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Used 2005 Ford Escape Consumer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
409 reviews

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4.13 out of 5 stars

Lincoln Aviator has baby!

cletus, 08/11/2005
2005 Ford Escape Limited AWD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I have been driving Ford Explorers since 1990, starting with a 1991 4X4 Eddie Bauer Edition. Drove it 13 years (loved it!) Drove a 2000 Model Limited for year and a half (O.K.). Got 2005 Escape LTD AWD (gold ash metallic - beautiful!)first week of July 2005. Looks like baby of friend's Lincoln Aviator. Like it a lot. With Explorers went everywhere in snow. If the Escape with AWD equals the Explorers, then I will be a 100% Escape Fan. It's only 2 inches narrower and wheelbase is only 10 inches shorter than Explorer so no noticeable interior difference to me. My friends call me Hugh Jass.

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5 out of 5 stars

Got well beyond my money’s worth

Cal, 07/16/2020
2005 Ford Escape XLT Sport AWD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I bought my 05 escape xlt in 2013 with about 142,000 miles on it. I’ve had minor repairs but overall it has been a great car. I currently have 232,000 miles on it and it’s still going strong. Since I’ve owned it I had to replace the ball joints, alternator, windshield (from a rock hitting it), and a sensor but that has been it other than routine maintenance. A few low points about these early escapes is 1. that they are notorious for rusting above the rear wheel well (especially up north where roads are salted) 2. the shocks wear out as the miles climb and the ride gets bouncy (but the cost to replace wasn’t worth it in my opinion) 3. some of them can get what ford mechanics call “green wire” on the ABS wires in cold climates where salt can corrode them 4. as the miles get near the 175-200k’s you will need to watch your oil and add as needed because they can burn or leak a bit as the engine ages. Keep in mind that these are just my opinions from my experience as a cheap college student. I paid 3000$ for my escape and have 7 years and almost 100k miles of ownership (232k total miles) and my car is still going..though we will probably look to replace it soon and not push our luck. In summary, if you find a v6 xlt 3.0 liter engine with under 150k miles, that hasn’t been driven hard in harsh environments, I would highly recommend. Expect some minor repairs (probably an alternator) keep in mind your buying it used and it’s almost 15 years old, but well maintained one is worth it.

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
3 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4.38 out of 5 stars

So far so good

Daniel Allocca, 01/23/2006
2005 Ford Escape XLT Fwd 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Just bought an '05 Escape with only 12K miles. Got the XLT V6 with leather and am loving it. I considered sportier cars but decided to get 4WD and need the cargo space. Fuel mileage has been about 20mpg. Acceleration with the V6 is great. Plenty of power off of the line, and can even be fun on the highway. I fit in the car very comfortably at 6 foot 250 pounds. Overall great car. Some interior materials feel cheap, especially the door handles. Fit and finish is pretty good. My first American car purchase and am keeping my fingers crossed for long-term quality.

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4.13 out of 5 stars

great so far....just got it a month ago

lotekgirl, 12/14/2009
2005 Ford Escape XLT AWD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful

I just traded in my '01 Intrepid for this '05 Escape. So far my husband and I are very pleased with it. This vehicle is great if you are looking to step up to your first SUV from a car. The Escape is very responsive; it drives and handles great. I agree with other reviewers about filling the gas tank: it is annoying because you can't just put the nozzle in, lock it in place and walk away. It always clicks off a few seconds later so I have to stand there and hold it, which I never had to do with my car. The gas mileage on the v6 isn't that great. I'm constantly filling my gas tank (city driving about 90% of the time). the ignition could have been more well placed (odd spot, have to search).

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4.75 out of 5 stars

My first year in my Escape Hybrid

Michael Bares, 09/20/2005
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid AWD 4dr SUV (2.3L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful

After a shaky start in my Ford Escape Hybrid I'm now pleased with my purchase. I knew that the gas prices would soar this year and wanted to be the first in Denver to have one so I found mine on eBay and flew to NJ to pick it up. I must say that Ford did respond quickly to some major trouble in the beginning -- my entire high voltage battery module had to be replaced after a couple of months and they did take care of it. Now I find the vehicle is running beautifully and fuel economy has improved to around 30mpg combined city/highway. The only misgiving I have now is having gotten a personalized plate (B-GREEN) Too many people want to talk to me in traffic and even some take pictures.

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