2013 Ford Escape Titanium 1st Drive

2013 Ford Escape Titanium 1st Drive

Ford's 2.0-liter EcoBoost is a curious engine. When it's stuck in the big-boned Explorer, we're much less than impressed. But place that same 240-horsepower, direct-injected, turbocharged four-banger into the Range Rover Evoque, and the result is our 2012 SUV of the Year. But how does it fare in the all-new-for-2013 Ford Escape? I'll save you the suspense: We're smitten.

Ford offers up the 180-degrees-different-looking Escape with a choice of three engines. We haven't yet gotten our hands on the base 168-hp, 2.5-liter Duratec I-4, so, no comment. Then there's the surprisingly peppy 173-hp -- or 178-hp if you run it on premium -- 1.6-liter EcoBoost (see below). But today we are concentrating on the range-topping 231-hp (or 240-hp, should you shell out for the good gas), 2.0-liter EcoBoost that comes standard with the $31,195 Titanium trim level -- $34,735 as tested with all-wheel drive. The 2.0-liter is optional on other models. Oh, and a hybrid version is coming, but not yet.