[POV] 2021 Ford Escape 1.5 EcoBoost Test Drive

The Escape / Kuga was the brand’s first SUV in Europe and launched in the market back in 2008. It quickly becoming popular for its chunky good looks, as buyers began to abandon large family saloons. Ford has sold more than 1 million Escapes / Kugas in Europe since 2008. Ford has bounced back with a nicely styled mid-size SUV that bears their new design language. It loses the awkwardness of the previous version, instead morphing into a lighter-looking, athletic SUV that’s much easier on the eye. The theme of brand renewal continues inside with an all-new interior. It’s a big improvement in design with a slimmer and more lightweight feel to the dashboard layout. It’s quite similar to the Focus inside, with now familiar apparel like the touchscreen perched on the dash, and an indigo backlit digital driver’s display. Quality is nothing special for the class with almost a too generous hand with the hard plastic, but it’s great to see the Escape / Kuga going in a more modern direction at last. The ST-Line is the pick of the range with a sportier exterior finish including 18” rock metallic alloy wheels and red brake calipers, black roof rails, ST-Line full body styling kit and large rear spoiler. Inside there is a flat-bottomed steering wheel with red stitching, alloy pedals, and ST-Line sport seats. The Ford Escape / Kuga ST-Line also gets the full digital 12.3” instrument cluster as standard. The ST-Line X model on test adds full LED headlamps, automatic high beam and an...