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Test drive: 2010 Ford Escape

Ford

Ford Escape will attract that who remained indifferent to design and advanced interface Kuga, but yet has not saved up on Explorer, the car is going to use in a city, but thus likes to get out on shish kebabs and to run from time to time in far-away countries. This person for certain has a family, and to games in draughts on multistrip road is indifferent, but began to appreciate safety.

2010 Ford Escape

To draw attention to model, experts in marketing "Ford" have arrived considerably enough: have updated an ex-terrier and an interior and have started an off-road car to be grazed in the market under a new name. Whether it has appeared it enough to interest consumers, can show only sales.

Dimensions Escape will allow to feel comfortably themselves and in a city: 1845 mm at width, 4480 mm at length, height corresponding — 1730 mm. The road gleam in 210 mm hints, that the car will not pass there where roads are not present. An off-road car? A crossover? More likely, the versatile person of the improved passableness, alternative between Explorer and S-MAX.

To check up this hypothesis in practice, it's enough to leave for a city, the blessing a season all calls in a distance more persistently. And quiet and good-natured kind Escape, as well as the name, only warms up desire to run away from stone jungle. Complete sets for «Escape» it is provided only two, XLT and Limited, both with the 2,3-litre motor and automatic transmission. On the test we managed more simple version.

Easily we jump in a low off-road car and we look round in salon. A pragmatism and asceticism kingdom: rigid, though also sound plastic, accurate backlashes, idle time, even little bit thin wheel. Against modern wheels looks unusually...

Escape

"Ford's" hobbies for kinetic design and phones Nokia have obviously passed by «Escape». Devices are as much as possible simple: in the centre a speedometer and a tachometre, on each side - classical small indicators of level of fuel and temperature. Figures are read easily, and with a dark blue luminescence of a radio tape recorder and the climate control after all are in harmony.

At the first moment the glossy polished insert of the central console, but on the other hand a little surprises, the console favourably shades salon furnish. However, from traces of fingers not to get to anywhere… Radio tape recorder lack — an inconvenient arrangement of keys of change of tracks or radio stations: from a driver's place to them it is necessary to last, and on a wheel of management of a radio tape recorder in complete set XLT is not present.

On distant travel Escape really does not strain. Automobile seats flat both in respect of a back, and in respect of a pillow, but it does not prevent to be arranged with comprehensible comfort. In this the car there is no necessity ideally to adjust a driver's place, to merge with the car in bends. On the contrary, it's possible to sit freely and to hold a wheel with one hand on stages on 600 km without the slightest weariness. Only here the back passengers who do not have possibilities to adjust a flat vertical back, will start to complain of the become numb back.

Off-road Ford's

Serene movement is promoted by high planting, a low window line and not filled up racks providing good visibility, absence of a swing and a good noise isolation. Here the claim only one — to small mirrors for a crossover. The wheel, of course, could be more, not such heavy, but for slow turns will fit.

2010 Ford Escape

For the speed in all of them equally to enter it would not be desirable — essential lists though it is not observed, but without stabilisation system somehow does not pull. Escape it is impossible to name absolutely indifferent to roughnesses of a road cloth, but also special troubles of a hole do not deliver.

Four-stage "automatic machine" does not hurry up anywhere, but is switched without jerks. At necessity (the desire hardly will arise) it is possible to strike to gas, but powerful acceleration from Escape to expect it is not meaningful, therefore it is necessary to prepare overtakings in advance. Thus from a place the crossover starts hazardously enough, and here is dispersed already reluctantly further.

With itself in road «Escape» will allow to take powerful load. In a standard condition the luggage carrier has impressive volume of 934 litres, and at the combined back seats — reaches 1792 litres, thus having kept an equal floor. At desire it is enough to open glass only, instead of all door.
Pluses: the Off-road car under the reasonable price, the compact sizes of a crossover, spacious salon.
Minuses: Absence of a choice of the power units, an inconvenient back seat, Asceticism of the base version.

Monday, June 15, 2009