A Sporty and Not-Too-Big SUV for a Growing Family

We did quite alot of research into the smaller SUV's before deciding to get the Escape. It combined all of the features we needed and had a very nice price as well.

The Escape's a good little ride. We got the XLT 2 wheel drive model with lots of little extras like the bug guard up front, the step bars along the side and the nice super dark tinting along with the 6 disc in-dash CD changer.

The Escape's rear storage area is big enough for our dog to come along with us on trips and still have some space to put things we need with us like our baby's stroller or groceries or luggage. Other compact SUV's we looked at had much smaller storage areas that were unsuitable for our needs.

Things I love about the Escape: the engine's nice, its got alot of get up and go and sounds pretty good doing it. I love how it looks, its sporty but not ostentatious at all and just looks very competent. The dark tinting on the backend of the truck was great for when we'd be out with the baby and he had to nurse, my wife had great privacy and the truck stays cooler too.

Things I don't like: The hood release is set up in a stupid way so that my foot would catch on it getting out of the car and I would have to go and close the hood for the first few months we had it. The stock tires are pretty pathetic in rainy conditions, they slip alot more than they grip. At speed, the Escape isn't the quietest ride but the stereo makes up for it because it feels like it goes to 11. The Escape could also use some handling enhancements as it leans pretty heavily in hard cornering.