I love my first SUV!

Well first off, my previous automobile was a used 1990 Toyota Camry, a gift at age 16. What a difference between the two. Many seasoned SUV owners probably don't realize just how much more interior space an SUV has versus the typical mid-sized sedan. The Escape has plenty of room for me, my buds, and my dog. I simply love to drive it. I use my Escape to commute to work, and can't wait for the first snow of a Chicago winter. I should be able to plow right through the unsalted side-streets of my town.
There are some concerns I have as listed in the cons. I wanted a chrome yellow Escape--but couldn't find one with all the options. I settled for black (looks alright with the gray bumpers). The noise can be significant inside the car. Between the wind, the road, and the engine, it can get fairly loud inside. Also the break dust is quite heavy. My front wheel is almost black from the dust as compared to my rear wheels. I even noticed this problem with other Escapes. There could be more lighting inside, especially in the fall when the sun sets earlier and earlier each day. I still have yet to see my mile-per-gallon ration hover above 20. I average around 16 I think. I'm told that I still need to break in my engine before the mileage increases?!? (I've no idea how valid that is.)
Overall, I would recommend this car. I can't expect Lexus or Mercedes Luxury for the mid-20's cost. The positive opinions definitely outweigh the negatives. Besides, the Escape looks better than the CR-V or RAV4. To me, the latter SUV's look like shrunken minivans.