There is a trio of powerful engines that powers the 2017 Ford Escape. The base engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine which is rated at 168 horsepower and 170-pound-feet of torque. The SE trim meanwhile is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that churns out 179 horsepower and 177-pound-feet of torque. Optional for SE and Titanium trim is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that is rated at 245 horsepower and 275-pound-feet of torque. All the engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
All the engines are quite powerful to pull this vehicle. The power from the engine is delivered to the front wheels as standard, while there is an option to opt for an AWD setup for the SE and Titanium trim. The base S trim is available in a single-engine configuration. The 6-speed automatic transmission is smooth, but the powertrain is lethargic and is the slowest among the competitors.
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Models
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Ford Escape S
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Honda CR-V LX
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Volkswagen Tiguan S
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Mazda CX-5 sport
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MSRP
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$23,750
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$24,045
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$24,995
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$24,045
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Engine
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2.5 Liter Inline-4
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2.4 Liter Inline-4
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2.0-liter inline-4
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2.5 Liter inline-4
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Transmission
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6-speed automatic
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CVT automatic
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6-speed automatic
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6-speed automatic
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Drivetrain
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FWD
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FWD |
FWD |
FWD |
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Horsepower
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168 hp @ 6000 rpm
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184 hp @ 6400 rpm
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200 hp @ 5100 rpm
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187 hp @ 6000 rpm
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Torque
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170 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
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180 lb-ft @ 3900 rpm
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207 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
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185 lb-ft @ 3250 rpm
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The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan is the most powerful car in this comparison with a maximum power output of 200 hp. The second position is occupied by the Mazda CX-5 with 187 hp, followed by the Honda CR-V. All the vehicles in this comparison are equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission, while the Honda CR-V gets a CVT transmission.
2017 Ford Escape 0-60 MPH Acceleration
The base Ford Escape equipped with the 2.5-liter engine accelerates from 0-60 mph in 9.1 seconds, which is the slowest in the class. However, if you want more power, then you can opt for the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, which goes from 0 to 60 in less than seven seconds. The base engine of the SUV takes 6.8 seconds to complete a quarter-mile.
A similar performance is seen in the quarter-mile acceleration where the Escape takes around 16.8 seconds to cover the distance. The Volkswagen Tiguan is the quickest in 0-60 mph acceleration in 8.3 seconds but lacks behind on a quarter-mile stretch.
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Models
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Ford Escape S
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Honda CR-V LX
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Volkswagen Tiguan S
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Mazda CX-5 sport
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0-60 MPH
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9.1 sec
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8.6 sec
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8.3 sec
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8.9 sec
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Quarter mile
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16.8 sec
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16.7 sec
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17.0 sec
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16.6 sec
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Top Speed
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123 mph
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127 mph
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137 mph
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N/A
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As can be seen, Volkswagen gets the votes of the people for the best acceleration timing. Though it could not compete with the Mazda CX-5 in the quarter-mile acceleration as the Mazda overtakes everyone in the segment to land itself up in the top position in the quarter-mile sprint. Top Speed is another segment and here also the Volkswagen Tiguan emerges victorious.
2017 Ford Escape Braking and Handling
The 2017 Ford Escape comes standard with a front-wheel-drive with an option to upgrade to an all-wheel-drive setup. This compact SUV feels more athletic than most of its competitors. The steering feels sharp while the well-tuned suspension makes the ride smooth. The new base engine is not the quickest and thus takes away the driving fun. The 2017 Ford Escape comes with an impressive set of brakes, with 12.8 inches at the front and 12.0 inches at the rear.
The Ford Escape gets the largest brake rotors that can’t be seen in any other competitor. So, it can be expected it is going to perform well. However, the car is quite heavy with a curb weight of 3515 lbs which provides a hindrance in the braking performance. But it can be seen the Ford Escape performs outstandingly and well beyond our expectations having a 60-0 mph stopping distance of just 112 ft.
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Model
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Ford Escape S
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Honda CR-V LX
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Volkswagen Tiguan S
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Mazda CX-5 sport
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Brake Front (in.)
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12.8
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11.1
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12.3
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11.7
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Brake Rear (in.)
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12.0
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10.2
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11.1
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11.9
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Curb Weight (lbs.)
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3515
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3307
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3448
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3527
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60-0 MPH (ft.)
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112
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117
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N/A
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126
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Following the Ford Escape, the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan gets a comparatively bigger set of brakes than the remaining two. Even with smaller brake discs, the Honda CR-V provides a great braking performance with 0-60 mph covered in just 117 feet. The Mazda CX-5 lacks here with a braking distance of 126 feet. Thus the Ford Escape leads this segment.
2017 Ford Escape Towing Capacity
If you feel that towing a large amount of load is going to a big part of your requirement, then go with the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that can tow up to 3,500 pounds. These numbers are impressive considering what the competitors are offering and should be enough to pull a small boat. But the base engine is not that powerful and thus offers a maximum towing capacity of just 1500 pounds.
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Model
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Ford Escape S
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Honda CR-V LX
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Volkswagen Tiguan S
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Mazda CX-5 sport
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Towing Capacity (lbs.)
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1500
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1500
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2200
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2000
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When compared with the base engine, the best towing capacity is offered by Volkswagen Tiguan of 2,200 lbs. The Honda CR-V has the same towing capacity as that of the Ford Escape, while the Mazda CX-5 sits comfortably between them at 2000 pounds of towing capacity.
