We 'escape' with the new Ford crossover

We love the Nissan Rogue but the Ford Escape has a few tricks up its sleeve that may make give the Rogue a good run for its money.

The standard 2.5 four-cylinder is only offered in the base S Trim. You'll have to step up to the SE or top of the range Titanium trim to get the optional 1.5ecoboost four-cylinder pumping out 180hp and the 2-liter ecoboost four-cylinder pumping out 240hp. We'd say the best way to go with the Escape is the 1.5ecoboost engine. It feels much more flexible than the standard 2.5 and you can option for all-wheel-drive if you desire the extra traction. Our tester car was the 1.5ecoboost in the Titanium trim which came ticked with all-wheel-drive and it did come in handy when we drove through a very severe rain storm. The Escape managed to offer really good steering feedback while the chassis managed to handle  the corners and bends well. We know that this isn't a sports car but the confidence that it provides is still really good. There's a little bit of road noise that sneaks into the cabin at higher speeds and some wind noise can be beard around the side mirrors. These are merely nitpicks at best though.

We enjoyed driving the Escape around especially on the highway. The 1.5ecoboost engine doesn't feel short on pull thanks to high torque at low revs. We've tested the Escape before and managed to drive both the 2.5 and the previous 2-liter turbo engine which only pumped out 230hp at the time. The 2.5 is fine for those who are on a budget and really do want an Escape. The running costs are so identical to the 1.5ecoboost that we wouldn't even bother choosing the 2.5. The Escape is easy to squeeze around tight urban streets and can hold its own well on faster paced roads.

The driver's seat offers plenty of adjustments and comfort for driver's of all sizes. The rear seat is comfortable with plenty of headroom and legroom. You shouldn't have any trouble squeezing cargo into the boot as it is plentiful in space. It may not offer the third-row seating option as the Nissan Rogue, but in this case we are willing to ignore that. Most buyers won't really need a third-row seat and besides the Explorer is such a good option to step up to if you do need that extra space. The Ford SYNC system is much easier to use than it was in the Escape we tested. The menus are much easier to navigate through and the dash board isn't as button happy as it once was. We do however wish that Ford made a little more effort in the standard S Trim which really does wear the budget starting price to a tee.

Our tester car came equipped with 19-inch alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, voice-activated navigation system and of course the 1.5ecoboost four-cylinder with all-wheel-drive. Along with those optional features, the standard kit is really good and it should be considering the Titanium trim is the highest trim in the range and is the most expensive as well. We wouldn't bother with this trim as the mid-range SE trim will satisfy most buyers needs. You can choose from the same two engines as the Titanium and if you need all-wheel-drive you can also option for that. It seems though that the all-wheel-drive adds a hefty premium to the overall package and is best avoided unless you have to have the extra traction. We will repeat ourselves again, the all-wheel-drive is a nice added features especially when we were driving around the outer city limits through a rain storm. We however didn't feel it was needed as we've driven an Escape with front-wheel-drive in similar driving conditions and it managed to hold its own just as well.

It's hard to fault the Escape with this refreshened exterior and interior. The new engines on hand are flexible and offer decent running costs. We just feel that Ford has priced the Escape a bit too ambitiously as some keen rivals offer better value for similar money. The Titanium trim while it is good in its own right, we wouldn't bother with it because it can get too expensive for what it is. You'll have to badly want to pay the premium to justify it. The SE trim does the job well and is our pick of the range. Overall the Escape is a smart choice that's made even better.

Likes: The 1.5ecoboost engine is the best of the range. The touch screen infotainment system is much easier to use and the Escape refinement has improved.

Dislikes: All-wheel-drive is an expensive and probably a unneeded option for many. Exterior styling fell on mixed opinion.

Ford needs to 'refocus' on the Focus

The Ford Focus was one of many vehicles that helped keep Ford ‘focused’ in the right direction, and the sales of it proved that Ford knows a thing or two about small cars. But with several new rivals that have caught on, does the Focus still offer a valid reason to consider one?

The standard 2-liter four-cylinder engine seems to be the only way to go here. We applaud Ford for offering the 1-liter ecoboost3-cylinder engine, but it just doesn’t feel as flexible as you’d think since it has a turbocharger. There isn’t much torque at low revs compared to the 2-liter non-turbo and the fact that you have to pay a premium over that engine proves buying this engine is a false economy. We would boost about how low the running costs are, but our figures were so close to the 2-liter engine that we couldn’t even recommend it even if we wanted to. It might be great for those seeking a non-hybrid option, but for those individuals they’re most likely going to stick to city driving and staying in the cruising lane on the highway with this engine.

The Focus just doesn’t seem a sharp to drive as the Volkswagen Golf, but it certainly isn’t far from it. The steering feedback is good and the car handles nicely. The only way you can get a sharper to drive chassis is to opt for the ST, but in this review we’re only going to ‘focus’ on the mainstream versions. Our tester car came fitted with the optional 1-liter ecoboost3-cylinder engine and like we said prior, it didn’t feel all the flexible to drive where it matters most. You’ll find yourself shifting down a gear to keep the momentum going, the way the gearing is set up with the manual gearbox makes livability of that gearbox itself questionable. It certainly does feel strange as it forces you to shift up sooner than you’d like all in the name of fuel consumption, and that aspect of it really isn’t anything to brag about. We’ve test driven the 2-liter four-cylinder with the six-speed auto gearbox and it certainly didn’t win any fans with us. The gearbox was way too slow to react and was jerky in between shifts making it very uncomfortable to drive. We have yet to test the new Focus with the retooled six-speed auto gearbox.

Our tester car didn’t come equipped with the large infotainment system that is standard on the higher spec’d trims. The tiny 5-inch display is fine, but the dashboard is way too fiddly to navigate through. The front seats offer plenty of support and while those in the rear seat won’t have anything to complain about. The hatch makes more sense if you are seeking versatility as the sedan, while it may be the popular choice for some doesn’t have the eye appeal that the hatchback has. The portions seem really off and the boot space is nowhere near as practical.

Our tester car came fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps, rear disc brakes and the 1-liter ecoboost3-cylinder engine. Bluetooth, keyless entry, automatic headlamps and active grill shutters are also fitted as standard. You’ll have to pay extra for that turbocharged three-cylinder engine and you can’t get this engine on the hatchback.

 The Ford Focus may not be on everyone’s shortlist but it certainly is a vehicle worth considering if you aren’t swayed by the Golf or vast number of options in this segment. We however certainly wouldn’t option for one as the engine choices aren’t the most inspiring, and the build quality we are still iffy about as Ford’s track record with the Focus hasn’t been the greatest. You’ll have to be daft to overlook the Mazda3 and all the other choices that are just as fun to drive, offer low running costs and don’t feel as sparsely kitted as the Focus. There is a new Focus around the corner and is worth waiting for if you have your heart set out on a Focus. You’ll be bitterly disappointed if you buy this current generation.

Likes: The hatchback is practical and is slightly more stylish than the sedan. Running costs are decent and it’s actually surprisingly sharp to drive.

Dislikes: The turbo three-cylinder is a false economy. We still are iffy with quality and reliability. Wait for the next generation to arrive.

Our pick: The SEL hatch seems to offer a striking balance between price and standard kit. You’ll want to do whatever you can to avoid the entry-level SE version which gets the tiny infotainment screen and button happy dashboard.