2008 Ford Escape Drive

[93JC]

Huh. Amazing what a few years will do for some people's perceptions of acceleration. When the Escape debuted it was considered very quick for it's class, and now it's 'hopelessly slow'...

[ifcar]

When the Escape came out, most small SUVs were 4-cylinders. That changes a lot.

[FoMoJo]

Huh. Amazing what a few years will do for some people's perceptions of acceleration. When the Escape debuted it was considered very quick for it's class, and now it's 'hopelessly slow'...

When I bought my '01, I was impressed with the performance...but then, I traded a '91 Tempo for it.

[Ron From Regina]

Huh. Amazing what a few years will do for some people's perceptions of acceleration. When the Escape debuted it was considered very quick for it's class, and now it's 'hopelessly slow'...

I'm not an enthusiast simply wishing the escape was more powerful to keep up with todays modern trends. The escape is so gutless I would go so far to say, it is the most gutless car I have ever driven, and that has included my 93 sunbird with 300k on the clock, and a geo metro.

However, that said, the 3.7L in my wife's jeep has absolutly no problem merging onto freeways, nor is passing other cars a problem. If I was looking at a purchasing a small SUV right now, and drove the Escape and Jeep back to back, the escape wouldn't even be considered, solely for its engine.

[FoMoJo]

I'm not an enthusiast simply wishing the escape was more powerful to keep up with todays modern trends. The escape is so gutless I would go so far to say, it is the most gutless car I have ever driven, and that has included my 93 sunbird with 300k on the clock, and a geo metro.

However, that said, the 3.7L in my wife's jeep has absolutly no problem merging onto freeways, nor is passing other cars a problem. If I was looking at a purchasing a small SUV right now, and drove the Escape and Jeep back to back, the escape wouldn't even be considered, solely for its engine.

Are you sure you didn't get a dud?  At 4000rpm, mine starts pulling pretty good.  As well, it's quick off the line compared to the average family sedan.  Maybe they've changed the mapping for better efficiency in the new ones...but mine still gets under 10/100 on average.

[Ron From Regina]

Are you sure you didn't get a dud?? At 4000rpm, mine starts pulling pretty good.? As well, it's quick off the line compared to the average family sedan.? Maybe they've changed the mapping for better efficiency in the new ones...but mine still gets under 10/100 on average.

I've wondered that myself. There was 10 kms on it when I rented it, so it was brand new. Maybe the engine had to work in better. It did run smooth though, and  other than being gutless didn't present any obvious problems.

[93JC]

However, that said, the 3.7L in my wife's jeep has absolutly no problem merging onto freeways, nor is passing other cars a problem. If I was looking at a purchasing a small SUV right now, and drove the Escape and Jeep back to back, the escape wouldn't even be considered, solely for its engine.

I can pretty much guarantee the Liberty is no quicker...

[SVT666]

I can pretty much guarantee the Liberty is no quicker...

Both the V6 Escape and the Liberty 3.7L are listed at 10 seconds for 0-60.

[93JC]

I've seen figures around 9ish for both.

[Ron From Regina]

Both the V6 Escape and the Liberty 3.7L are listed at 10 seconds for 0-60.

Maybe its just the seat of the pants feel then, because the liberty is a much torquier engine. I've driven the same highway in both cars, and the liberty downshifts for only the steepest hills, while the escape was doing it all the time. Merging onto freeways is no problem with the liberty, and I had a real strugle, even under WOT to do it with the escape. Maybe the escape makes all its power at the top of the rev band. Except for the few seconds I was up there trying to merge onto freeways, I never spent much time up there.

The fact is, the driving impression the escape gives you is that it is lacking. That feeling is not there in the Jeep, nor any other car I have ever driven.

[giant_mtb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v30RaXAQxzY

I timed it using a stopwatch (thank you, pharmaceutical companies). 9.3 seconds.

What is that?  And why does it seem fake?

[ro51092]

What is that?  And why does it seem fake?

Trep doin a 0-60 run. I don't see what's fake about it.

[giant_mtb]

Trep doin a 0-60 run. I don't see what's fake about it.

Ohhhh...see, I was thinking it was in MPH, but now that I've thought about it, I realize that it's in KMH.  I was like "how the hell does that thing go from 0-100 so fast?!"...

Wow, I'm an idiot, excuse me.

[FoMoJo]

Maybe its just the seat of the pants feel then, because the liberty is a much torquier engine. I've driven the same highway in both cars, and the liberty downshifts for only the steepest hills, while the escape was doing it all the time. Merging onto freeways is no problem with the liberty, and I had a real strugle, even under WOT to do it with the escape. Maybe the escape makes all its power at the top of the rev band. Except for the few seconds I was up there trying to merge onto freeways, I never spent much time up there.

The fact is, the driving impression the escape gives you is that it is lacking. That feeling is not there in the Jeep, nor any other car I have ever driven.

I think I know what you mean.? I've wondered about the shift-point mapping they use...at certain speeds it seems reluctant to drop a gear unless you really press down...and then it drops a couple and you're up around 4-5000rpm.? I haven't seen a torque curve for the Duratec 30 but with the over-square bore/stroke 89/79.5 mm I wouldn't think it has much torque below 4000rpm.? Not exactly a truck engine...but then the Escape is not exactly a truck.

The best way to merge into a fast moving freeway is to nail it as soon as you come off the loop and, depending on speed, it'll drop into the top end of 1st, then scream through 2nd and up into 3rd and you'll be doing 100+ by the time you're looking for a spot to slip into...if you get a chance to drive one again, try it.