In the early 2000's, my late grandparents traded in their Buick LeSabre for a Chrysler Town & Country because of the ease of entry and exit(my grandfather having had lifelong back issues). They later traded that in for a Pacifica(the mid 2000's CUV, not the new minivan).

It's a lot easier to get in and out of a crossover than a sedan. Honestly for me? Even at 5'9" i prefer more room any time. That's part of the reason I went with an F-150 over a midsize truck...more interior room.

 

‘Jacking it up’ though is more than marketing. TONS of consumers want a vehicle that’s easier to get in and out of. Someone I know who’s in their 80s traded their Avalon for an Outback due to the ease of getting in and out.

but i do agree a lot of the outback’s cladding is just fluff to make it look ‘rugged’ and ‘outdoorsy’. Perfect for Delray Beach florida where my friend lives.

 

Technically, the 1Gen Pacifica was a 2+2+2-seat wagon, not a CUV or SUV as such (I wouldn't even consider it a crossover, though it is officially classed as one). It was like a FWD alternative to the Mercedes R-class, though a lot less expensive. The Mazda 5 also used the concept, but on a smaller scale.

Couldn't agree more. The difference in room between the regular-size F-150 and the Ranger is substantial. Its more noticeable than even between the Chevy Colorado and Silverado....or the Tacoma and Tundra.

 

More than just ease of entry/exit. At that age, if they have to make doctor-appointments in the winter, it's often a lot easier to get there through the snow in an Outback.

The new Outbacks have very little if any cladding. Long gone are the days when Outbacks had two-tone paint options, gold wheels, tons of cladding, raised white-letter tires, and looked almost as gaudy as a circus.

 

OK.....back to the thread-topic 2020 Escape.

I'm going to try and look at one in the next couple of days (maybe today), although I don't plan on doing a full-review (I will if I get requests). I'll have more comments on it when I see it....particuarly the interior, which Jill likes.

 

Seems you haven’t looked at a recent Outback.

 

Come on, bit .....of course I have.

I simply made the comment that the days of the circus-trim Outbacks are gone. In fact, I owned one of the first Outbacks to start moving towards a more conventional trim.

 

https://www.ford.com/suvs-crossovers/escape/gallery/

I did go and look over a couple of different versions of the new Escape today, both outside in the cold and nice and toasty inside the showroom, but didn't do a test-drive. I saw no need to start a new thread....I'll just make some comments here.

First, both the interior and exterior, close-up, IMO, are not as polarizing as on the last-Generation Escape, which was derived from the European Ford Kuga. The design of the rear pillars and roofline, however, makes for difficult rear visibility (the standard back-up camera, of course, helps some). This is not unique to the Escape....many small SUVs/CUVs today, outside of some Subarus and the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, seem to share that problem. The open-gape grille, IMO, would also look better if it were not solid black and had some contrast-surfaces in it.

Overall, I liked this version of the Escape much better than the last-generation, which I thought simply looked too fussy inside and out. Like the current Toyota RAV-4, though, the latest Escape shows a huge difference in trim, materials, and equipment between the base models and the top-line Titanium. Base models, like on the base RAV-4, are, by today's standards, little more than basic-transportation vehicles, though even in the base version of the Escape, the glove box door and latch feel solid and substantial, not like some of the Toyota ones that feel like they will fall off in your hands. The base Escape, though, doesn't have a real video screen as we know it...just a very small tack-on-box on the dash (the one on the Titanium is much larger). The Titanium, as I said above, is an enormous improvement inside and outside......for roughly 10-15K more on the sticker, typically equipped. The base model I looked at was 26K, and the Titanium 39K....I didn't ask about any dealer-prices, but I suspect that the Titanium, with a bigger mark-up, would also have a bigger discount. The tires on the base model were of much higher profile (the way I like them) than the Titanium, and looked like they would have a substantially smoother ride, but, without a test-drive, I didn't verify that.

Inside, I agree with Jill's earlier comments....the Titanium's trim is very nice, though not quite to the level of the Lincoln Corsair (which is done on the same platform). Still, it makes the base Escape look like a kiddy-car inside. Nice matte wood-tone strips adorn the dash and door panels, and most of the upper surfaces on both are soft-touch (an exception is the hard-plastic sun-visors). Like on the last-generation Escape, however, the seat-comfort could be better in both front and back....the seat cushions tend to be slab-like. Most controls and buttons are basic and intuitive, though I didn't care for the rotary-shifter, with the "M" manual button in the middle, that Ford seems to be stuck on with their latest models....Lincoln, IMO, does a better job with the buttons and piano-keys for the shifting. Nor did I like the oddly-cantered-in angle of the engine start/stop button, which, like on the new Explorer, was awkward to reach and push....but in a different way from the Explorer.

But, aside from a few nitpicking complaints, I really liked the Titanium interior. For those who can't afford a Corsair (which is done on the same basic platform), if you don't mind having a less-sophisticated rear suspension than on the Corsair, somewhat less-comfortable seats, and maybe less sound-inslation, the Escape Titanium is a decent alternative. But don't get the base Escape unless a low price (or maybe a smoother ride?) is paramount.....I don't think that very many of you would like it.

 

I'm digging it. I thought I'd hate the Tesla style front end but I think it looks ok here. The lines flow nicely into the rest of the vehicle.

 

Yeah. Front end looks good. Reminds me of a Porsche You agree?

 

Looking at it more it kind of does have a GT feel to it.

 

👍. Compared to RAV, your thoughts?

 

Toyota's habit of charging more for vehicles every year with little to no technological advancements has left a bad taste in my mouth. The rav 4 is a great looking little suv though. I'd take the ford over the toyota at this point for sure.

 

I think I feel the same.

 

Base versions? Both are cheap and unimpressive inside, though the base Escape has slightly better hardware inside and smooth-riding high-profile tires. Still, I'd take the base RAV-4 for its reliable drivetrain.

Top-line versions? I'd go with the Escape Titanium. There, despite the RAV-4's more reliable drivetrain, I think the Escape Titanium's interior provides a more pleasant environment inside.