Ford Escape

[Maritimer]

Wow, I have one of these as a rental while my bumper is getting repaired on my 2001 4Runner, and talk about suck.

My Runner is the SR5 with leather and a sunroof added, so it's standard for the most part. The Escape feels so cheap. Everything inside feels flimsy and substandard, the engine area looks like it's made of plastic, tinfoil and electrical tape, and the under carriage looks like it was engineered and put together by a 6-year-old. Actually, my son does a better job with a Lego set.

I know my Runner has a bit of rust for being the age it is, but it is so much more of a vehicle than this. It actually feels and looks newer than this Ford.

Sure this looks biased and over judgmental, but I really am trying to be objective here.

 

[zachb_NW]

It really pisses me off how car journalist rave about the new fords and once you drive them they are still POS's ! Have had the new focus, fusion, and feista as rentals and they are better then years ago but still cheap. Bare in mind retails are the lowest models and yota is cutting corners now to.

 

[034RUNNER]

Gotta agree with you there. I almost bought an Explorer and an Escape before the 4runner a few years ago. I thought they were fine then.

A few months ago I drove one of each...if I bought one I am sure I would have gotten rid of it by now especially. Very cheap feeling and almost scary to drive fast on the highway.

Maybe the new Explorer is something to rave about though, with the waiting list and how expensive they are. I don't know, I will pass, regardless.

 

[Maritimer]

The Escapes look nice driving around, but I never realized what they were like up close. Actually, the rear suspension looks ass-ugly from the rear, so I guess they don't look that nice.

In fairness, the MSRP for 2011s is lower than the Runner was in 2001 dollars, so I should try out an Explorer or a Lincoln before I write them off totally.

Someone in another thread was talking about how NA cars are built to last 5 years and then be pawned off and a new one acquired with another car payment. People like shiny crap.

 

[4RunnERD]

I don't really see what all the hype about the new explorer is. Some of them like the one with big shiney wheels look kind of cool, but I don't think it really looks like a SUV/Truck anymore. I was riding in a friends Outback today and we were stopped in traffic next to a new Explorer and I swear the Outback had more ground clearance, or it atleast it appeared that way. While the new 4Runners look tougher and more truck like the Explorer looks more like a crossover. Just my opinion.

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

It's a FWD piece of American crap.

I'm young enough that I've never been in a new American car that I've actually liked. They've all been junk for as long as I've been alive!

I hate each and every one I drive at work, and I drive a lot of them. Even the plastic ridden Mustangs and Corvettes.

It's a wonder how some of them keep on chuggin, most of them have been gone for years!

It's the opposite with these Toyotas.... it's a wonder how some of them broke, most of them are still chuggin!

 

[adio3x]

:lmao:

YouTube - ‪2005 Ford Escape Offroad‬‏

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

:lmao:

YouTube - ‪2005 Ford Escape Offroad‬‏

loololol wheelin!

 

[Jeff Kleb]

My ex-wife has a 2005 Mazda Tribute, which is essentially the same thing. Hers is front-drive, V6 and is the middle trim level. It has been hers since new and has about 55,000 miles racked up by now.

I won't ever say that its quality is up to snuff versus a 4Runner, but it was a lot less expensive, gets better fuel mileage and has served her well. I believe her next car will probably be a Camry, though.

I've driven her Tribute once and it is a decent vehicle - but not really my kind of ride. I suppose the trim is a bit nicer on the Tribute, but it's still a Ford Escape at heart.

:bluejump:

 

[Scoobs]

Not to be a contrarian here but it may have more to do with the type of vehicle than the manufacturer. My wife drives a 2008 RAV4 V6. It has been relatively reliable but compared to my 4R the RAV feels like 5000 parts driving in loose formation. It has a virtual orchestra of rattles and squeaks, probably the most of any vehicle I have ever owned ( Chev, Pontiac, Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Dodge, Honda, Toyota ). The transaxle also whines, as do almost all RAV4 transaxles.

Its primary redeeming features are the ridiculously large amount of interior space it has given its exterior dimensions, and the engine. When you step on that V6 in the RAV a large smile comes across your face. Last night when we were out driving in the RAV I asked my wife if I could swap the 4R for her RAV this week-end. She said there was no way she was driving the "slug" for the week-end. Ouch !

 

[Maritimer]

Now that I think of it, I used to despise riding in my CR-V, except for its peppiness and awesome braking. Its engine bay didn't have the profusion of plastic and electrical tape that the Escape had, though.

Now that I'm back in my baby again after putting about 800 miles on the rental I can definitely feel the weight of the Runner and I can feel the gas tank getting lighter by the second. :crybaby:

I'm happier than a pig in ****, though. I missed my baby for those 5 days. :bluejump:

 

[Thai]

Well, i checked out a Subaru Forester recently...very disappointed with interior quality, despite reading glowing reviews of it. In fact, it made me so depress that i did not even feel the need to testdrive it! The doors shut was very hollow and tiny. Plenty of hard plastics inside. I think that the current gen CRV has the best interior trim.

(Now, my Prius is not all that great in that aspect either.)

I think that this is what you get these days. Cars that have good mechanicals or good other stuff will compromise on such luxury items that upper end owners take for granted, such as soft touch materials, "thud" door closing, weighty knobs with good tactile feedback, etc.. Hey, these cars have stuff that only luxury cars of the 1980s dream of...well, to keep the price the same, the car manufacturers have to cut corners somewhere right? Nothing in life is free.