NickF1011 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 The fender vent is this generation's coach light, vinyl roof and opera window. It wouldn't be there if people as a whole had a negative opinion of it. However, in a few years it will seem (to these same people!) terribly gauche. At least it's not quire as overdone as the one on the last gen Focus. Would prefer it if it were finished in something more like gun metal though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkisler Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Most likely because of Torque requirements. I don't think the GDI 2.0L puts out enough torque...not to mention the 2.5L is cheaper without the GDI on it. And I'd expect the Fusion to have the same engine lineup sans the 1.6L EB as the Escape too Yes, the 2.5L is the base engine primarily for cost reasons which allows a lower entry level price. Will only be 10-20% mix; will be FWD only as I understand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSFan00 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 When even the worst fashion trends of the 60's and 70's have been revisited lately, please don't even publicly discuss vinyl car roof's. I fear someone will claim to have discovered they have renewed appeal. The fender vents are horrible. Not capable of ruining the car, but picture a real style/tech thought leader like Steve Job's reaction to such a craptastic thing to stick on a pretty new model. And you can't surely remove them with a hair dryer... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 like Steve Job's A fake fender vent may be ugly, but it's nowhere near as impractical as a glass screen on a cell phone. So, let's not summon the ghost of Jobs when it comes to car design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boss444 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 This one really has me torn. First, the "good": Powertrains are vastly improved while retaining the towing capability. That's fantastic (although if the Escape can tow 3500 with a 4-banger, the Edge should be able to tow much more with the 3.5). I must assume that NVH will be far better than the last Escape. NVH in the 2012 I drive for work is beyond terrible. When idling in gear (like at a stop light), it's as if the thing has seat massagers. I cannot believe how bad it is. I usually have to shift to neutral, and then it's, literally, glass smooth. The advances to the AWD system are great. The small features (like the foot/tailgate thing) are great and the attention to detail that Detroit forgot in the late 90s to mid 00s. Now for the not so good: The styling. It's not that the new one is bad (although I hate the gaping fronts of the new Fords), but there was something about the old one that made it tough. I think a lot of the sales of the current Escape are due to the styling and the fact that it doesn't look like everything else out there. Again, just a personal observation...it could be wrong. The interior. It went from styling with just a ruler to something out of a video game. One extreme to another. The more I see the interior, the more I wish they would have toned it down just a tad. It seems like it's stylized just to be styled. Functionality doesn't seem to be the first thing Ford was thinking about when designing the interior. And again, I can only assume that the materials are top notch which will be a welcome change from the current one....which is built very well, it just feels cheap. I'm sure Ford has done their homework though...they know what they're doing. I'm sure it will sell just fine. One last thought on "One Ford". Maybe this is just my opinion, but I am not 100% behind One Ford. The idea sounds great...and I agree with the core principals of it (platform sharing, power train sharing, component sharing), but as far as styling is concerned, I think we would be better off with vehicles that have been styled by Ford NA...and not Europe. I would have liked to see One Ford implemented much in the same way the Flex and MKT are done. Yes, the major components are the same, but by looking at the interiors and exteriors, no one would guess they are the same. I would have much rather seen the Focus have more NA design language in it rather than the big mouth with triangles styling we see in the front end. The Taurus is a great looking car, the MKS is a great looking car (and the only version of that grille that looks good), so it's entirely possible for Ford NA to style great looking vehicles. Personally, all of this European design language used in the new vehicles, both inside and out, can stay on that side of the pond. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddysystem Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Really? I didn't see any weights listed for the Escape. Have we determined if the CX5 is off the same platform as the new Escape? There haven't been any comments on whether or not this was jointly planned and engineered since Ford and Mazda have distance themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmm55 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I don't mind the non-functional vent as I think a bit of surface detailing and "jewelery" adds a subtle touch. It could however, to be "honest," be a reflector or a signature name. There is a manual transmission available in Europe however.......I wish that would have made it over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Have we determined if the CX5 is off the same platform as the new Escape? There haven't been any comments on whether or not this was jointly planned and engineered since Ford and Mazda have distance themselves. At best distant cousins....the 2012 Focus is a improved C1 platform, which underpins the Mazda 3. Not so sure what the CX5 is based off of... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomcat68 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) Wow! 8 pages... Ok. the bad first. I don't like the rear back window and from behind it looks like a mini mini van. The good... Everything else inside and outside of this suv... I mean wagon. (Never consider wagon an insult if it is done beautifully like here!) It does look mostly like the Verteck (sp?) concept and much better than the camo pics led me to believe. I think the loud clank is the sound of the the GM, Honda and Toyota execs' jaws hitting the floor. They just got owned! Edited November 16, 2011 by atomcat68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehaase Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 And for ones who want a Focus wagon, here it is! The heck it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) I kinda like it. Need to see it in person before I consider whether or not to trade the new Fusion in on it....the real "test" will be when I show it to the better half...she has owned three Escapes thus far and was not really crazy about the Vertek concept......we'll see..... ADD ON: Will Ford come out with an Escape Energi (aka hybrid) version? Edited November 17, 2011 by twintornados Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
156n3rd Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Forgive me for not reading every entry here. I have but one gripe: Those little windows along each side. EVERYONE has been doing that. The rest of the unit looks like it will stop the CR-V in it's tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrewfanGRB Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Like the CRV, I hate when the gear selector is pushed up into the center stack/dash, especially since it partly blocks the HVAC. So really other than the center stack, I think the interior looks excellent. You fiddle with the HVAC routinely with the vehicle in park? I mean, come on. Do I PREFER that? Meh, not really. But end of the day: EATC is set at 70 and it's done. If I become uncomfortable, it's while I'm driving, so I'd adjust then and the controls aren't blocked by the shifter. (Admittedly, I haven't been in it, obviously, so I don't know how easily accessed they are with the vehicle in Drive). Only item I disagree with is the capabilities piece. Sure it tows the same. But less ground clearance and a wider turning radius is the wrong direction, IMHO. Ground clearance is 1/2" lower. One HALF inch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDuff Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I'm curious...you say that the old Escape was a terrible car, but your wife drives one, and it's nine model years old. It can't be THAT bad. Once Ford got the bugs worked out, they seemed reliable enough to me. Maybe not the best on the market, but certainly not the worst. Certainly better than the domestic competition. Luckily, its easy to work on! :D There's stuff I have to fix right now and we spent a good chunk on it the last time I serviced it (4 months ago). Still a far cry from the '08 and up problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordBuyer Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 The fender vent is this generation's coach light, vinyl roof and opera window. It wouldn't be there if people as a whole had a negative opinion of it. However, in a few years it will seem (to these same people!) terribly gauche. I've always felt there was something incomplete about a vehicle if it didn't have something on the side of front fender. When I was a kid, it was the Chevy Super Sport insignias siginifying 396 or whatever. For Ford, it was the Thunderbird insignia signifying 390 or whatever. On my Taurus, it's the DOHC insignia with Sport underneath it. It's eye candy to me and important as it breaks up the monotony of just smooth fenders. I even like the oval fuel door on the front fender of my Boxster. The functional vents on the back fenders of same vehicle. So the vents on the front fenders of so many vehicles no matter the manufacturer don't bother me at all. And I was never a fan of vinyl tops, whitewalls, wire wheels, hub caps, mud flaps, opera lights, fender skirts, chromed after market exhaust tips, after market seat covers, hood ornaments, college and professional sports flags flying on game day, and on and on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boss444 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 And I was never a fan of vinyl tops, whitewalls, wire wheels, hub caps, mud flaps, opera lights, fender skirts, chromed after market exhaust tips, after market seat covers, hood ornaments, college and professional sports flags flying on game day, and on and on. What about fuzzy dice? You gotta love fuzzy dice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordBuyer Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 You fiddle with the HVAC routinely with the vehicle in park? I mean, come on. Do I PREFER that? Meh, not really. But end of the day: EATC is set at 70 and it's done. If I become uncomfortable, it's while I'm driving, so I'd adjust then and the controls aren't blocked by the shifter. (Admittedly, I haven't been in it, obviously, so I don't know how easily accessed they are with the vehicle in Drive). Ground clearance is 1/2" lower. One HALF inch. Shit, my Porsche Boxster only has 3 inches of ground clearance and it doesn't bother me at all! And I'm 6 feet tall, 63 years old, and have never scraped the bottom of the sports car even once yet. The new Escape is a fricking stilt compared to it. If the new Escape doesn't have enough ground clearance to your liking, buy a very angular, boxy, rugged Jeep. Then you will be in SUV heaven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Wow, you don't know anything about me dude so STFU, 'K? Sorry, you go back and forth in this very thread about your Mom owning the Mariner then you owning the Mariner, then your Mom owning an Edge, then you owning an Edge, and all of a sudden I had a picture of you as a thirty something living in Mommy and Daddy's basement and blogging about their cars, which I had been pretty sure wasn't the case. Thanks for confirming it's not. I don't for a second buy into the myth than the Escape is a more capable SUV just because it looks like a BOF SUV. I know the reality first-hand. Has anyone said anything about capabilities? At least I haven't. It looks like Ford did a great job on the platform, and the interior is ok, had they wrapped it in a body which was more in keeping with the existing model I'd be all over it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boss444 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2013-ford-escape-la-2011/med/#photo-4616243 http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-honda-cr-v-la-2011/med/#photo-4616794 Escape on top, CR-V on the bottom. I'm slightly disappointed that the uniqueness of the current Escape's styling has been lost for a more "blend with the crowd" look. Time will tell if that was a good choice. And WTH was Honda thinking taking design inspiration from the Crosstour (grille)? Someone should be fired. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordBuyer Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 This one really has me torn. First, the "good": Powertrains are vastly improved while retaining the towing capability. That's fantastic (although if the Escape can tow 3500 with a 4-banger, the Edge should be able to tow much more with the 3.5). I must assume that NVH will be far better than the last Escape. NVH in the 2012 I drive for work is beyond terrible. When idling in gear (like at a stop light), it's as if the thing has seat massagers. I cannot believe how bad it is. I usually have to shift to neutral, and then it's, literally, glass smooth. The advances to the AWD system are great. The small features (like the foot/tailgate thing) are great and the attention to detail that Detroit forgot in the late 90s to mid 00s. Now for the not so good: The styling. It's not that the new one is bad (although I hate the gaping fronts of the new Fords), but there was something about the old one that made it tough. I think a lot of the sales of the current Escape are due to the styling and the fact that it doesn't look like everything else out there. Again, just a personal observation...it could be wrong. The interior. It went from styling with just a ruler to something out of a video game. One extreme to another. The more I see the interior, the more I wish they would have toned it down just a tad. It seems like it's stylized just to be styled. Functionality doesn't seem to be the first thing Ford was thinking about when designing the interior. And again, I can only assume that the materials are top notch which will be a welcome change from the current one....which is built very well, it just feels cheap. I'm sure Ford has done their homework though...they know what they're doing. I'm sure it will sell just fine. One last thought on "One Ford". Maybe this is just my opinion, but I am not 100% behind One Ford. The idea sounds great...and I agree with the core principals of it (platform sharing, power train sharing, component sharing), but as far as styling is concerned, I think we would be better off with vehicles that have been styled by Ford NA...and not Europe. I would have liked to see One Ford implemented much in the same way the Flex and MKT are done. Yes, the major components are the same, but by looking at the interiors and exteriors, no one would guess they are the same. I would have much rather seen the Focus have more NA design language in it rather than the big mouth with triangles styling we see in the front end. The Taurus is a great looking car, the MKS is a great looking car (and the only version of that grille that looks good), so it's entirely possible for Ford NA to style great looking vehicles. Personally, all of this European design language used in the new vehicles, both inside and out, can stay on that side of the pond. I don't believe the verdict is in yet on how successful One Ford is or will be. I understand the profit motive behind it as it does cut down costs, but on whether North American buyers accept it remains to be seen. Fiesta sales seem OK so far, but I don't know if it's a homerun. No one knows about Focus yet, only that there seemed to be good demand earlier, but final verdict still not in, and won't be known for awhile. Now the Escape, and it looks like a real winner to me and quite a few others reporting on it. But even there we will see. Looks very promising though. Up next is new Fusion. I would say a year or two from now we will see as in conquest sales and retail sales in general. I'm optimistic, but the proof will be in the numbers once every one is fully ramped up and on market for year or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordBuyer Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 What about fuzzy dice? You gotta love fuzzy dice... Man, we could go round and round about the smarmy auto styles of the past and the present for that matter. Some of the after market exhaust systems sound like someone is farting down the street not to mention the 5,000 watt audio systems that shake house half a mile away and simulate earthquakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Escape on top, CR-V on the bottom. I'm slightly disappointed that the uniqueness of the current Escape's styling has been lost for a more "blend with the crowd" look. Time will tell if that was a good choice. And WTH was Honda thinking taking design inspiration from the Crosstour (grille)? Someone should be fired. While I'm not a fan of the new Escape's styling, Honda seems to be doing everything it can to help Ford sell Escapes. Did Honda lose all their designers at some point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boss444 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 I don't believe the verdict is in yet on how successful One Ford is or will be. I understand the profit motive behind it as it does cut down costs, but on whether North American buyers accept it remains to be seen. Fiesta sales seem OK so far, but I don't know if it's a homerun. No one knows about Focus yet, only that there seemed to be good demand earlier, but final verdict still not in, and won't be known for awhile. Now the Escape, and it looks like a real winner to me and quite a few others reporting on it. But even there we will see. Looks very promising though. Up next is new Fusion. I would say a year or two from now we will see as in conquest sales and retail sales in general. I'm optimistic, but the proof will be in the numbers once every one is fully ramped up and on market for year or so. You are correct, One Ford is still in it's infancy...and I'm not saying scrap it...but I would have preferred if the European styling, both inside and out, was left in Europe. I think Ford NA is 100% capable of coming up with a design that is both striking and proper for our market. And after reading a ton of comments on various sites, it appears to me that people are mixed on it. A lot like it, and others do not. For me, I would have preferred to see more 2012 Escape and less Focus in the design. However, we now know why the Focus Wagon is not coming here...we get the Escape instead (which I think is the better choice). Man, we could go round and round about the smarmy auto styles of the past and the present for that matter. Some of the after market exhaust systems sound like someone is farting down the street not to mention the 5,000 watt audio systems that shake house half a mile away and simulate earthquakes. I hope curb feelers make a comeback!!! No...just kidding... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boss444 Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 While I'm not a fan of the new Escape's styling, Honda seems to be doing everything it can to help Ford sell Escapes. That may be a bit of a stretch. They are very similar, especially the side profile. But I dislike the grille on the Honda. Did Honda lose all their designers at some point? I think their designers are caught in a rut, someone needs to open a blind and let some of the outside world in. They need a reset on their design language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 That may be a bit of a stretch. What is? I'm not saying they look alike. The Honda is ugly incarnate, that's how they'll help Ford sell the Kuga. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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