If there was one vehicle that I’ve really felt truly comfortable in the last year, honestly, it would have to be the 2016 Ford Escape. Hear me out. Now I’m not talking comfortable due to luxurious plush seating, I’m talking about an overall sense of comfort. As soon as I sat down in this crossover, I felt like I already knew where everything was. From the switches and buttons on the center console, to the light, it was all very self-explanatory from the get-go. Yeah, I wasn’t being swaddled in rich leathers or listening to a Harmon Kardon sound system, but it just felt right. And for that, I actually really loved the 2016 Escape.
As far as power goes, the base model comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder (22 city / 31 highway / 25 mpg combined) that’s good for 168 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. As for the SE and Titanium trims, a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine is found under the hood. Those kind of power figures aren’t comparable to most cars I write about, but this is one sturdy engine that provides great mileage and what I can imagine a bulletproof future. The drive our Escape offered was pleasant, not remarkable, but I didn’t expect it to be. However, thanks to its short wheelbase and short stature, it was actually quite nimble around corners.
Going back to that interior I was talking about in the beginning, the 2016 Escape’s cabin is just great. The center console has a gear selector mounted a little bit higher than normal, which worked out quite nicely, because when your hand is rested on it, it only takes a slight movement of the hand to reach the climate controls. Above the climate controls is the MyFordTouch interface that was simple and efficient. Also, the layout of the media interface buttons almost looked a bit sci-fi, which I wasn’t exepcting. When it came to space in the cabin, I never ran into an issue. As it is a crossover, I wasn’t looking to fit a full-size couch in the back, but average groceries and a few larger items (bikes and whatnot) fit just fine in the rear.
If you’re looking for an entry-level and small crossover that will act as a flawless daily driver, this might just be the best pick.
