Mrs. D. would really like a new (used) Ford Escape. I'm trying to steer her toward a CRV or Rav4. Oppo's thoughts?

"Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer" (dash-doorhandle-and-bondo) 10/01/2020 at 10:06 • Filed to: None

0

19

And we be living in the wild wild west.

I just prefer Japanese if we’re going to spend real money. In the price range for my cars I prefer “whatever” because I’ll have something different in two years. Mrs. D’s car is more of a 5-7 year plan. I got her a Honda Accord 20 years ago and she never wanted anything but a Honda after that. We got the ford Escape used from the in laws. It has been flawless, but without the ‘grandpa’s old car’ discount it was never on my radar. But now She’s a big fan of Ford escapes We’ve got a 2010 hybrid and it’s all good, I’m wondering what folks have to say about 16 and newer models. I’m not big on turbos in workaday commuters, but I also advised Grandpa not to buy a hybrid Ford and I admit I was wrong.

In case this reference is too old (it was a BIG hit in 88)

interstate366, now In The Industry > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 10:24

0

My stepmom has a last gen. 2018 I think? She likes it.  My dad said they preferred it over the current CR-V and I don’t think the RAV4 was a consideration. Granted, they dismiss vehicles because of the most bizarre minuscule things, like the door handles on the CR-V were what made them not want one. As far as the current gen Escape, not a fan of Ford’s current mainstream design language, and got skewered when I said I was glad the current Focus and Fiesta aren’t coming here because I think they’re ugly.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > interstate366, now In The Industry 10/01/2020 at 10:29

0

I don’t like egg shaped Fords either. But I find Ford to be highest in build quality of the domestics. But I would still say buy a C orolla. 

interstate366, now In The Industry > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 10:33

0

Yeah, for sure. I’m not sure why they don’t consider Toyota when they’re fine with Honda (I do know why they don’t like Nissan), but knowing my dad as I do there’s some minuscule thing that bothers him about it. Like, he doesn’t approve of my Fiero (not that I need his approval)  because the staggered wheels mean I can’t do traditional tire rotations.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > interstate366, now In The Industry 10/01/2020 at 10:35

7

I consider Nissan the Dodge of Japan. 

My bird IS the word > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 10:38

0

Rav 4 hybrid is awesome. Friend has one, put a lift on it, it has amazing ground clearance for some reason. Great fuel economy.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 10:39

4

Yeah, that’s a good comparison. Ancient chassis performance cars drawing attention away from a forgettable volume lineup. Or trying to.

BrokenMostWeeks > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 10:39

0

Can’t say I have any experience with the CR-V in the new turbo era, but the last few mid 2010s versions I drove were decent appliances. And the new Escape does look to be a pretty nice ride.

So nothing constructive to add here, but I don’t think any of these are bad choices. I’d probably pick them over the other domestic choices 

412GTI > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 10:58

0

In my relative small sample size of 4 friends/family with EcoBoost last gen Escapes, they’ve all been reliable enough. The motors seem solid, maybe more issues with the trans over anything.

I’d probably go with a Hybrid RAV4 honestly. It will be bulletproof and has good ride/interior packaging. 

Spaceball-Two > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 11:05

1

Might I recommend a CX5? We’ve had ours about 3 years now and it’s been dead reliable

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Spaceball-Two 10/01/2020 at 11:12

0

I’ll plant that seed.  I’m pushing for something Japanese. 

smobgirl > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 11:18

2

From a rental perspective, the RAV4 and escape were boring as shit and the RAV4 felt really heavy to drive. I had a blast in an Ecoboost but it’s hard to tell if it was the car or the fact that I got to run it at highway speeds on some dirt roads in Texas.

I vote Mazda or Korean.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 12:14

0

Newer Escapes aren’t very reliable, from my limited experience. The older hybrids are the rare very good Ford product.

RAV-4: no matter the year, get a hybrid. I wasn’t a fan of the 2012-2018 model, but they’re dead reliable. I just didn’t like the ergonomics or materials, but they won’t be any worse than a 2010 Escape. I don’t have much experience with the current gen, just heard good things about it.

CRV: not a fan of the current generation. Road noise was startling after test driving a few competitors. Even in the fully loaded EX-L, you could easily tell the cost-cutting in NVH.

CX5: A solid option, rides and drives like a more expensive car with very litte NVH. The seats are tight if you’re of a larger frame or wider hips.

Would you consider Korean? I really enjoyed the Tuscon with the 1.6T and my mom ended up buying the Kia Sportage. It’s a great value for what you get and has been dead reliable, granted it’s only 3 years old and has 35k miles.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 12:32

1

CX5. Best option in crossovers

mhr555 > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 14:01

0

I say l et her get what she wants.
The Escape is a decent vehicle. My Mom has a 2016(?) and she loves it. My Dad and I test drove a 2020 Titanium and besides the passenger seat being oddly high compared to how low the driver’s seat can go, it was nice.

punkgoose17 > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 14:08

0

My parents have a 2010 Escape and had a 2016 Escape. They did not like the 2016; they did not keep it long. They still have the 2010 Escape.

SpeedSix > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/01/2020 at 17:13

0

If you’re not looking for AWD, I might suggest a Ford C-Max (if you can find one). They’ve fallen off a cliff already in terms of resale, so you ’d get a very recent model, and the hybrid warranty runs to 8 yrs (160k km). Regen braking means you hardly use the rotors, and they’re a lot more refined (and cheaper ) than comparable-age Priuses. You’d be giving up active safety features though, since it’s an older design.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > SpeedSix 10/01/2020 at 18:37

0

T hose don’t quite meet the two growing boys and large dog and all our stuff.  we could really use a Tahoe, but were not doing that.  

Longtime Lurker > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/06/2020 at 00:57

0

What about a Highlander hybrid.

SpeedSix > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 10/08/2020 at 17:29

0

Yeah, the C-Max hybrid loses quite a bit of space compared to the European diesel/gas models - basically the entire hybrid battery is in the trunk. European models have a trunk floor below the fold-flat rear seats.