Used 2018 Ford Escape Consumer Reviews
Used Escape for sale
The Underrated SUV That Doesn't Get Any Respect
Sam-I-Am, 05/02/2019
updated 11/10/2020
2018 Ford Escape SE 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
19 of 19 people found this review helpful
I've read a number of reviews that rate the Escape as adequate, or marginal, or outdated. Usually these are from reviewers who think anything built by Honda, Subaru, or Toyota are better. I'm here to tell you that the Ford Escape is as good as any of them, costs less, and shouldn't be discounted as a viable SUV because it's American. We needed to trade in our ailing 2008 Jeep Liberty and researched the market very thoroughly for a small SUV that would meet our needs. The Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Mazda CX-5, all fine vehicles, were priced higher than the Escape and none of the ones we saw had satellite radio, a must for us. The Escape was priced considerably lower than any of its competitors and our Escape SE came equipped from the factory with Sirius/XM, something the Japanese manufacturers should consider doing. We've found the Escape performs much better on the road than the Toyota or the Honda. It gets up to speed much quicker, rides as well as the competition, and has competent handling. The fuel mileage is quite an improvement from our Liberty. My only complaints are that the interior has too much hard plastic and cargo space is slightly less than we had with our Liberty...both deficiencies that my wife and I can live with. Two years later, the Escape is still going strong. Other than one recall repair and routine maintenance, it has not had to go to the shop for anything.
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2018 Ford Escape Titanium 4WD rocks!
Randy Kautto, 10/10/2018
2018 Ford Escape Titanium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
28 of 29 people found this review helpful
This is my second Escape. I chose it for the 4WD, 19” wheel option and the Safe and Smart package. It is very responsive, fun to drive, extremely comfortable and quiet, and all of the technology works perfectly and is useful. Rear seat leg room is a little tight with the front seats in their most rearward position. Cargo space is adequate with rear seats up; excellent with seats folded down. I like the styling inside and out. Headlights offer very good vision and the automatic feature is useful when on the highway at night. Start/stop technology works perfectly although I often disable it when faced with many traffic lights. Sync3 is very responsive including voice commands. Syncing my iPhone took just seconds. The sound system is excellent. An added plus is the WiFi hotspot, which is excellent as well. Driver and passenger seats have multiple power adjustments including lumbar support...very effective at finding a comfortable position which is easily changed. I especially like the adaptive cruise control and collision warning systems. Rear cross traffic alerts are very helpful when backing out from a blind spot. This is a vehicle I would purchase again.
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2018 Ford Escape for sale near you
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- Titanium 4dr SUVMSRP: $16,499In-stock online
- S 4dr SUVMSRP: $10,474In-stock online
- SE 4dr SUVMSRP: $15,990In-stock online
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2nd time around
Rich, 08/03/2018
updated 02/09/2024
2018 Ford Escape SE 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
27 of 28 people found this review helpful
After 6 years of driving an Escape, we wanted to try a new type of vehicle. Tried almost all small to midsize SUVs, we could not find one for a better value and price to rival the Escape.
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Love my 2018 Ford Escape S
Matt A., 01/18/2018
updated 01/22/2021
2018 Ford Escape S 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
91 of 101 people found this review helpful
This review is for the base model. I thought I needed all the “bells & whistles” and discovered I don’t. This compact SUV has the same 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine that my 2016 Ford Fusion SE had. I never had any problems or issues with this engine. Somehow this engine seems more spirited in the 2018 Ford Escape. I’m more than satisfied. The Escape has enough interior room for four—five is fine, but not comfortable, depending on the girth of the rear occupants. Leg room is excellent for any 6-footer or shorter. It’s a bit cramped in the rear seat if the front seats are moved too far back. I’m a techie by heart and find the telematics on this SUV to do everything I need from my ride. Having dealt with the SYNC with MyFord Touch in my previous vehicle, I find the base SYNC version much easier to navigate. I can deal with the buttons versus a touchscreen. The only negative point here is the small 4.2 inch screen above the center stack. I can work with that too. Of note is the electronic parking brake that works with a button. Gone is the handbrake lever which allows for more cubbies for small items. The exterior was updated in 2017. The Escape was given a redesigned front with a black grille that I find sporty. Tail lamps were also redesigned. I find the exterior to be attractive and good-looking amongst other compact SUVs. I’ve only had my Escape for two weeks and am impressed with its capabilities. UPDATE: After a year with my Escape S, I’m still happy with my purchase. Of note is the driver’s seat. Though not a power seat, it’s one of the most comfortable I’ve ever used. It made my trip to New Mexico and Colorado a very easy drive. Mileage with the 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine has improved with time also. I’ve been able to get up to 32 mpg on the highway and combined is 26 mpg. Cargo space is more than decent as I’ve had to cart many boxes, tables, and chairs for community projects with more than enough space. I’ve had no problems with the engine, transmission, electronics, air conditioning, and infotainment at all. I’ve kept up with routine maintenance (oil changes, tire rotation, filter changes). Service has been done at my dealer and I’ve had no problems there either. If you’re looking for a basic, no frills, fun-to-drive SUV, this is it. I’m looking forward to another year of care-free driving with my 2018 Ford Escape S. UPDATE 2: Here I am, a year and a half with my 2018 Escape S and still motoring on. Everything stated above still stands. One thing I’ve learned to appreciate is the fact that the 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine on my Escape is Flex Fuel capable. While it gets 4 miles less per gallon over all with E85, performance is better because of the higher octane (105). The engine runs smoother also. Plus, it costs 30 to 40 cents per gallon less. It’s a trade off. The 2020 Ford Escape has debuted already and it’s a beautiful vehicle. However, I’m keeping my 2018 Ford Escape another 2 years until the bugs are worked out of the new model. UPDATE 3: Two years and still motoring on! I haven’t had any problems at all with my 2018 Ford Escape S. At 34K+ miles, it’s almost out of warranty and I’m already looking at possibility of getting it a new set of tires. Everything in my previous updates still stand. MPG with E85 has increased to 23 combined, as has the addition of 1.5 MPG with Regular Unleaded. I attribute this to the engine being well broken in. I keep my Escape well maintained: Tire rotations at 5k and oil changes, etc. at 7.5K. Two years later, I still recommend the 2018 Ford Escape S as it has been a reliable vehicle for me.
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The compact SUV with more S
Wagon guy, 02/25/2019
updated 03/16/2023
2018 Ford Escape Titanium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
With the 2.0 litre turbo this car scoots and can tow 3500#. The handling is terrific with minimal lean in turns and it doesn't plow. The ride is firm, can bob on concrete highways, but very well controlled. It is a bit narrower than comparable SUVs, which makes it terrific for getting down narrow urban streets and it is easy to park. Going over mountains at almost 9000 feet fully laden is a piece of cake. The paddle shifters are handy for slowing down and it's nice to control trans when in slippery conditions, though the paddles really ought to be mounted on the steering column and not on the wheel. The Sony premium system is loud, but is boomy and disappointing for balanced clarity. The Ford Sync nav, as in other cars, is worthless as nothing beats Google maps/ directions for ease of use. Android auto works easily and perfectly. The controls take a bit of getting used as they are scattered and like most cars, too many buttons, too much junk on the steering wheel. Perfect height for getting in and out--don't have to climb up or scoot down. Rr seats recline, which passengers like. Needs more tie downs in rear storage. Very pleased overall in spite of flaws as power and handling and towing capability were top priorities. As of Mar 01 with 63000 miles I've had zero issues and car performs very well. Update: At 72,000 noted occasional misfires on engine start, which settled down within a few seconds. At 75,000 check engine came on. Coolant was seeping into #2 cylinder and had to replace the entire engine--there is no other fix. Ford has known about this problem with its 2.0 turbo for a long time and did nothing to rectify. There are at least 2 class action suits over this. Will NEVER buy another Ford. Shame cause the car is otherwise quite good.
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