Old name, new offering – and refreshed hope for Ford’s updated mid-size SUV.

[Music]

The Escape brings much of what the Kuga had to offer – and there was a lot of goodness

there.

With equipment and technology levels up, and prices generally down, it makes for a good

re-introduction to this segment.

But success in this hot category won’t come easy – the Escape finds itself up against

some heavy hitting rivals –Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen’s Tiguan and a brand-new Mazda

CX-5 in the wings.

The Escape has undergone some styling changes – mostly up front - but inside you’ll

notice even more difference.

With changes to dash layout, tech and refinement, Ford has families both young and old in its

sights.

Three updated or new engines are joined by expanded choice of power trains – front

versus all-wheel-drive, manual versus automatic transmissions

And ford has worked on refinement – including better cabin insulation.

Ford’s new 8.0 inch colour touch screen featuring SYNC3 infotainment is a welcome

upgrade – so too is the electric park brake.

But even in all its newness glory, the interior feels dated.

Five-star safety is a win for the Escape, but autonomous emergency braking is only offered

at mid or top spec, and then it costs $1300 as part of the Technology Pack –

There’s some handy additional features like auto parking also included but we think AEB

should now be standard.

The Escape’s chassis and handling however is well sorted.

It’s agile beyond its size and responds well to driver input.

It’s mighty obedient.

In this high-spec Titanium we’re riding on low-profile 19-inch tyres however, so it’s

a tad sharp over bumps.

Mid-sized SUVs are becoming almost the default choice for Aussie families.

A comparison test will be the best way to find out exactly how the new fares.

But for now, it’s a definite step forward.