2001 Ford Escape XLT 4x4 New York NY

It's rather uncharacteristic of Ford to be a latecomer in any portion of the light-truck or SUV game. From the original Bronco to the now-ubiquitous Explorer or even its bigger and biggest bothers, the Expedition and Excursion, the firm has historically been in the forefront as the stakes—and the entries—increased. This year, Ford moved aggressively to deal with the other end of the spectrum. With gasoline prices continuing at unpleasantly high levels and sales of conventional midsize and larger SUVs faltering, the arrival of the new Escape couldn't have come at a better time.

A contemporary appearance, highly functional design and affordable price tag rightly indicate this petite newcomer is aimed directly at younger, active-lifestyle buyers. The fact that the Escape does a great job of getting one from point A to point B only helps to broaden that native appeal.

The Escape is available in two trims: XLS, which starts at $18,035, and the more upscale XLT, which opens at $19,585. Other key choices include front- or 4-wheel drive and either a 2.0-liter/130-horsepower four or a 3.0-liter/200-horse V-6 engine. Although we focused on a 4-wheel-drive XLT V-6 with optional leather for this outing, which bottom-lined at $24,845, we also spent time in a $20,460 cloth-trimmed, front-drive XLS V-6 to gain additional perspective.

Author: Bob Nagy

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