A WINNER IS CHOSEN!! Part 4 of choosing our new car

"Takuro Spirit" (takurospirit)
03/02/2020 at 12:36 • Filed to: help takuro pick a new car, new car shopping, jeep cherokee, Ford Escape

We drove an Escape (non-hybrid but had all the fancy options ) for two days.

We drove a Cherokee (missing most of the fancy options) for two days

We now have a clear winner.

But before I tell you which (and you scroll down to find out), let me tell you WHY:

The Ford was a Titanium in Sedona Orange, with all the options we wanted except the Hybrid powertrain.

I stole the pic of the actual Escape we drove this weekend

The 2.0T was plenty powerful, and with a regular 8 speed auto it came with paddle shifters that the Hybrid’s CVT does not . This time since the test drive was longer, I was able to go through ALL the quirks and features , including the ability to turn ON the lane departure setting that enabled not only a rumble when crossing a line, but the auto-correction to keep you centered. While it requested a hand on the wheel every 10 seconds or so, it EASILY navigated the highways near my home and work, making the drive there pretty much automatic, especially with the adaptive cruise with Full Stop set to follow the car or truck ahead of me.

I likee a lot . Wife hated it. She wanted ME to drive, not the car. I thought it did pretty well. It wasn’t jerky or harsh or too-wander-y or anything.

I wanted to drive a Cherokee with the same tech to compare, but still none are available near me.

So, what else about the Ford.... well there’s only two tie downs in the cargo area near the tailgate, so securing our dog carrier will be difficult.

The bigger, DEEPER Escape’s cargo hold

The Jeep has four, one in each corner of the cargo area.

The front hooks are hidden in this pic, but you get the idea

I like the Escape’s HUD, which the Jeep does not offer, and the general roominess of the interior and cargo area versus the Jeep. Its not cramped, its just more intimate and vault-like compared to the Escape. The Ford does have some nice wide window sills. You can easily put an elbow or arm up there, even with the window up.

But then the wife and I noted two things missing from the Ford that we literally cannot live without.

So we took the Escape back, and once again borrowed a Cherokee (in the wrong spec but the basics were there) .

Fits great in the garage of course. We are NOT getting beige seats though. Yuck.

So the things we noted as being deal breakers that the Ford lacked:

For m e, a change holder:

Hey, it comes in handy for tolls and trips to Aldi.

For both of us (the wife noted it first and I was on the fence.. this actually pushed me over), audio controls other than just volume (like Ford has) on the steering wheel:

This is actually a big one if you think about it. Being able to keep your hands on the wheel and change not only volume but station/track, and band/preset is a big safety feature that the Jeep has (and our Durango) but the Ford (and my RAM) does not.

Yup, it was those two little things that made our choice that much easier.

Well, that, and the Ford felt a little.... tinny. Lots of road noise from the cargo area, doors than needed to be slammed to close (we tried several Escapes, they were all the same), and oh... another big one.

The brake pedal feel . Or lack thereof.

The Escape’s brake pedal had ZERO feel to it. I don’t remember the Hybrid being this way, so I’m sort of excluding it from the main reasons, but the gasser’s pedal was soft and disconnected feeling for half its travel, then the brakes seemed to grab and it was difficult to modulate. It was either “Oh fuck we’re not stopping” or “FUCK we’re STOPPING RIGHT NOW”.

Again, the Hybrid wasn’t like this that I recall, but we mainly drove it on the highway. And it had regen so that may alter the feel a bit.

Alas, I will never know, because right this moment I have my sales department attempting to locate me the *perfect* 2020 Jeep Cherokee Limited. With Luxury Group, Technology Group, and panoramic sunroof.

This one is probably the actual one we’re getting :

We wanted red, grey, or white. Either the V6 or the 2.0T. And well, we’d prefer not to have to go south of the border to get the red V6 or white turbo . So white V6 (and in the state) it shall maybe be.

Concessions I will have to live with are the fuel mileage, the engine slight noise (its S P O R T Y), and these very tacked on looking memory seat buttons:

Ugh. WTF, Jeep?

Also, the lack of center console storage because of the huge shifter. The cup holders are back against the armrest, and there’s only a small slit for a pocket to hole things like my phone/wallet vertically. I can make do though.

My dashcam does fit pretty good.

Bonus shot of the Trans Am wallhanger hood I’m going to paint a screaming chicken on some day

I haven’t been driving my RAM and it was in the 50's this weekend so I started cleaning it out. From the LED bulbs I put in to see better when reversing, to the dashcam wiring, to the bed mat, to the mess of stuff in the huge armrest storage area.

The wife is back in the Durango (we left it at the dealer/work) until sales can get the Jeep here, and get it cleaned up all nice.

Just waiting to hear back from them that the dealer that has it will let us have it.... or the Search Will Go On.

Perhaps, *gulp* into Illinois .

DISCUSSION (32)

Arrivederci > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 12:48

If you like the Joop the best that’s great and all, but a coin holder? That’s less than $10 on Amazon.

Takuro Spirit > Arrivederci
03/02/2020 at 12:54

Then it’d be a tacky aftermarket add-on. And still we’d have no radio controls beyond volume.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 13:14

Regarding the braking, my guess is the Ford hybrid uses regenerative braking early in pedal travel, and that can be sufficiently powerful to act like normal brakes, hence the better pedal feel in the hybrid vs. non-hybrid. I also know exactly what you mean, I spent 5 hours driving my cousin’s Explorer last Thursday, and the brakes feel l ike an all-or-nothing affair.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 13:14

Chariotoflove > Arrivederci
03/02/2020 at 13:14

Yeah, but those weren’t really the deciding factors. Once the wife said she preferred the Jeep, I knew they were getting the Jeep. Happy wife, happy life!

Ash78, voting early and often > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 13:18

Wow, I was pulling for Ford, but I won’t fault your decision logic.

I have never, ever used a coin holder before, I just keep a few coins in the ashtray.

I have also never, ever used my steering wheel’s volume controls, either. My logic was always that if an action required both hands, it also required full mental focus. If I’m (mentally) free enough to change the station/track, I’m free enough to move my hand. Big trucks and vans are a different story, since you often physically have to lean over to reach the center stack.

Textured Soy Protein > Arrivederci
03/02/2020 at 13:30

Yeah seriously, given his location in WI, I’m assuming the tolls in question are in Illinois where all the highway toll roads have open road tolling. Get an I-Pass and then it’s just down to keeping 1 quarter in the car to get a cart at Aldi and you don’t need a full-on change holder for that.

Takuro Spirit > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/02/2020 at 13:43

My wife is NOT that sensitive of a driver, and she noticed it right away too. She didn’t like it either. We were able to get used to it, but still its not a good feel.

Jim Spanfeller > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 13:48

“ I haven’t been driving my RAM and it was in the 50's this weekend”

Man, I hate it when that happens. For me, my car goes to the 60's, usually somewhere around 1967 for some reason. T akes forever to get it back to 2020, and then it always smells like hippies. Cars and trucks with malfunctioning time travel units are the worst.

Takuro Spirit > Textured Soy Protein
03/02/2020 at 13:52

I also like to have a place to put loose change that is given at drive-thrus and whatnot.

Takuro Spirit > Ash78, voting early and often
03/02/2020 at 13:53

Ashtray, what’s that? /s

Takuro Spirit > Jim Spanfeller
03/02/2020 at 13:54

If they’d cover the flux capacitor under warranty I’d keep it forever. Just keep going back in time when I need a repair under warranty.

But they must have thought of that.

DAMN YOU FCA!

Textured Soy Protein > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 13:57

If you didn’t use cash to pay for things then you wouldn’t have change to organize.

slipperysallylikespenguins > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 14:01

So you were excited you were able to take your hands off the wheel in the Ford, but then ruled it out because it didn’t have steering wheel mounted audio buttons?

I would pick the jeep too though.

Takuro Spirit > Textured Soy Protein
03/02/2020 at 14:02

I rarely do. But if I get paid in cash its easier to spend it than drive all the way to the bank to deposit it.

I wish I could just take a picture of it, like I do my checks....

Takuro Spirit > slipperysallylikespenguins
03/02/2020 at 14:02

Well when you put it like that, it just sounds silly of me.

Glad you approve ;)

Jim Spanfeller > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 14:04

I usually just try to fix the flux capacitor myself, but the last time I did that, it shorted out and next thing I know my car is impounded in the middle ages while I’m being trialed for witchcraft. And all that just so I could save some time on my commute...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 14:11

I weirdly miss the coin holder that I had in my Milan now that I’m in a Yukon. It’s gigantic, you really didn’t have room?!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 14:12

How are you going to be able to drive around in a car with exposed faste ners all the time?!

Takuro Spirit > Jim Spanfeller
03/02/2020 at 14:17

The worst part is losing your drawing, and ending up in an age where the toilet hasn’t been invented yet, so there’s no way to hang a clock, slip, hit your head, and remember what you dreamed up.

Takuro Spirit > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
03/02/2020 at 14:18

I haven’t found any... yet. Though I did notice this small hole in the steering wheel....

Kinja'd!!!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 14:44

well that hole is totally unacceptable. But I was hoping Jeep pulled a Jeep and put random alan head bolts in it. Just to drive you mad. Yes I’m aware I’m an asshole LOL

Arrivederci > Chariotoflove
03/02/2020 at 15:26

Hah, true story.

Arrivederci > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 15:28

A tacky add-on hidden in a console. I will say the radio controls FCA puts behind the wheel on a lot of their vehicles is a nice feature. I also like the Cherokee, I’d get one over an Escape too.

palmer5213954 > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 17:05

The Ford allows music control from the wheel.... http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/vdirsnet/OwnerManual/Home/Content?bookCode=O90300&countryCode=USA&languageCode=en&marketCode=US&viewTech=IE&chapterTitleSelected=G1994314&subTitleSelected=G2011750&topicHRef=G1986971&div=f&variantid=6854&vFilteringEnabled=False&userMarket=USA

Takuro Spirit > palmer5213954
03/02/2020 at 17:35

Hmm. Well then.

Maxima Speed > Takuro Spirit
03/02/2020 at 18:01

Yes!!! I win!!

Edgyhal94 > Jim Spanfeller
03/02/2020 at 23:47

Left the time handbrake off? Happens to me all the bloody time. Left my car at the top of a hill, found it at the bottom covered in what I can only assume was dinosaur guts, poor bastard.

Jim Spanfeller > Edgyhal94
03/03/2020 at 00:07

And, of course, it causes all sorts of problems with insurance. I still haven’t managed to convince them that my windshield shattered because a pterosaur pooped on it mid-flight. And they always try to use the excuse of “if the damage occ urr ed millions of years before this company was founded, then it’s not our problem”.

Edgyhal94 > Jim Spanfeller
03/03/2020 at 00:24

I’ve had to take out causality warrantees ever since I bought my ‘94 Range Rover ( like why did they put the time handbrake just left of the high-low selector? I accidentally knock it off all the time ) and had it roll back to 1951 and run over my grandparents on their wedding day. Thankfully that paradox sorted itself out, but it was a wake up call to get a causality and guaranteed existence warrantee. At least yours only rolls backwards in time, mine occasionally rolls forwards and brings back killer robots and half human monsters who are so bloody annoying to kill and always make a mess of the velour! Do you know how fracking hard it is to remove cyborg fluids from velour? Nigh fracking impossible. Plus mines now developed a fault of randomly switching to a mirror universe, where I don’t have a beard and I’m also ( slightly) more evil. So annoying when I’m trying to get to work.

But it’s just so comfortable and capable. Can’t hate an SUV that good looking and nice to drive, I just deal with the occasional inconvenience of cyborgs and ninja vampires as part of the deal of owning a Classic.

Jim Spanfeller > Edgyhal94
03/03/2020 at 01:26

I think I did manage to get my car to roll into the future once, b ut it malfunctioned and zapped itself to the actual end of time. Thankfully, I was able to eventually recover it from the endless void by wiring a tow truck’s cable to its flux capacitor for some inter dimensional time fishing. When I got it out, though, it was covered in a bunch of weird dead- universe goo that smelled nasty and took forever to get out of the shag carpeting. Honestly, my flux capacitor is such a lemon that my car is probably five times older than the universe itself by now.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Takuro Spirit
03/03/2020 at 17:04

I’ve been impressed with the FCA-era Jeeps. They ride like more expensive cars, and I’m guessing it’s due to their tougher suspension components.

My wife has been very happy with her ‘18 Compass Limited, but that’s before I discovered this ride quality thing. We made our choice because in 2017, it was the only car in its class to offer a power tailgate.