Introduced in 2012 for model year 2013, the third generation of the Ford Escape is one of the poorest performing crossovers SUVs in the small overlap front crash test. Now, though, the 2017 Escape one-ups its scruffy predecessor with an “acceptable" rating.
Before anything, let’s talk about the ratings currently used by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. There are four of those: good, acceptable, marginal, and poor. In the case of the 2013 Escape, the “poor” rating translates into a driver’s space compromised by 9.8 inches (25 centimeters) of intrusion at the hinge pillar, as well as injuries to the left hip and legs.
And that’s a shame. After all, the Escape earned “good” ratings in every other crash test except for small front overlap. What boggles the mind, however, is why did Ford even bother to reinforce the structure for the model year 2017 if the compact crossover can’t get a “good” rating. It’s OK, but not enough.
“In the small overlap test of the new model, maximum intrusion was reduced to 5 inches (12.7 cm) at the upper door hinge pillar,” explains the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in a statement. “The side curtain airbag had sufficient forward coverage to protect the head. The dummy's head hit the frontal airbag, though it began to slide off because the safety belt allowed the dummy to move too far forward.” Is that protective enough for you?
I was never a fan of the Escape and, based on the IIHS crash test results for the model year 2017, I will definitely not grow to like it. Due to the could’ve-been-better result in the small overlap front test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the 2017 Ford Escape an overall Top Safety Pick.
If, however, you’re set on buying an Escape despite the dangers it poses in the event of a crash, I’m much obliged to tell you that it starts from $23,600 sans destination and delivery. That kind of money buys you the entry-level S grade, which comes with a 2.5-liter freely aspirated engine, a urethane steering wheel, a rearview camera, and silver-painted wheel covers.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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