Room, looks, stereo system, comfort. Drives like a dream to me. Handles well for the most part.

Gas tank, brake dust, airbag light and wind noise.

When I first got my Escape I fell in love with it! Very roomy. I've had the car for almost a year. No stalling, Thank God, but have had an accident in it. Hydroplaned on a muddy dirt road and it flipped on it's side with me and then flipped back over after hitting the 5 ft high embankment. Air bag didn't come out as it was not a front hit, but the side was severly damaged. Cost over $8,000 in repairs. This happended in July. Had it back in August. Looked brand new. Now I'm afraid to go up and down our dirt road in the rain. The smallest amount of rain makes the road slick and the rear end always feels like it is coming around to meet the front. You know fishtailing as they say. I usually drive about 15 to 20 mph due to this. I was only doing 35 when I flipped before. In November the airbag light came on and we took it in for repair. It came back on again the day before yesterday and hasn't gone off since. I have another appointment on Monday with the dealer. They are good people and try to work with us. Hopefully this will take care of my problems. We shall see. Also sometimes the gear stick sticks in park and I have to just about pop it out to get it into drive, not to mention that's a bad place for the gear stick and wiper controls. While there is a lot of wind noise, I just turn up the radio. Does anyone think that getting new gripper tires will make a difference?

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Chevy Blazer

Torque and overall power is more than adequate. Great ride compared to other mid-size SUV's. Amazing carrying capacity for its exterior size.

No steering wheel audio controls. Steering column mounted shifter. 100MPH fuel shutoff... sorry, I sometimes drive very fast ;)

I just started roadracing motorcycles, and needed a good tow vehicle. Also, my job sometimes requires me to carry a lot of gear/passengers. Even so, whatever I got had to be ~the same size as my Accord coupe... tall order indeed. The Escape fits both of those roles, and is the exact same exterior size as the Honda. It's the perfect vehicle for me... comfortable, lots of power, handles just about anything I throw into it, etc. The fold-flat split rear seat is a really nice feature on an SUV of this size. I got the Limited model B/C I wanted all the toys, and really don't like the flat black lower valance on the XLS & XLT. I got a damn good price at the dealer, plus 3.9% financing and a free sunroof. Overall, I'm very happy with my Escape.

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This is my first SUV, although I drove every comparable model before deciding on the Escape.

Acceleration, handeling Spacious interior

Gas mileage, brake dust on wheels

Bought our Escape new and now have about three-thousand miles on it.(My wife loves it!) So far it has proven very reliable. This is one of the most practical vehicles we have ever owned, with superb handeling & V-6 power. It's compact size makes it a snap to get around in heavy traffic and on tight parking lots. The seating is pretty decent(especially the rear), and there is plenty of room for groceries, dogs and most everyday hauling needs. Gas milage has varied from about 13.5 in town to 23.4 on the highway. Does well on unpaved roads and muddy conditions, and gives a confident feel on the interstate. Wind and road noise are acceptable to us ,but like so many others we are used to driving trucks. We have taken it on one round trip of five hundred miles and found it sufficiently comfortable for our needs. My dislikes are that the accelerator pedal seems "touchy" and won't allow gentle acceleration from idle to a slow speed. Impossible to keep front wheels clean due to excessive brake dust. Needs a bigger gas tank.

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Ford Ranger Edge Chevy Silverado Dodge Caravan

Nice size. Good interior room for me and 6' hubby, and all of our paraphanalia when traveling. Love the sun roof when it is not too hot to use in Florida.

Seats could be more comfortable especially on cross country trips. Brakes are scaring me. Fuel mpg's could be improved.

I purchased my 6 cyl Escape over 2 years ago. Moved from a Cadillac Deville but it was not as much of an adjustment as I thought it would be. A couple months after purchase, the engine shut off for no reason. I took it to the dealer, they did something to the computer and it has never happened again. I don't have a problem with the interior. I do have a problem with the brakes. Had to have the master cylinder replaced. Since then I sometimes have a problem when I accelerate and then have to stop again suddenly which is not unusual in rush hour stop and go traffic: it feels like it is not going to stop. It is a sickening feeling. I have had it in again and they could not find the problem. I am going to take it back again. I think it is something to do with the power brakes. I have about 25,000 miles. The body is in great shape. My hubby says the dirt in back of the front wheels is because it is front wheel drive. I pretty much love it otherwise. Has enough power. Leather seats could have better padding. Fuel economy could be better.

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S10 Blazer, Explorer.

V6 is almost too hot. Great visability and leg room. Took some adjusting of tilt, lumbar etc. but feel pretty comfortable. Gas mileage acceptable for lead foot like mine.

Am concerned about talk of stalling. Key location and shifter takes getting used to. Noticeable creaking or rubbing noise in back. Could it be haunted? Could use more padding in seat and door arm rest for us boney butts. Came with General Tires of all things...my opinion the worst tires out there. Will change to 16" Michelins and custom wheels first chance I get. I guess new top of the line front break pads are called for also.

Bought this XLT online from California dealer who took it in trade from female police officer on new Mercedes SUV. Figured it had a good home. Flew to LA from Phoenix and have driven it over 500 miles so far in two days to see if I made a mistake. So far, so good.

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Ford Bronco 2, PT Cruiser, Class A Ford motorhome, Jeep Cherokee

i will not recomend if someone looking for smoother ride

simply it is not pleasure vehicle it rough and vibrates

I have this vehicle since two months i don't like it because it doesn't run smooth it vibrate over 50k compare to my RAV4 Toyota which rum lot smoother than escape

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i have RAV4 it has less power than escape but run a lot smoother

200 HP V-6. Well built vehicle. Smooth ride for a SUV.

Oversized gearshift. Small gas tank (16 gallon). Small rear view mirror

Like it much better than my wife's Explorer. Almost as much room, has a peppy V-6, and better fit and finish.

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Ford Explorer

Has been reliable, averages 18.5 mpg, perfect size for me

Wow... it feels like it will fall apart at any moment! cd player wont eject a cd every now and then, the tires that came on it were VERY cheap! Just overall weak- really struggles when A/C is on.

I was really excited about this car until it turned over 35K miles. Now, at almost 50K, it rattles, shakes, and sounds like it is going to fall apart when I go over railroad tracks. Great car for a family in the north (no need for A/C). Not great for people who push their cars.

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Just had cars

manual trans is great 112,000 with no clutch or trans issues * room for family of 4 & variuos pets * like the style and way it drives * live in PA mountains the 4x4 always works great!!

the only weakness we have is the fact that ours doesn't have a moon roof and after reading these reviews we're afraid to let it go!! *spare tire needs to be standard

I've had my little 4 cyl. for 3 years now and I have never taken it in except for basic oil changes, I have 112,000 miles on it, it only had 16 miles on it when I got it. I get great gas mileage anywhere from 360 miles - 400 miles a tank. My check ngine light came on once but thats because the oil dipstick wasn't put in all the way. From what I've read I won;t buy a V6, but am looking at a new 4 cyl. I really have no complaints!

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Chevy K5 blazer, Trooper, honda crv

-V6 offers good pickup and go - Flat folding rear seats are great - Very hardy little SUV - Great visibility - Excellent braking - Interior is nice - A/C is wonderful

- Had the alert-light issue - Spacey but I'm now opting for an Explorer or Expedition - Gas mileage, but hey, it's an SUV (get about 15 city and 22 hwy, but on long open road trips I got about 29-31 on hwy which amazed me)

A good sporty choice for the price. Has been a great car for the 2 years I've owned it. I've driven that car 55,000 miles since I got it two weeks after it was released in October 2000. The V6 has enough power to zip you along freeways and the braking system is AWESOME. I am just now having to replace the brake pads and do the transmission fuel flush. I would not opt for the V4 engine simply because you need the extra power. The seats and interior is spacious and airy for the size, with the instrument panel angled just slightly more toward the driver so it's within easy reach. If you're a short driver (I'm 4'10") this is one SUV you can actually see over the hood in. The only issues I've had is that occassionally the hatch lock grinds (happens about once every 4 months) when it locks at car startup. Had it looked at, not an issue. The alert lights on the dashboard have lit up simply because the wiring caused it twice (the check engine and the check oil), so that was a bummer. But if you're looking for a smaller SUV, this is a decent choice. It's managed to haul me from CA to MN in the winter, right across the rockies (the i70) without snow chains and not a flinch from the constant driving. It's also hauled way more than it probably should have been able to, and the folding rear seats work great because I have 5 large dogs. I do have the cloth and if you have pets, I would opt for the leather simply because tiny little dog hairs are HARD to vacuum away. The car chasis vs the truck one also means the Escape is easy as pie to manuever. Still small enough I can park in the COMPACT parking spaces when in a jam.

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Family owns an Explorer but I've never used it on a regular basis.