2006 Ford Escape

I love the look and style of the Ford Escape. It's compact and sporty and economical however it does have some minor flaws. Let's take a brief look at the pros and cons of the Ford Escape.

First of all, I love the fact that even with a V6 or V4 engine the Ford Escape is pretty speedy. It has the ability to zip in and out of places fairly quickly. Has a bit of get up and go so to speak. Good for those who live in a city where there is heavy traffic. Of course the compact SUV is more economical when it comes to gas mileage. Ever important with the rising gas prices.

The Escape is very compact and sporty in style. Small enough to easily get in and out of tight parking spaces but with five seatbelts, it's large enough to comfortably fit a family of five. There is plenty of leg room and the seats, whether, leather or cloth are fairly comfortable. The seats have enough space to move forward or backwards for driving comfort. Plus the front seats lay all the way back making it a very comfy traveler. The trunk or hatchback space is rather large. The Escape has much more room in the trunk than the larger SUV's which loose space to the third seat.

Some of the great features of the Escape are the windshield wipers on the back window, the rollup shield cover for the trunk, excellent power steering, racks on top, and some models even come with a sunroof! I'd say the traction of the wheels is excellent and much better also than the larger SUV's making it a little safer in harsh weather.

The only complaint I have about the Ford Escape is the loudness of the engine when traveling on the highway. If you're sitting in the backseat, you cannot hear music or talking from the front of the vehicle. I have driven both the older models and the newer models and I have to say the older models such as the 2001 Escape are not as loud on the highway. When I test drove the 2006, I went right on the highway and sure enough, the sound was extremely loud. I hear that the manufacturer has been working on that problem and the newer models have the sound problem fixed.

I recommend the Ford Escape for a family of five or less who are active.

S. Mundy, Tampa Florida