Ford Escape

Do you need to shuffle varied numbers of people and amounts of cargo from one place to another, daily? If you've done some shopping around you know that it can be tough finding just the right crossover or SUV to fit the bill, in terms of price, features, versatility, safety, and styling. For 2013, there are a number of redesigned vehicles to consider, ranging from compact family SUVs and crossovers all the way to full-size family-friendly haulers. Compact 2013 Buick Encore With the addition of the 2013 Buick...

The 2013 Chevrolet Equinox is a capable crossover with a sliding backseat that can flex and grow with your family, draping occupants in an interior that's more luxurious and spacious-feeling than many of its competitors. When climbing in for the first time, my 10-year-old daughter exclaimed, "Mom, this is the coolest car ever! Can we pretty please keep it?" Shoppers can choose between front- and all-wheel drive in any of the Equinox trim levels, which include LS, 1LT, 2LT and LTZ (see all-wheel-drive versions side-by-side here )

Even in its aged state, the 2011 Ford Escape still hits a sweet spot in terms of ride comfort, but its drab interior and clumsy handling leave it behind the increasingly flashy competition. Car shoppers expressed their love for small crossovers more than a decade ago, and the auto industry responded. Today's market offers a wide range of choices, from glorified hatchbacks to those just big enough to shoehorn in an impossibly small third row. Somewhere in the scrum is the Escape, a popular two-row model in its twilight years.

Ford [NYSE:F] will recall about 89,000 2013 Ford Escape SUVs and 2013 Ford Fusion cars equipped with 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines over concerns about a fire risk. About 80,000 Escape and Fusion models are affected in the United States. According to a report in The Detroit News , the recall affects some 73,320 Escape SUVs and 15,833 Fusion models. Drivers are urged to get in touch immediately with dealers to arrange loaner vehicles. But Ford did not warn drivers to stop driving the vehicles in the interim.

The Japanese-sponsored Honda CR-V, a compact crossover-utility vehicle famous for its impeccable build quality, cute design and excellent road performance, finally has a genuinely worthy American challenger. Welcome the 2013 Ford Escape, of which a front-wheel-drive sample of the top-of-the-line Titanium model was driven for this column. The term "American" is used advisedly. When it was introduced in 2000 as a 2001 model, the Escape was a joint development product of Ford and Japan's Mazda Motor.

Bottom line:  The 2013 Ford Escape is a genuinely competitive entry in the class for compact crossover-utility vehicles. It gets a strong "buy" rating here. Ride, handling, acceleration: It gets excellent marks in all three. But it is a wagon/crossover utility. You can't take this one to the races, real or imaginary. Head-turning quotient: Super-slick. I'd argue that it is the most attractive vehicle in its class. Body style/layout: The 2013 Ford Escape is a front-engine, compact wagon/crossover-utility...

When you think "Ford," you probably think of several brands--F-150, Explorer, Mustang, Taurus. Shame on you if that list is missing the Ford Escape. The Escape's an important leg in the Ford sales story, and for this model year, there's a brand-new model coming to dealers. Starting in June, the 2013 Escape arrives in showrooms, and it's an about-face to the past decade-plus of compact crossover SUVs sold by Ford. There's no V-6, and no Hybrid; no Mercury model, and no Mazda companion, though that formerly intertwined company's CX-5 is...

Ford has announced the voluntary recall of 2013 Ford Escape models equipped with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and built through July 11, 2012. At issue is an engine compartment fuel line that can split and leak gasoline, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire and accident. Some 11,500 vehicles will be affected by this recall, and Ford is advising owners not to drive their crossovers until repairs are completed. Owners are directed to contact their local Ford dealer to arrange...

A carjacking suspect fired at D.C. police last night after officers stopped a stolen vehicle in Northwest Washington, officials said. No one was injured in the robbery or the shooting. The incident began in the 300 block of Taylor Street NE when an armed man dressed in black and wearing a black ski mask forced a woman out of her sport-utility vehicle just before 8 p.m., authorities said. A little later, D.C. police officers spotted the stolen blue Ford Escape at Third and Upshur streets NW and...

A Fairfax County woman was killed Tuesday morning when her car crossed the center line on Georgetown Pike in the Great Falls area and crashed head-on into a sport-utility vehicle, Fairfax police said. Police said Marilyn Miller, 64, of Streamview Court in Great Falls was driving a 2006 Acura RSX west on Georgetown Pike. As she neared Springvale Road about 10:15 a.m., the Acura crossed into the eastbound lanes for unknown reasons, Officer Bud Walker said, and collided with a 2001 Ford Escape being...

Bottom line:  The 2013 Ford Escape is a genuinely competitive entry in the class for compact crossover-utility vehicles. It gets a strong "buy" rating here. Ride, handling, acceleration: It gets excellent marks in all three. But it is a wagon/crossover utility. You can't take this one to the races, real or imaginary. Head-turning quotient: Super-slick. I'd argue that it is the most attractive vehicle in its class. Body style/layout: The 2013 Ford Escape is a front-engine, compact wagon/crossover-utility vehicle sold...

The Japanese-sponsored Honda CR-V, a compact crossover-utility vehicle famous for its impeccable build quality, cute design and excellent road performance, finally has a genuinely worthy American challenger. Welcome the 2013 Ford Escape, of which a front-wheel-drive sample of the top-of-the-line Titanium model was driven for this column. The term "American" is used advisedly. When it was introduced in 2000 as a 2001 model, the Escape was a joint development product of Ford and Japan's Mazda Motor.

With its good looks and plenty of features, the 2012 Hyundai Tucson keeps pace in the compact SUV field, but its tight interior and stiff ride may deter some buyers. The Tucson was last redesigned in 2010, and most of the changes for 2012 center on eking more mileage out of the Tucson. (You can compare the 2011 with the 2012 model here .) The most obvious change for 2012 is the addition of an Active Eco button that changes engine and transmission response to get better mileage, but there's also an improved air-conditioning system, among...

2012 is a leap year, and it's fitting that, for many of the new 2013 models emerging this summer and fall, there's a lot more than facelifts and refreshed feature lists. Most notably, a lot of the trends that we've seen over the past several years in luxury models—engine downsizing, fuel-efficient technologies, and in-car connectivity—are making the leap into some of the market's top sellers. The Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, and Ford Escape—all some of the top-selling U.S. models—are each completely...

Do you need to shuffle varied numbers of people and amounts of cargo from one place to another, daily? If you've done some shopping around you know that it can be tough finding just the right crossover or SUV to fit the bill, in terms of price, features, versatility, safety, and styling. For 2013, there are a number of redesigned vehicles to consider, ranging from compact family SUVs and crossovers all the way to full-size family-friendly haulers. Compact 2013 Buick Encore ...

Ford Motor acts like a smart kid seeking popularity by acting dumb. It has all of the stuff necessary to be at the head of the class, certainly enough to be among those students on the dean's list or honor roll. But it continually succumbs to the nonsense of "keeping it real," being like everybody else, worse than the best. The same silliness is manifested in politics, in the national hunger for a man or woman of the people. We want our leaders to be as ordinary as we are. That is why we often are led astray.

Complaints: Many motorists will find the base four-cylinder engine underpowered for their tastes. But moving up in power here, as it usually does, means moving up in fuel consumption and costs. Ride, acceleration and handling: Ride and handling are excellent. With the base four-cylinder engine, acceleration is good in the flatlands, adequate in the highlands. Head-turning quotient: High vanilla exterior with a very classy interior. Body style/layout: The Subaru Outback is a front-engine, mid-size, all-wheel-drive family...