Faults:

Cruise control.

Tire pressure monitor sensor.

General Comments:

Great smaller SUV with a lot of features with the Titanium trim. The handling is improved from the previous generation, and the 2.0 EcoBoost engine that takes the place of the 3.0 V6 is smooth and quiet, and does the job well.

I love the panoramic sunroof, and the ambient lighting and Sony stereo are nice touches, as is the 8" touch screen. The seats are supportive and comfortable. It's also a very sharp looking little SUV. I prefer the old school boxy SUVs, but this isn't bad at all. Besides, how often do these things get off the pavement?

The cons? Why on Earth would you offer an 8" screen, packed with navigation, climate control, Bluetooth, A/V inputs, and premium audio, but NOT have a backup camera with it?! One of the most confusing aspects of the vehicle. It was an option, but it should have come standard with the highest infotainment option. The pedals seem a little close together and take some getting used to.

Overall, it's a pleasant to drive vehicle with plenty of fun and functional options. I loved my 2010, too. But they are totally different vehicles.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Great vehicle.

Have driven several times to Salt Lake City ~1300 miles getting over 31 MPG driving at 75 mph.

This is a base model without all the bells and whistles, but has everything I need.

Faults:

My touch screen went blank. It took a week to fix the problem, but the dealer rented me a new car to use.

General Comments:

I can't find anything negative to say about my Escape.

The turbo engine is quick and responsive, and the 6 speed transmission is very smooth.

Gas mileage is fantastic; 12.5km per liter

Leather seats are very comfortable

Continental Contact Pro tires handle well in rain or on dry pavement. In winter I use snow tires, as any responsible driver should.

There is plenty of cargo space, especially with the rear seats down.

We love the panoramic roof.

Fantastic 5 year 100,000km warranty on the power train and electronics.

Faults:

Immediate recall 1 week after registration of the vehicle. Dealer never bothered to contact me. Got a stock letter in the mail. The engine has the possibility of leaking fluid that causes engine fires.

Brakes started squealing while backing down driveway after about 4000 miles

The engine revs and will stick anywhere from 3000 RPM to 5000 RPM sometimes while in cruise control, and other times while driving in precarious snow conditions, with just the slightest touch on or off the gas pedal to account for winter conditions. This will most times not resolve unless one hits the brake pedal; a very dangerous move in some of the snowy conditions I have driven in.

The 18 inch stock Continental tires do not perform to any acceptable level in snow conditions, and I feel very insecure on wet pavement as well.

DO NOT EXPECT TO GET THE GAS MILEAGE FORD HAS BRAGGED ABOUT FOR THIS VEHICLE. Mine stated 22-30 MPG, and the only way that I have come close to the upper end is coasting down hill from a low speed start. Average highway ratings for my vehicle for first 7000 miles is 22-24 at highway speeds ranging from 65-75mph. This includes stock Continental all weather tires and Goodyear winter tires.

The button to open the back door is hidden in a recess below the license plate. If the car is dirty or snowy, you get your hand or gloves wet/dirty trying to access it.

My radio is controlled by way of the dash board and steering wheel controls. Sometimes I am locked out of the on/off function, volume control or fine tuning the radio at the dashboard level.

Faults:

Nothing broke while I had this truck.

General Comments:

Nice step-up from the previous revision.

Mileage came NOWHERE near the EPA estimates.

Nervous & bumpy ride on rough roads due to the stiff truck-like suspension and low-profile and expensive wheel/tire set-up.

I have rented two of these on business. Both were SEL, FWD, 1.6 turbo, with leather and touchscreen controls. One I had for about 200 miles around Pittsburgh. The other I had for about 1000 miles in Houston. After ~1000 miles, 95% on the 8 Beltway, this thing only returned 24 MPG... well under Ford's pipe dream EPA estimate of 33 MPG. Maybe after the engines break-in, owners will gain another 9 MPG on the highway???

The touchscreen controls are absolutely horrible. After a week I have fairly good mastery of the touchscreen, however I would NEVER want such controls on a vehicle I own. Hard to see in direct sunlight, can't adjust AC and radio at SAME time. Hard to make selections and getting to desired menus in traffic. I'll take separate, manual controls for radio, HVAC and GPS anytime, over these touchscreen infotainment control centers. I wonder what happens in 4 years when the touchscreen glitches-out... No AC, no heat, no radio, and a $2000 repair estimate???

I'd consider buying one of these with manual controls, cloth seats and a taller sidewall wheel/tire combo.