2003 Ford Escape XLT 4x4

Stepping up to a Premium-level XLT adds leather upholstery, extra storage spaces, a power moonroof and 16-inch aluminum wheels with 235/70TR16 all-season tires. At this level, moving from front-drive to 4x4 status bumps the base price from $23,435 to $24,885 (plus $565 destination) but also brings a Class II tow hitch that raises trailering capability from 1,000 to 3,500 pounds. Further upgraded with a Mach sound system and side-impact airbags, our vehicle commanded $25,840 out the door.

Premium XLT-level amenities include a 300-watt, 7-speaker AM/FM/cassette/CD sound system and leather upholstery. New touches include painted bezels for a more-defined 2-tone look.

Underpinning the Escape is a fully independent coil-spring suspension that pairs MacPherson struts and an anti-roll bar up front with lateral links and a trailing arm in the rear. With its somewhat elevated center of gravity and tires geared more toward flexibility than sheer grip, it's no surprise to find a fair bit of at-the-limit push in tight corners and predictable tail slip under trailing brake. However, with its chassis tune skewed toward the sporty side of the spectrum and displaying only minimal body roll, the net result is a vehicle with a remarkably confident overall bearing.


If there is a trade-off for this competence, it comes in the form of a modest degree of impact harshness over minor surface imperfections. Surprisingly, this condition became much less noticeable when we subjected our 4x4 tester to some light-duty boonie-bounding in the dirt. Speaking of the 4x4 system, Ford's full-time package does not incorporate a low-range transfer case but does offer both "Auto" and "On" settings. The former allows the real-time transfer of power between the front and the rear wheels as available grip dictates while the latter locks both axles together to maximize motive force under particularly poor traction conditions.


Last but far from least in the Escape mix is a well-finished, well-designed interior that effectively caters to the needs of people as well as payload. For openers, all of the major controls are positioned within easy reach of the driver. While the front buckets and rear bench are both on the firm side, each seating spot affords regulation-size adults the kind of head- and legroom they deserve. Packing three across into the aft quarters is possible, but two up is a far better choice—one made even more desirable thanks to seatbacks that offer an adjustable recline feature.

Cargo conveniences include a flat load floor and a large lift-gate with pop-up glass piece. Second-row seats can be folded to create 69.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Although some wind noise and road rumble do make their presence known at freeway speeds, the Escape's impressively solid structure does a remarkably good job of banishing squeaks and rattles and earns the Escape a 5-star rating in side-impact tests for both the front and rear seat occupants. When cargo hauling does become the paramount concern, a quick flip-and-fold exercise ups capacity of cargo bay from the normal 33.0 cubic feet to 69.2 and creates a completely flat floor for maximum utility. The final flourish is a large lift-gate with a pop-up glass element that facilitates the loading of smaller stuff.