000 Escape SUVs produced between 2001-2004 due to reported engine fires. Ford recalled those Escape year models because of improper sealing in the antilock braking system that could cause contamination and a short. Ford has said the fires didn't cause personal injuries and the Escape hybrid wasn't affected.

2008-present

The North American-market Escape and its Mazda Tribute/Mercury Mariner siblings have received a redesign in order to stay competitive with other new compact SUVs, however most of the internals have been carried over. The Escape still uses the CD2 platform. Ford also included an electronic stability control system standard on the 2008 Escape. As of 2006, this Escape (badged as Maverick) is no longer sold in Europe, leaving Ford Europe without a compact SUV until the 2009 Ford Kuga.
   The updated Escape received some styling cues from the Explorer, Edge, and Expedition. Changes include a new grille with larger headlamps in the front fascia, while the sides were revised with cleaner lines and rounder wheel arches. The interior is also completely redesigned, including the newest standard Ford family navigation system.
   The 2008 Ford Escape debuted at the 2007 Los Angeles International Auto Show.
   A new concept version for the Asian market, called the Ford Escape Adventure Concept, was revealed at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. It features a revised front and rear fascia, incorporating Ford's three-bar grill styling theme and restyled LED tail lamps.

2009 changes

At the 2008 Washington Auto Show, Ford Motor Company introduced new changes to the Escape for the 2009 model year. Ford's new 6-speed 6F automatic will replace the previous four-speed automatic on both the I4 and V6 models. The 2.3 L Duratec 23 will be replaced by a new 2.5 L Duratec 25, which will boost standard power to 171hp and 171 lb-ft., while increasing fuel economy by 1mpg city/hwy. The optional 3.0L Duratec 30 V6 has been thoroughly updated, resulting in a 40hp increase, bringing the V6's power to 240hp and 233 lb-ft. The Duratec 30 will also see a 1mpg fuel economy improvement. The Hybrid will also be upgraded to use the 2.5L and too see an increase of 1mpg fuel economy. This 2.5L Hybrid system will also be used in the 2009 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan.
Other mechanical changes include a new 18.5mm rear stabilizer bar, revised suspension tuning, a new air induction system for the 3.0L V6, and a new exhaust system on all Escapes.
The Escape will undergo some minor aerodynamic changes for 2009, including a revised front chin spoiler and rear tire spoilers. The '09 Escape will also feature Ford's new Easy-Fuel capless fuel filling system.

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