2016 Ford Escape: Steady Eddie

Since the turn into the twenty-tens decade, the Ford Escape has been the sales king of the Canadian compact crossover segment. Not only did it get into the top five of all Canadian vehicle sales, it held at times a 10,000-unit lead over its next segment competitor. 

For 2016, not much has changed with the design of the Escape, but things have changed on the sales leaderboard. We're now seeing a more competitive five-horse race in the compact crossover segment and it's not led by the Ford Escape. The Escape sits in third position after three months, trailing the segment-leading Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, while the Jeep Cherokee and Nissan Rogue round out the list.

• Also: 2017 Ford Escape: Building On Its Success
• Also: 2014 Ford Escape: Still One Of The Benchmarks

To figure out whether the rest of the pack is merely getting better or the Escape is slipping, we needed to take the 2016 Ford Escape out for a test drive. 

Surprisingly powerful engine 

We took out the middle-tier SE trim that typically comes with a turbocharged, 178-hp 1.6-litre four-cylinder, but for an extra grand, this test vehicle was given the optional 2.0-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder that produces 240 hp and 270 lb.-ft. of torque. To make things more complicated, there's actually a third four-cylinder engine choice that comes in the way of a base, 2.5-litre unit that churns a decent 168 horses. 

The additional power in the 2.0-litre supplies the Escape with surprisingly quick acceleration and a thirst for power that's not typically seen in this segment. With an all-wheel drive alignment (front-wheel comes standard), the Escape can power its way to a reported 0-100 km/h sprint in just over seven seconds. 

Another nice surprise was its lightweight feel and nimble handling, as you sit perched with a little ride height for nice visibility. I expected the Escape to be able to manoeuvre itself around the downtown streets of Toronto, but I never thought it would feel so car-like. Handling is responsive, yet you should beware that steering can feel loose at times. As you weave your way around the city, you might tend to have to fight the light nature of its steering.

Once adjusted to that, you gain a sense for the Escape's body control. The Escape's all-wheel drive system shined during a heavy Toronto snowfall, by seamlessly shifting power throughout the vehicle when needed. The harshness and vibration of the ride may need a little more work, but the Escape stayed planted on the road with plenty of grip and minimal slippage. 

As for fuel economy, the Escape managed to achieve a respectable 10.5 L/100 km with a 60/40 city to highway split.

Not much new in way of design

Consumers are always looking for something new and refreshing to hear about, even if it's the slightest of modifications or added technologies. 

The 2016 Ford Escape, however, stays status quo with its sleek and more aggressive appearance that made its first appearance back in 2014. It's not a bad thing and much better than its boxy ways of the past, but it's just not anything new. 

The new item that is featured on the 2016 version is Ford's new infotainment system, SYNC 3. There's been much talk about the new system from Ford, as the previous MyFord Touch with SYNC unit received plenty of criticism from its tough-to-manage interface.

During my week, I found SYNC 3 to be a massive improvement by its pure simplicity, ease of touch and responsiveness, as well swipe and pinch functions. It's a monumental change for Ford, and the days of pressing hard on those corner functions to access the radio, climate or navigation have thankfully gone by the wayside.

An argument for more passenger space

One of the major selling points in a crossover or SUV is space. Granted, the Escape is of the compact crossover variety, yet consumers these days want it all. That thought process is helped out by the likes of the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 that seem to have an abundance of passenger and cargo space. 

Once again, the Ford Escape does well in this department with ample space. With the rear seats up, there's 971 litres of cargo space, while 1920 litres of room open up when the rear seats are folded flat. Stowing is just how you want it: simple and easy to use with a low load height and a few easy pulls.

When it comes to interior passenger space, some shortcomings show up. The seats in the front are on the slimmer side, which may work for some, yet hinder others; while the rear seats can sit three, but headroom seems to be lacking.

Conclusion

We started this test drive by attempting to find answers about the changing of the guard in the compact crossover segment. Has the Ford Escape dipped in the eyes of consumers? 

After a thorough test drive, it appears that the 2016 Ford Escape is still a good-looking, reliable and versatile crossover. Power is impressive in the optional 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine, while SYNC 3 does help a more techy consumer base in a big way.

The Escape offers a reasonable starting price of $23,699 for the base S, but you should keep in mind that this SE test vehicle begins at $25,799, or $28,699 if you want the powerful engine and all-wheel drive. More add-ons worked this Escape up to $37,839 after destination and delivery charges, which wouldn't be worth it given the other options at that price point, so I would advise to keep it simple. 

The end result for the 2016 Ford Escape is that there's nothing really wrong with it, but there's also nothing amazing about it either. Luckily, Ford has added some exterior flair and tech gadgets for 2017, and with that it can potentially climb back to the top of the scales once again.

• Compare the Ford Escape to the competitors