The 103-inch wheelbase and 4WD Escape, with the Duratec 30-3.OL V6 engine complemented by a 6-speed automatic transmission, made our trip fun, comfortable, and inexpensive.
I must admit when I saw all the luggage the wife wanted to take, I was a little apprehensive. My one small suitcase and plastic grocery bag took up very little room. But her four pieces of luggage, ice chest, and several pieces of clothes on hangers, briefcases, and numerous other sacks and bags initially offered a challenge. For a moment I thought we were going away for several months as opposed to four or five days. But the Escape handled everything nicely.
The 60/40 split-folding rear seats opened up to 66.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Even with the seats up you still have up to 29.2 cubic feet of space in the back. The standard floor console gives you a 3-tier storage system, two removable bins, and a hidden storage area that’s large enough to stow a laptop computer or purse. And we needed every bit of storage space. We stopped at fruit stands, garage sales, trader’s day, and flea markets between Dallas and Hot Springs. After about the fourth stop I quit asking what we were going to do with all the “stuff” purchased and just gave her the money.
New for 2009 is an industry-first Easy Fuel capless fuel-filler system that is standard on every Escape and Escape Hybrid. It helps reduce harmful fuel tank evaporative emissions by eliminating the potential for you to drive with an incorrectly installed or missing gas cap. There is simply no gas cap with this system. It automatically seals when you remove the fuel nozzle. So you just gas up and go.
On the trip, I got better than the 17-city mpg and the 24- highway mpg suggested by the EPA.
This trip was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable trips we have ever taken. We slept in every morning, ate southern cooking in abundance, and she shopped until I dropped. The Ozark Mountains were beautiful as the forest prepared for the arrival of spring foliage. This entire panorama was viewed in great detail through the large windows of the Ford Escape.
The cabin did appear a little noisy at times. I’m not sure whether this was because of a lack of tightness on the engineer’s part or rather because my sweetheart kept reminding me how much money she spent and how much money we saved. After all, how could one pass up the seat of a 1926 International Tractor for only $40.
The Escape I drove was loaded and the suggested price was $32,000. But without all the extra adornments, the Escape could be purchased for a mere $26,000.
Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this paper or dcaussey@sbcglobal.net .
