Page 20 - Motor Trend (January 2020)

SUVOTY I Contenders
Ford Escape

PRO Hybrid variants • Light and tossable • Standard safety tech
CON Buzzy three-cylinder • Cheap interior • Start button placement
fter an interminable wait, three cylinders sit under the The Escape earns back our harder plastics. We can’t expect
Ford has graced us with hood of base models, and a respect with its tossable feel. The Lincoln interiors at Ford prices,
Aa new Escape. Once a startling four engine options crossover moves with a lightness but other brands make this
MotorTrend favorite, the Escape are available across the entire that reminds us of fun Fords compromise more effectively.
bursts back into the compact lineup, including two hybrids. we’ve favored in the past. The Respectable though not
crossover class to battle the About the turbo-three Escape: heavier hybrid trades a little of class-leading is where the 2020
Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Don’t be afraid of it. Actually, that playful nature for improved Escape’s journey ends. Even so,
What makes the Escape so its 181 horsepower propel it fuel economy and a quieter drive. the Escape will be compelling
intriguing is the way it doesn’t try with more authority than you’d The biggest issues are inside. to buyers who can overlook
to ape those two sales leaders’ expect. Given its buzzy nature at Even giving the benefit of the its sprinkling of issues and are
strategies move for move. low speeds, however, we wonder doubt to the preproduction OK with a crossover that can’t
Three and four are the most how it’ll feel at 50,000 miles models we drove, Ford should match the class leader in interior
important Escape numbers—only instead of just 5,000. have done a better job hiding the spaciousness. Zach Gale

SPECS 2020 Ford Escape SE 1.5T 2020 Ford Escape SE Hybrid AWD Titanium AWD 2.0T
Base Price/As Tested $28,190/$28,885 $30,850/$34,840 $37,780/$39,775
Power (SAE net) 181 hp @ 6,000 rpm 163 hp @ 6,250 rpm + elec motor; 221 hp comb 250 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 190 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm 155 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm + elec motor 280 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 8.4 sec 8.7 sec 6.9 sec
Quarter Mile 16.6 sec @ 84.5 mph 16.7 sec @ 84.7 mph 15.3 sec @ 89.3 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 128 ft 122 ft 123 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.78 g (avg) 0.77 g (avg) 0.76 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 28.2 sec @ 0.62 g (avg) 28.3 sec @ 0.60 g (avg) 27.7 sec @ 0.64 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 27/33/30 mpg (est) Not yet rated mpg 23/31/26 mpg (est) Titanium

Vehicle Layout SE 1.5T Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV SE Hybrid AWD Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV Titanium AWD 2.0T
Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV Engine/Transmission SE 1.5T 1.5L turbo DOHC 12-valve I-3/8-speed automatic SE Hybrid AWD 2.5L
Atkinson-cycle DOHC 16-valve I-4 plus elec motors/cont variable auto Titanium AWD 2.0T 2.0L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4/8-speed automatic
Curb Weight (F/R Dist) SE 1.5T 3,314 lb (59/41%) SE Hybrid AWD 3,773 lb (58/42%) Titanium AWD 2.0T 3,714 lb (58/42%) Wheelbase 106.7 in Length x
Width x Height 180.5 x 74.1 x 68.6 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy SE 1.5T 125/102 kW-hr/100 miles SE Hybrid AWD Not yet rated Titanium AWD
2.0T 147/109 kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb SE 1.5T 0.66 lb/mile SE Hybrid AWD Not yet rated lb/mile Titanium AWD 2.0T 0.75 lb/mile

Ford Explorer

PRO Fun to drive • Great hybrid • Fast ST trim
CON Awful interior quality • Awfully Expensive • Awful brakes on the ST

he Explorer’s popularity with complained about difficult brake
Americans is a testament to modulation.
Tall the boxes it ticks, and the The Hybrid is compelling, too.
latest evolution aims to further The powertrain handoff between
fit the mold of what the modern gas and electricity is seamless, sticker, with mismatched plastics for $58,570 and $59,520, respec-
family needs. To ensure there’s and when both engine and motor and, on the XLT and Limited tively, and neither had the quality
an Explorer for everybody, Ford work together, the Explorer is models, exposed wires just above to demand such a sky-high price.
offers a powerful four-cylinder, an quick and feels powerful. the phone shelf and beneath the Our advice? To Ford: Step up
efficient hybrid, and a sporty ST. Although the Explorer brings infotainment screen. your quality or lower your prices.
“I love the way it drives,” Evans lots to the table in terms of Ford’s pricing structure is To consumers whose boxes are
said. “The turbo-four is torquey packaging, with adult-friendly disappointing. Our base XLT otherwise ticked by the Explorer:
and really gets things moving.” second rows and a preteen-sized stickered for $43,415 as tested, a Don’t pay sticker. As for us, as
The ST also had its fans. “It has third row, we’re flummoxed by the price where competitors will sell Cortina said, “Is this really what
some nice zip and sharp steering,” poor quality inside. The Explorer you near-loaded models. Our we’ve been waiting for, Ford?”
Priddle said, though all judges feels built to a price far below its Hybrid Limited and ST stickered Christian Seabaugh

SPECS 2020 Ford Explorer XLT 2020 Ford Explorer Limited (Hybrid) 2020 Ford Explorer ST
Base Price/As Tested $37,770/$43,415 $55,570/$58,570 $55,835/$59,520
Power (SAE net) 300 hp @ 5,500 rpm 285 hp @ 6,500 rpm + 44 hp @ 3,500 rpm (elec); 318 hp comb 400 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 310 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm 260 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm + 221 lb-ft @ 500 rpm (elec); 322 lb-ft comb 415 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 6.8 sec 7.7 sec 5.3 sec
Quarter Mile 15.3 sec @ 89.6 mph 15.7 sec @ 92.0 mph 13.9 sec @ 99.9 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 121 ft 125 ft 114 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.81 g (avg) 0.77 g (avg) 0.85 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 27.7 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) 28.0 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) 26.4 sec @ 0.72 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 21/28/24 mpg 23/26/25 mpg 18/24/20 mpg ST
Vehicle Layout XLT Front-engine, RWD, 6-pass, 4-door SUV Limited (Hybrid) Front-engine, AWD, 6-pass, 4-door SUV ST Front-engine, AWD,
6-pass, 4-door SUV Engine/Transmission XLT 2.3L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4/10-speed automatic Limited (Hybrid) 3.3L DOHC 24-valve V-6 plus
permanent magnet AC elec motor/10-speed automatic ST 3.0L twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6/10-speed automatic Curb Weight (F/R Dist)
XLT 4,367 lb (50/50%) Limited (Hybrid) 5,189 lb (52/48%) ST 4,860 lb (51/49%) Wheelbase 119.1 in Length x Width x Height XLT, Limited (Hybrid)
198.8 x 78.9 x 69.9 in ST 199.3 x 78.9 x 70.2 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy XLT 160/120 kW-hr/100 miles Limited (Hybrid) 147/130 kW-hr/100
miles ST 187/140 kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb XLT 0.82 lb/mile Limited (Hybrid) 0.80 lb/mile ST 0.96 lb/mile