Used 2018 Ford Escape Titanium SUV Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2018 Ford Escape Titanium SUV.
Most helpful consumer reviews
ReVamp Design Surprise!
Ru2bsi, Cincinnati, OH, 12/29/2017
2018 Ford Escape Titanium 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
We never thought we'd be in an ESCAPE, EVER, not in this life or next - we hated the boring look and basic utilitarian styling. Except now, we noticed in late 2017 that the styling had changed, something very stylish yet easy on the eyes. But it was a ford, how great could it be, would we have irrepairible GEM Module Problems of years past??
What's with the app FORD PASS?! Now this … is a significant improvement over is competitors!! The more we mulled over it, the more we finally realized it was revamped enough for us to take notice and if it had GEM Module problems, we would definitely take it back (the warranty had improved!). All kidding aside, we have finally entered a new era of FORD Vehicles - after all, they would not be in business if their vehicles quality never improved. For the record, we owned 1996 Explorer and a 1994 Ranger --Ford came back and was finally a contender in our books, the quality had improved. We are the typical BMW & MBZ drivers we moved from a sporty number inline 4 - MBZ CLA-250.
Here's what we knew we wanted...a SUV with similar "quality of drive" with same type of engine & power plus techie stuff that was lacking in the MBZ. Little did we know that for the same price of the GLA-250 base, we could get more space and techie things -- we never knew we needed (i.e. backup camera, more proximity sensors that we didn't know we needed, rear door foot sensor opener, & rear seat reading lights? - who knew?)
Though the initially the differences were short on the base model escape. We gained creature comforts and more tech than what we had in the MBZ for the price. We found ALL of that in the Escape Titanium is smaller than the GLC - but so is it's pricing >20k). Only a couple real downsides: #1 are the bucket seats - not quite as ergonomically comfortable as the MBZ, seats are more "truck-like" than crossover type seats and #2 touch screen, some of the UI (User Interface is a bit tricky) - but once again, it won us over -- it just takes some getting used to (options, audio set-up, functionality, etc).
Great drive!
Michele, Buffalo, NY, 11/16/2018
2018 Ford Escape Titanium 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
This SUV is perfect for someone who needs cargo space, but not too much, needs comfort, reliability, and enough technology to IMPROVE safety. We've been driving Escapes since 2002, and it's the perfect vehicle for my driving in Buffalo, NY. Would recommend this vehicle to anyone!
I really like this car
Linn, Laughlin, NV, 08/11/2018
2018 Ford Escape Titanium 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
I had been driving a Ford Escape through my work for three years. I always told people how much I liked it so much that when I went to get something for myself I would consider it. I started looking at other mid sized SUV's and frankly, I liked the way the Escape drove better. I figured why gamble, I already knew I liked the Escape so I splurged and got the higher end Titanium in the … beautiful white gold and I am really really happy with it. The only thing is I do wish it got better gas mileage. But I can deal with that.
Worst Car I Have Ever Owned - Don't Buy It!
Celtic, Bellevue, WA, 10/15/2022
2018 Ford Escape Titanium 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
First off, let me say that I have the Titanium Turbo edition and the car drives amazing and is super fast and fun to drive. i drove every possible car and bought the Escape because of the way it drives. It's an amazing car in terms of power and driving experience. With that said, the car has been a nightmare. I bought it new in 2018 and since then I have had 2 major transmission repairs, … the entire frond end replaced due to faulty bearings, the entire engine replaced, all four coils and spark
plugs replaced, all shocks and struts due to leaks and a bad set of defective tires I had to replace. That's just the major stuff. I haven't even mentioned all the minor replacements such as brakes and wear and tear items that didn't last to their expected lifespan. The car only has 37,000 miles and it has already had the transmission replaced, rebuilt twice and the entire engine replaced. Unreal. I did discuss with Ford and they were willing to buy the car back and Ford was extremely fair with me and accomidating so I do give Ford customer service credit for their efforts. I decided to keep the car at the time because new cars were super expensive and I would have taken a 20K loss to get a new car. Ford agreed to fix everything and extend the warranty.
I am just super disappointed with how bad the car is in terms of reliability. I really love the car and the way it drives which makes the entire situation so frustrating because I want the car to be reliable. My wife has a Ford Focus and that car has been amazingly reliable. Before that, I owned Nissans and Mazdas. The only major problem I ever had was with the transmission on the NIssan Maxima which Nissan automatically replaced at no cost even when the car was out of warranty because they admitted issues with the transmission. Nissan's customer service was amazing!
I would not buy another Ford car after this experience. Why take the risk when Nissan and Toyota make cars that are 100x more reliable. As much as I want to like this car, I am tired of endless repairs. As I write this review, my Ford Escape has been in the dealer for over a week going through an engine replacement.
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2018 Ford Escape Titanium SUV
What’s new
- New SEL trim level
- Revised feature availability
- Turbocharged 2.0-liter engine now only on Titanium trim
- Part of the third Escape generation introduced for 2013
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Quick acceleration from Titanium trim's turbocharged 2.0-liter engine
- Pro:Tech interface features advanced voice control, Apple/Android integration
- Pro:Steering and handling feel more like that of a car than SUV
- Pro:Useful space for cargo and small personal items
- Con:The 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine lacks punch
- Con:Dashboard design looks dated, and interior build quality is lackluster
- Con:Poor fuel economy and range from the Titanium's turbo engine
Which Escape does Edmunds recommend?
The Escape SEL is a good way to get near the Titanium's near-luxury offerings while keeping the price affordable. With the SEL, you get some nice features, including a power liftgate, leather upholstery and the Sync 3 tech interface. If safety is important to you, consider getting an SEL with the optional Safe and Smart package, which adds a comprehensive set of advanced driver aids, such as lane departure intervention and forward collision mitigation.
Full Edmunds Review: 2018 Ford Escape SUV
Driving
7.0The turbo four-cylinder gives the Escape rapid acceleration. Unlike many competitors, the Escape also feels lively going around turns. The transmission is a smooth operator as well.
Comfort
7.0Overall comfort is good in the Escape. Its ride is amply compliant, even though it's one of the better-handling SUVs in the segment.
Interior
7.5For the most part, the interior design makes sense and is easy to use. It's loaded with features, too, especially on the Titanium trim level. The quality of materials and assembly is good.
Utility
7.5You'll be able to haul a decent amount of stuff by using the Escape's available 68 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. That's not as much room as in the Honda CR-V but on par with rest of the class.
Technology
7.0The new Sync 3 is one of the easiest touchscreen tech interfaces to use. We like the clear touchscreen graphics, quick response times and the easily navigable menus.
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2018 Ford Escape in Ohio is:
not availableLegal