The Ford Escape has a completely new look inside and out for 2008. Escape now makes a powerful statement with a bolder, rugged exterior design that bears a stronger family resemblance to the Ford Explorer and Ford Expedition. The all-new interior resets the bar for small utility vehicles, with more upscale appointments, new innovative storage options, and improved comfort and quietness.
The combination of traditional SUV capability and crossover construction made the original Escape an instant success. The high beltline is emphasized by the new blacked-out B-pillars, integrated running boards, and the deletion of the original Escape's molded-in color fascias and lower bodyside molding. To integrate the higher beltline, the hood has also been raised and now features a unique "reverse crease" design that draws the eye to the detailed surface. The new front fascia has headlamps that sweep up toward the front corners of the vehicle to short side marker lamps. The new headlights bracket the dramatic new grille.
The 2008 Escape is believed to be the first U.S. automotive application of seating surfaces made from 100 percent post-industrial materials, supplied by InterfaceFABRIC, Inc. InterfaceFABRIC estimates that Ford's use of post-industrial materials, rather than virgin fibers, could conserve an estimated 600,000 gallons of water, an estimated 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents, and the equivalent of more than 7 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.
Escape also showcases Ford's first use of a "top of dash" display positioned at eye level on the dashboard, which shows ambient temperature, radio functions and climate-control readouts. This simple, efficient design puts much of the vehicle's information in one place at the top of the dashboard, making it easier to reference when driving.
Also improving ease-of-use is the clean, uncluttered center console. Rather than the traditional "brick" design for the radio and temperature controls, Escape features dials and buttons that "poke-through" the center console. The instrument panel houses audio and climate controls, a standard MP3/iPod audio jack, and controls for the available heated seats and in-dash navigation system.
Escape's interior also features the first use of Ford's new, signature Ice Blue interior lighting. The cool blue lighting replaces the traditional green on the instrument cluster, the center console, the redundant controls on the steering wheel, and the door lock and window switches. Ice Blue presents a cool, crisp, easy-on-the-eyes light for night driving and enhances the overall feel of the interior.
Escape's center console is large enough to hold a laptop computer, and there are three levels of storage space. In addition, the center console features two removable bins with innovative dovetail mounting points, which allows the bins to be hung from the front passenger side and rear of the console for additional storage.
Engineers made a host of changes to the 2008 Escape to reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels inside the vehicle.
The 2008 Escape is one of the first Ford Motor Company vehicles to use speed-sensitive Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPS), a sophisticated system that helps correct for road irregularities and improves overall steering feel.
Conventional power steering systems use an engine-driven hydraulic gear, which saps power and efficiency from the engine. The 2008 Escape's new EPS system uses an electric motor, rather than the engine's accessory drive. This new system helps improve fuel economy and eliminates the hydraulic noises typical of conventional hydraulic power-assisted steering systems.
In addition, new recessed channels in the vehicle's roof panel are designed to improve airflow over the top of the vehicle, while horizontal ribs in the roof also strengthen the body structure and help reduce boom noise in the cabin. A new acoustic laminate sandwiched between two glass panels in the windshield and an acoustic headliner also help decrease wind noise. New interior carpeting, which is up to 50 percent thicker, further improves the isolation from road and wind noise.
Compared with the previous model, the 2008 Escape is 12 percent quieter on the highway (30.8 sones to 27 sones at 80 mph in the wind tunnel) and 20 percent quieter in high velocity crosswinds.
Under its skin, the 2008 Escape has one of the most advanced safety packages in the small SUV segment. Escape comes standard with Safety Canopy™ side air curtains, which provide head and neck protection for the first- and second-row passengers, as well as standard side-impact air bags that deploy out of the upper portion of the front seats to protect the upper and lower torso of the driver and passenger. In addition, Escape models come standard with Ford's exclusive AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control).
Escape's unibody construction and four-wheel independent suspension contribute to its car-like ride and handling. This responsive architecture provides precise steering and handling by giving each wheel the ability to react separately to road imperfections, while the lower stance makes ingress and egress easier.
Escape comes standard with front-wheel drive. Escape's available Intelligent all-wheel drive (AWD) system was tuned with an emphasis toward driving performance while offering confident all-weather driving. Using a preemptive slip strategy, the system continuously monitors vehicle speed, throttle input and steering angle to seamlessly deliver torque to the appropriate wheel even before wheel slippage occurs. The system also helps eliminate torque steer and helps balance the vehicle when cornering. Intelligent AWD uses an active on-demand coupler to allocate a precise amount of torque from front to rear or side to side, with up to 100 percent of the torque going to either axle.
The 2008 Escape's standard 3.0-litre, 24-valve V6 Duratec 30 engine makes 200 hp at 6,000 rpm and 261 Nm of torque at 4,850 rpm mated to a four-speed automatic transmission.
