AUTO RED BOOK REVIEW: 2011 FORD ESCAPE

On The Cover Review: 2011 Ford Escape

The Escape is one of those vehicles that hasn’t changed much in the past decade or so, but it was a solid enough platform that that hasn’t hurt it too much.  Virtually everything carries over again for 2011, which is to say buyers will get a predictable, familiar compact SUV that does everything pretty well without much razzle-dazzle.  Under the hood, choose between a 171-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a 240-hp, 3.0-liter V6, or a gas-electric Hybrid version of the four-cylinder that churns out a combined horsepower rating of 177.  Compared to the Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, or Toyota RAV-4, the Escape is certainly showing its age.  But for the folks that believe, “they don’t make ’em like they used to,” well, let’s just say, this is how they used to make ’em.  Of course, if these buyers are set on getting this classic design, they better do it before the end of the 2011 model year.  Because in 2012, a new Escape is scheduled to show up on the scene, and by then, Ford won’t make ’em like they used to either.