It has been a little bit since the last time we test drove a Ford. When the opportunity to test drive a 2020 Ford Escape Titanium came up, we went for it. Putting it to the test for family travel, including seeing how it could handle packing for camping!
We have a little bit of previous knowledge when it comes to the Ford Escape thanks to my sister having owned one. She actually took me to go pick this up and we both instantly commented on the colour; Velocity Blue! I feel like this has become a classic shade that Ford does well for its vehicles, you can’t miss it when you see it on the road.
A RUGGED BUT TECHY FEEL
My husband and I both rejoice as soon as we get in a vehicle and see knobs! We are not huge fans of the amount of touch screen technology in newer vehicles. We feel this can be a huge distraction when on the road causing the need to find and touch multiple things on a screen. Knobs, knobs you can memorize the location and know what it does without having to look down. Sure, it is definitely a personal preference and something Ford has done well in the 2020 Escape Titanium. You do have an 8-inch touch screen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Plus a heads-up display so you can keep your eyes on the road!
The look of the Escape has changed over the years with this being a more sporty looking appearance. We’ve stepped far away from the boxy appearance that it once had back in 2012. While it may appear much smaller from the outside, there is still plenty of room in the Escape. My husband and I both had plenty of legroom in the driver and passenger seats and our girl’s legs were not squished sitting behind us in their car seats. We were also thrilled that there is dual-zone temperature control. No more fighting when someone (me) likes to be freezing in AC and the other is not a fan of being a popsicle.
A LITTLE QUIRKY
This vehicle does have a little bit of a quirky side. The hands-free, foot-activated liftgate either didn’t like us or we need longer to get used to it. While packing the vehicle to come home from camping the liftgate was activated by our feet and started to come down. It happened to both my husband and myself. Thankfully it never happened to our kids. A nice feature that the Escape does have, is that it plays some sounds as it starts to go down. We were able to get out of the way immediately. The liftgate will also stop and go back up if something gets in the way.
Another thing we noticed was that the Escape felt like it was often searching for the right gear and changing gears at odd times. The Escape has an 8-gear automatic transmission. When your passenger is noticing the vehicle “having a moment” as the transmission searches for the right gear, something isn’t quite right. This was especially noticeable while driving in the city, on the highway it wasn’t an issue. The 2.0L Eco-Boost with Auto Start-Stop technology was something we were quick to turn off as well. We found it a bit sluggish to start again and get moving. I love the potential for Auto Start-Stop technology, especially if it means being more efficient when it comes to fuel. It just needs a little more finesse to get it right.
WHAT GOT OUR ATTENTION
The 2020 Ford Escape Titanium definitely has much better fuel consumption than what we drive regularly. At just over 9L/100 KM. With gas prices finding their way back up again, gas consumption is something many are looking for in vehicles.
Our girls instantly noticed the large, panoramic vista roof. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I feel like this is a childhood thing. Being able to look out the windows easily and see the world around you as you are out for a drive. Having a panoramic roof just makes it all the better. Though, Ford, the one thing they would love is if there is a way to have this roof but also still have an entertainment system to play movies. They can keep dreaming right? Maybe one day!
The rear seats that are a 60/40 split can also be slid forward to give more room! The seats are on tracks and the pull of a handle can move as far as 6 inches forward. Packing for camping, you can imagine how helpful this additional space was.
Ford has definitely gotten our attention again by driving the 2020 Ford Escape Titanium. We are intrigued now by what else they have to offer, and what is to come! Growing up my family owned a Ford Taurus Wagon, I definitely had some flashbacks to my childhood with driving this vehicle. If you are looking for an SUV that isn’t as large as some on the market, give this one a look and go for a test drive! PS: there is also a hybrid option.
Ford is definitely aiming to deliver what people are looking for.
