08 Escape Spotted

[silvrsvt]

I took the Mustang in for a wash today and I saw a Brand new 08 Escape leaving the car wash today. It doesn't look anything like the outgoing model (similar, but not the same like the deal with the 02 and 06 Explorer) and looks pretty sharp. For some reason the grill reminds me of an old school F-150 from the Early 90's..

[g48150]

I took the Mustang in for a wash today and I saw a Brand new 08 Escape leaving the car wash today. It doesn't look anything like the outgoing model (similar, but not the same like the deal with the 02 and 06 Explorer) and looks pretty sharp. For some reason the grill reminds me of an old school F-150 from the Early 90's..

 

The way it drives will too...

 

All kidding aside, this thing is a warmed-over Scion, for all intensive purposes, this is a Scion for fat people.

[BORG]

The Escape update is a solid effort IMO. The interior is actually much better than the Edge. I was at the dealership today poking around and the difference between the Edge and the Escape is shocking. The Edge has a truly awful interior, astoundingly bad for a car that gets close to $40,000! The Escape is a much better value. True, the Edge is much better looking outside...and under the hood . The Escape really does come off as the more refined product, the Edge is still very rough around the...well... edges . Still, I like the Edge and would consider one when they fix the interior.

Edited March 4, 2007 by BORG

[taxman100]

I've seen one too - last Sunday at the dealership I drove by.

 

I think it looks better than the old one - the old one looked cheaper on the outside.

 

I also saw a new Dodge Nitro today - the outside cladding, door handles, etc. all looked cheap to me.

 

There is not too many ways to dress up a small SUV and make it look good, though GM did a good job with the Torrent, which is the one my wife wants.

 

Maybe in 2008, once GM puts a real engine in the Torrent.

[BORG]

I've seen one too - last Sunday at the dealership I drove by.

 

I think it looks better than the old one - the old one looked cheaper on the outside.

 

I also saw a new Dodge Nitro today - the outside cladding, door handles, etc. all looked cheap to me.

 

There is not too many ways to dress up a small SUV and make it look good, though GM did a good job with the Torrent, which is the one my wife wants.

 

Maybe in 2008, once GM puts a real engine in the Torrent.

 

Agreed about the Torrent, the Millionaires in the family (lucky bastards), drive a BMW, Corvette, and Pontiac Torrent . I shit you not they traded in their Jaugar S-Type for a Pontiac Torrent they liked it THAT much. It's a very sharp car! I tried like hell to entice them to stick with Ford products, but they wouldn't hear it, even with a A-plan pin.

Edited March 4, 2007 by BORG

[old_fairmont_wagon]

Oh, the Equinox and Torrent would be completely different vehicles with the VCT 3500 or the 3900 in them. Both of those have more torque than that chinese 3400 peice of crap that's in it now. I've ridden in one, and while its well put together, the power and ride didn't do anything for me. I'm expecting the 08 to be a whole new world of good, though. Modern GM interior, better handlng, and likely a better motor.

 

As for the new escape, I saw one in traffic the other day. From behind, not that much different. The thing that stood out was the name plate for the model. From the side, the higher beltline is obvious. From the front, the grill looks as bad to me in person as it did in the pics. I just don't like the grill on the XLT.

[silvrsvt]

As for the new escape, I saw one in traffic the other day. From behind, not that much different. The thing that stood out was the name plate for the model. From the side, the higher beltline is obvious. From the front, the grill looks as bad to me in person as it did in the pics. I just don't like the grill on the XLT.

 

Did it have the chrome surround? the one I saw didn't...looks good

[sranger]

I doubt that the new Escape/Mariner will be a big seller. The competition in the class has got very good. It may look a little different, but it has the same old 200hp V6 and 4 speed trans. It also appeares to be a couple of hundred pounds heaver than the 2007 models which will hurt performance. Early test show have shown horrable braking results like the new Edge. Comparison tests are going to be brutal for this model...

 

They claim to have improved the road noise which would be a very good thing. My piece of SH*$() 2005 Mariner sounds like you are beside a jet engine on the highway due to extream road and wind noise.... ( Hey at least I got it cheap... ) I really want to get rid of it ASAP, but I am going to take my time and find what I really want. The Edge was at the top, but horrable braking ruled it out competely. The Mazda CX-9 is currently at the top of the list. I am waiting to the test results to make sure the Mazda has good brakes. I know that the Equnox and it's Pontiac counterpart is going to get a 3.6L V6/sport suspension upgrade later this year, so that might be the ticket as my brother in law owns a Chevy/Pontiac dealership and has offered me a good deal when they come out...

 

Now if Ford puts the new 3.5L / 6 speed in the new Escape/Mariner, I would probably get one... ( assuming that they fix the brakes )

Edited March 4, 2007 by sranger

[Extreme4x4]

They can't put the 6-speed in until they change the floorpan.................. and that won't happen until the complete redesign.

 

It has only been said 100x on this forum, you would think that most of the readers here would have seen it by now.

[630land]

FWIW,

 

A buddy who has an Escape like the 2008 after seeing it at Chi. Auto Show. Also, I don't think he or many owners, care that it's not "all new". In the SUV market, it's not about 'buff book' performance, it's utility, value, and basic 'SUV-ness'.

Edited March 5, 2007 by 630land

[Kev-Mo]

I saw a new Escape on I-70 last weekend in Colorado. Looks MUCH better in person than in the pictures.

Edited March 5, 2007 by Kev-Mo

[swenson88]

They can't put the 6-speed in until they change the floorpan.................. and that won't happen until the complete redesign.

 

I just think things like this at Ford are crazy. How could Ford have allowed the Escape to be stuck w/ a 4spd auto for model year 2008 and beyond? Clearly the standard for autos at this point is a minimum of 5spds, with most vehicles getting 6spds. Two important Ford products - F150 and Escape - are being very hindered by their automatics. Granted, the 200hp V6 should have been ditched in favor of the 3.5 as well, but the 6spd auto would have made the old 3.0 much more responsive.

[old_fairmont_wagon]

Well, especially the version of the D30 in the escape. Its not the VCT version from the CD3 trio. Its the older one. Having the narrower powerband of a nonvct engine, it needs the extra gears more than any of them.

[ZanatWork]

Saw the new Escape at a dealer lot this weekend...the visual differences are striking, and should be more than enough for people wanting to trade the old for the new.

 

As far as the mechanical/driveline carryovers...don't get me started.

[wvujeb]

Saw the new Escape at a dealer lot this weekend...the visual differences are striking, and should be more than enough for people wanting to trade the old for the new.

 

As far as the mechanical/driveline carryovers...don't get me started.

 

Solution to 4 speed... Hybrid. CVT has infinte speeds. The hybrid model is an advantage that Ford has over competitors in this class as well. The only other hybrids are the Saturn Vue and Toyotal Highlander (and Lexus, but thats not really the same class). The Vue is barely a hybrid and cannot compete with the Escape. The Highlander has some advantages and is a larger SUV. It is more expensive, overpriced, and does not get nearly the gas mileage of the Escape Hybrid.

[grbeck]

The local dealer has one new 2008 Escape. It's a handsome vehicle, but having ridden in a friend's 2007 Honda CR-V EX, and having seen the next-generation Saturn Vue (very handsome vehicle - it's like day-and-night compared to the current one) at the Washington, D.C., Auto Show, I'd say that the Escape is in for a rough ride.

[td284]

The hybrid model is an advantage that Ford has over competitors in this class as well. The only other hybrids are the Saturn Vue and Toyotal Highlander (and Lexus, but thats not really the same class). The Vue is barely a hybrid and cannot compete with the Escape. The Highlander has some advantages and is a larger SUV. It is more expensive, overpriced, and does not get nearly the gas mileage of the Escape Hybrid.

I agree that the Escape Hybrid is in a unique position (unlike the regular Escape). But Ford made some mistakes:

• AdvanceTrac is not available on the Hybrid (no stability control on an suv?!)

• Colors are very limited. For instance, the nice red on the Escape is not available. And if you get a moonroof, you can't get white or light blue (huh?)

• Interior is in one color only, bland stone. The cool black/brown leather from the Escape, not available.

• Lousy brakes

 

It's good looking and unique, and is (was) at the top of my list for an economical, 4wd second car. But the CRV is a much better vehicle and mileage is close. Ford, wake up and put the effort into the vehicles that could really make a difference!

[sullynd]

I agree that the Escape Hybrid is in a unique position (unlike the regular Escape). But Ford made some mistakes:

• Lousy brakes

 

The Hybrid still has discs.

[Kool_ZX3]

I seen a new escaspe limited loaded at my dealer yesterday.... It's a very nice vehiclke and the changes are striking like said earlier. I was very impressed with it myself.

 

As a side not when i got there, the expy max they had was sold, the only 08 super duty they got in 2 days before was sold along with 3 new 07 f150's were sold.....Not work trucks either...

[jaydez]

The Hybrid still has discs.

 

 

Yeah... my mom has an 06 hybrid. It has the regenerative braking system so the feel VERY weird. I could never get used to it when i took it for a 100 mile drive one day.

 

That and the CVT is just weird... you know you are accelerating cus the speed-o tells you that you are going faster.... but it sure as hell doesnt feel like it.

[Roadrunner]

Did it have the chrome surround? the one I saw didn't...looks good

 

I agree - the non-chrome Escape grille looks a lot better than the chrome grill.

[old_fairmont_wagon]

I still think that the only reason for the escape hybrid being a hybrid is to catch the bandwagon. The same vehicle could have been accomplished for the same price, with better highway mpg, through weight saving techniques, aero improvements, a focus on retuning the 2.3L I-4 for economy, and including the CVT. Comparing the weight figures for the Escape hybrid to the 4 cylinder stick (both FWD) gives you a difference of around 450 lbs ( 3176 to 3638 according to edmunds figures). Just replacing parts with lighter weight (and more expensive) replacements could have easily netted about 150 lbs more weight lost (and a good portion of that could be suspension bits that were replaced with aluminum bits, you'd have less unsprung weight to make for a better handling vehicle). So, in the end, the weight loss Escape could be about 600 lbs lighter than the hybrid.

 

The CVT could be retained for the added efficiency value there, GDI could be added to the 2.3L (Mazda already has it in turboed form, should be relatively simple to do it non-turboed), so, tuned for economy, that could net a 10% more efficient engine. The whole package could easily net about 5mpg or more improvement in the city economy numbers over the 4 cylinder 5 speed manual numbers. The highway numbers could be at least 3-4 mpg better as well. Also, given that this model will be on a diet, a cas could be made that the 2.0L I4 with DGI could give better economy numbers for similar performance to the existing 2.3L I4, further increasing its efficiency, especially on the highway.

 

Just comparing the numbers:

The 4 cylinder stick escape gets 24 mpg city / 29 mpg highway (2006)

The Hybrid gets 36 city and 31 mpg highway (2006)

And when you take into account a reduction of 600 (or about 20% of the total vehicle weight) lbs, better aero and a 10% more efficient engine than the 5 speed 4 cyl, you get approx: 30 city and 34 highway.

 

So, you'd still likely do a little better in the city with the hybrid, which isn't too surprising, but there would be no expensive battery pack to replace in 5-10 years and a much simpler drivetrain to repair if need be.

 

And, you'd have the added benifits of the lighter escape being that it handled better than the basic one, performed better in the barrier tests (lighter weight means less momentum to disipate through crumpling at the same speeds), and would likely have a similar power to weight ratio as the v6, getting similar acceleration numbers if a performance mode was offered for the CVT programming.

[NickF1011]

Driving to work this morning, a bit groggy, I was driving behind an '08 Escape for a few miles before I even noticed what it was. Despite the minor changes, it truly does look VERY new. I was quite surprised when I finally woke up enough to realize what it actually was. It was a black XLT. Looked very sharp! The tail lights in particular looked WAY cooler in person than they did in photos.

[wvujeb]

I still think that the only reason for the escape hybrid being a hybrid is to catch the bandwagon. The same vehicle could have been accomplished for the same price, with better highway mpg, through weight saving techniques, aero improvements, a focus on retuning the 2.3L I-4 for economy, and including the CVT. Comparing the weight figures for the Escape hybrid to the 4 cylinder stick (both FWD) gives you a difference of around 450 lbs ( 3176 to 3638 according to edmunds figures). Just replacing parts with lighter weight (and more expensive) replacements could have easily netted about 150 lbs more weight lost (and a good portion of that could be suspension bits that were replaced with aluminum bits, you'd have less unsprung weight to make for a better handling vehicle). So, in the end, the weight loss Escape could be about 600 lbs lighter than the hybrid.

 

The CVT could be retained for the added efficiency value there, GDI could be added to the 2.3L (Mazda already has it in turboed form, should be relatively simple to do it non-turboed), so, tuned for economy, that could net a 10% more efficient engine. The whole package could easily net about 5mpg or more improvement in the city economy numbers over the 4 cylinder 5 speed manual numbers. The highway numbers could be at least 3-4 mpg better as well. Also, given that this model will be on a diet, a cas could be made that the 2.0L I4 with DGI could give better economy numbers for similar performance to the existing 2.3L I4, further increasing its efficiency, especially on the highway.

 

Just comparing the numbers:

The 4 cylinder stick escape gets 24 mpg city / 29 mpg highway (2006)

The Hybrid gets 36 city and 31 mpg highway (2006)

And when you take into account a reduction of 600 (or about 20% of the total vehicle weight) lbs, better aero and a 10% more efficient engine than the 5 speed 4 cyl, you get approx: 30 city and 34 highway.

 

So, you'd still likely do a little better in the city with the hybrid, which isn't too surprising, but there would be no expensive battery pack to replace in 5-10 years and a much simpler drivetrain to repair if need be.

 

And, you'd have the added benifits of the lighter escape being that it handled better than the basic one, performed better in the barrier tests (lighter weight means less momentum to disipate through crumpling at the same speeds), and would likely have a similar power to weight ratio as the v6, getting similar acceleration numbers if a performance mode was offered for the CVT programming.

 

Couldn't you do most of that (with the exception of the weight loss) to the hybrid and simply improve the fuel economy of the hybrid? Everyone wants to attack hybrids and say that there are other ways to increase fuel mileage. The thing is...they aren't mutually exclusive. Some people complain about hybrids and say that diesel is the way to go. Well...how about a diesel hybrid? Combine the benefits of the two. There is a lot more potential for hybrids than what people give them credit for. People just want to attack them and call them a gimmick.

 

The battery pack and all hybrid components are warranted for 8 years, 100,000 miles, or 10 years in some states. Tests have shown the batteries to last longer. The Ford Escape hybrid taxis in NYC had to have the batteries replaced at 150,000 miles. Ford replaced them under warranty. Taxis in NYC are going to be a lot harder on the components than normal drivers, so I would say that is pretty good. Factor in the decreasing costs of batteries and I wouldn't consider it a large risk.

[silvrsvt]

The battery pack and all hybrid components are warranted for 8 years, 100,000 miles, or 10 years in some states. Tests have shown the batteries to last longer. The Ford Escape hybrid taxis in NYC had to have the batteries replaced at 150,000 miles. Ford replaced them under warranty. Taxis in NYC are going to be a lot harder on the components than normal drivers, so I would say that is pretty good. Factor in the decreasing costs of batteries and I wouldn't consider it a large risk.

 

Depends on the type of wear...you'll wear out brakes and tires faster, but since Taxis don't turn off their engines as much as a regular car does..they have less wear and tare on the engine, since most of that happens when the engine doesnt have enough oil to lubricate it.