21^st February, 2001

Escape = versatility for city driving and outdoor fun

Based on an all-new platform, the Ford Escape brings a confident new offering to Australia’s growing compact 4WD segment.

Designed for the active lifestyles of the young or young-at-heart, Escape is Ford’s result from the first R&D programme undertaken in full partnership with Mazda, which five days ago released its own version, the Tribute.

Escape comes in two models, with the well-equipped entry model XLS offering all the usual passenger car creature comforts and the XLT providing an even sportier execution and level of comfort.

"The Escape mechanical and safety and security package is second to none," said Ford Australia’s 4WD and commercial marketing manager, Kevin Lillie.

Meeting the market
Escape marks Ford Australia’s entry into the growing compact 4WD market segment. Sales in this market are continuing to grow each year, from 3.9% of the total market in 1998, to 4.7% in 1999, and 5.1% in 2000.

"Escape is designed to appeal to younger buyers as well as the young-at-heart – drivers who may not have considered buying a larger 4WD before but now require the space and versatility that one provides. Escape will provide them with the perfect solution," said Mr Lillie.

"Whether they are young singles, newlyweds, families or empty nesters, Escape is designed to be an affordable and fun option that allows them do all the things they enjoy such as skiing, camping and biking."

Packaging and ergonomics
Escape’s interior package – the most spacious in the compact all-terrain wagon segment – is designed for maximum comfort, convenience, passenger roominess and cargo flexibility. Escape has room to carry five adults and their cargo comfortably.

Its low sill height and wide door openings give good access and have assist grips for both front and rear seat occupants.

Audio and climate controls are located in the easy-to-reach and easy-to-read centre stack, with the controls logically arranged so the more often used audio buttons are located above the less frequently used climate controls.

An in-dash AM/FM stereo with single CD player is standard on the XLS with the XLT adding a cassette plus six disc CD changer.

XLS is the well-equipped entry model with dual airbags, standard airconditioning, remote power locks and windows and split fold-flat rear seating. The XLT adds such features as a large centre console, anti-lock (ABS) brakes, cruise control, 16" tyres and alloy wheels as standard equipment.

Optional features available from Ford dealers reflect the active lifestyles of Escape owners, including bike carriers, side steps, grille guards, tow bar, and REX (Rear Entertainment Xtreme).

Driving dynamics
Based on an all-new platform and developed in conjunction with Mazda, the new Ford Escape combines maximum convenience and comfort with a unibody design for refined passenger car-like ride and handling.

Escape differs from its Mazda Tribute cousin in offering only the 150kW 3.0 litre Duratec quad cam EFI V6 engine with four-speed automatic transmission. (Tribute offers a 2.0 litre inline four, with the V6 as an option). With a Ford approved tow bar, Escape has a towing capacity of 1600kg – enough to pull a pair of jet skis, snowmobiles or boat.

Fuel economy for the Escape will average 13.0 litres for every 100km of city driving and eight for highway driving.

The full-time 4WD system provides the driver with the option of two different settings, "4x4 auto" or "4x4 Lock." The automatic setting allows the vehicle to determine the torque split to the rear wheels, while the "4x4 Lock" setting splits the torque between the front and rear drive wheels, enhancing performance when driving off-road or in other uncertain driving conditions.

Safety and security
Ford says that, from the foundation of its unibody platform to its comprehensive list of safety features, Escape was designed with safety as a top priority.

The architecture has been carefully designed to channel the energy created in a frontal crash and spread it out over a larger area of the vehicle. Typically, energy created in a crash is absorbed by a vehicle’s frame rail. For Escape, a front fender reinforcement helps to direct the energy load of a crash between the lower frame rail and an upper path that goes through the roof.

An energy-absorbing steering column helps to absorb the impact of a crash, and Escape also features energy-absorbing knee bolsters, located below the instrument panel, which are designed to reduce the risk of leg injuries for front seat occupants.

Standard high-tensile-steel side-intrusion door beams also help protect passengers in side impacts, while driver and front passenger air bags are standard.

Buckle pretensioners combined with load limiting retractors are standard on front seat belts. In a crash, these devices automatically take up slack in the belts while the load limiter is designed to reduce the risk of chest injuries in severe collisions.

Child seat anchors are located in the rear roof to maximise luggage space.

The Ford SecuriLockTM engine immobiliser system is standard on both models. The system uses a key containing an electronically encrypted transponder that is written to and read through a transceiver unit attached to the ignition key cylinder. Without the proper key, the vehicle cannot be started.

Passenger comfort
The interior design of the Escape is focused on enhancing individual features, both aesthetically and functionally.

Placement of controls and switchgear was tested using blindfolded occupants while the vehicle was parked. The theory was that while the controls during the first hour of driving would be unfamiliar, drivers should be able to operate them without taking their eyes off the road after that time-span.

"People operate their radio, air-conditioning and rear defrost functions while driving, so the development team made them easy to operate without distracting the driver," said Kevin Lillie.

"The buttons and knobs on the Escape also have a consistent feel, sound and range of motion when activated. That attention to craftsmanship was carried throughout the entire vehicle, from door latches and handles to fasteners, interior trim plastic and even under-the-bonnet wiring."

Places for hiding and holding things
Escape provides abundant, easy-to-use interior storage. The development team looked at storage requirements worldwide, including ensuring that the centre console is large enough to stow the large Melways and UBD road maps used in Australia.

In the XLT, the console accommodates a small purse, a storage bin, and two forward and two rear pop-out cup holders. The XLS floor console includes five cup holders (two at the rear of the console for rear-seat passengers), an open storage bin and coin holders. The cup holders fit most common container sizes.

The centre stack of the instrument panel incorporates a storage compartment large enough to hold CD cases or sunglasses, each front door includes large, deep map pockets, and open storage bins (capable of holding a first aid kit or emergency road-side triangle), are located in the rear quarter panel on both sides of the cargo area.

A 12-volt power point is located in the cargo area which, with the seats up, offers 935 litres of storage space. A removable cargo cover (XLT only), helps to keep cargo concealed and can be removed when not in use.

Making comfort a global challenge
Dozens of comfort drives were conducted with people of all statures and, as a result, the bucket seats were tailored using anthroprometric data to fit smaller drivers while still comfortably accommodating larger adults. Every aspect of comfort and convenience was examined with the seats even being pressure mapped to gauge the occupant’s true comfort scientifically.

XLS has manually adjustable high-back bucket seats trimmed with cloth and vinyl. XLT vehicles have a premium cloth seating surface.

Integrated head-rests are standard on the front seats with rear seats having separate two-way adjustable head restraints in the outboard positions.

Both the XLS and XLT rear seating systems can be folded flat, for increased cargo space. The latched seat back can be folded forward and the head restraint removed. The rear seat cushion can also be removed, further enhancing load-carrying capacity.

Four hand grips are mounted in the ceiling, with a further two in the A-pillars. The handles are not only designed to aid ingress and egress, but also absorb energy in a crash. Other trim elements and energy absorbing foam in the ceiling also help to provide additional impact protection.

Sun visors have straps to hold documents or glasses. The XLT also has vanity mirrors in each visor.