Déjà Vroom

Déjà vu. This time, it wasn’t just a feeling; we had been here before, under similar circumstances. We made our way, early morning, to the Batangas Racing Circuit, to drive the second Ford vehicle in as many weeks, both on the racetrack, and on a specially-designed off-road course.

This time, there was a crucial difference: with the Ranger, we expected the off-road punishment, but didn’t expect to also give the pickup a workout on the track. With the 2007 Ford Escape, it’s the other way around: track work expected, off-road a surprise.

The 2007 Escape debuts with a substantially revised drivetrain. The 2.3 liter 16-valve inline-four engine feels much livelier, thanks to variable valve timing and a drive-by-wire electronic throttle. Fuel economy should also improve with the new setup. Output is 154 horsepower and 203 Nm. The engine is coupled to a four-speed automatic transmission. The gearlever is now floor-mounted, for easier operation.

The Escape has a quality rare among compact “off-roaders”: it can actually go off-road. The new all-wheel drive system automatically transfers torque between the axles as needed. The default mode is front-wheel drive. When the system detects slippage at the front wheels, it automatically engages a hydraulic clutch to feed torque to the rear wheels. The previous “Auto / 4WD ON” button has been deleted, and the system is now fully automatic.

What gives the Escape an edge on truly slippery surfaces is its center-differential lock. By pressing the dash-mounted button, you mechanically lock together the front and rear axles. Without it, 4x4s will start spinning a wheel as soon as that wheel loses traction. With the center-diff lock engaged, the Escape confidently tackled terrain that seemed to be suited more to a Caterpillar than an SUV with just 200 mm of ground clearance.

The specially-prepared dirt course looked like Ranger territory; indeed, it was originally designed for the pickup. The Escape’s wheel articulation, sufficiently powerful engine, and four-wheel drive system allowed it to cross muddy trails, climb 45-degree dirt slopes, and bounce around on basketball-sized rocks, all on street tires. Only the deep-water sections were blocked off. Any sensible person would know that light vehicles like the Escape are not designed to traverse deep floods. But it’s comforting to know that it can handle other obstacles that will have most compact SUVs quaking.

Experimental forays into the jungle aside, city streets are where most Escapes will be rolling. Aside from the aforementioned engine improvements, the brakes have also been upgraded. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and EBD replace the old disc/drum setup. Stopping power and brake feel are much better than before, with a consistently firm pedal.

Hammering the Escape on the BRC, including tight slalom sections, resulted only in responsive, predictable behavior. Its MacPherson strut front, multi-link rear suspension kept it planted on course. Suspension settings are heavily tuned for comfort, but the car doesn’t exhibit any floaty feel. Wind noise was pleasantly low.

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