With the new 2013 Ford Escape, we're seeing a complete transformation from rugged and boxy to urban and swoopy. After so many years looking at the same basic Ford Escape compact crossover shape, we're glad to see the automaker change anything at all. Eschewing traditional styling on the 2012 Escape for the 2013 Escape's Focus-like sheetmetal is probably a good move, but will the styling age as well as that of the outgoing model?
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From the front, the 2013 Escape SUV is instantly recognizable as related to the Ford Focus thanks to those huge, gaping black trim pieces on the lower front fascia. The 2012 Escape pictured at right has far more chrome on the grille, plus the word "Escape" on the left side of the bumper. The upright grille is completely different from the gradually rising hood of the 2013 Escape.
Headlights of the 2013 Escape crossover wrap onto the side of the vehicle, which now sports side vents and a more complex top-of-the-line wheel design. A character line running through the door handles is new, as is the blacked-out C-pillar. You've seen the upward swoop of the chrome window trim on the Focus and Fiesta five-door hatchbacks.
Unlike the rear of the 2012 Escape, you can see more than just varying rectangles on the back of the 2013 Escape. The 2013 Ford's curved rear windshield shape is a nice touch, as is the silver diffuser panel.
From inside, the 2013 Ford Escape appears to be a two-generation leap from the 2012 Escape's cabin. A brighter and more engaging instrument cluster is new on the 2013 Escape, and the navigation display screen has been pushed higher on the center stack. Even the shapes of the outer air vents on the 2013 Escape are more interesting than the ones in the outgoing Escape.
With whichFordcrossover would you rather escape the city? Has Ford improved the styling of the Escape for 2013? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
Last week, Ford's three-row Flex crossover received no consensus on its design. A few comments described the 2013 Flex as more modern.Pax260said the 2013 Flex was an upgrade: "Front end is more creative and less generic. Dash and steering wheel also an improvement."
"I like how they put the FLEX in large letters on the hood too,"dozeramasaid. "However, I still believe that keeping the Ford Blue Oval would be a wiser decision."
Photos of the2013 Ford Escapeare on the left while images of the last-generation Escape are on the right. Click on any photo to see the full image.
I’ve come a long way since I drove sugar packets across restaurant tables as a kid, pretending they were cars. With more than 17 years of experience, I'm passionate about demystifying the new car market for shoppers and enthusiasts. My expertise comes from thoughtfully reviewing countless vehicles across the automotive spectrum. The greatest thrill I get isn’t just from behind the wheel of an exotic car but from a well-executed car that’s affordable, entertaining, and well-made. Since about the time I learned to walk I’ve been fascinated by cars of all shapes and sizes, but it wasn’t until I struggled through a summer high school class at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design that I realized writing was my ticket into the automotive industry. My drive to high school was magical, taking me through a beautiful and winding canyon; I've never lost the excited feeling some 16-year-olds get when they first set out on the road. The automotive industry, singing, and writing have always been my passions, but because no one seeks a writer who sings about the automotive industry, I honed my writing and editing skills at UC Irvine (zot zot!), serving as an editor of the official campus newspaper and writing stories as a literary journalism major. At USC, I developed a much greater appreciation for broadcast journalists and became acquainted with copy editing rules such as why the Oxford comma is so important. Though my beloved 1996 Audi A4 didn’t survive my college years, my career with MotorTrend did. I started at the company in 2007 building articles for motorcycle magazines, soon transitioning to writing news posts for MotorTrend’s budding online department. I spent some valuable time in the copy editing department, as an online news director, and as a senior production editor. Today, MotorTrend keeps me busy as the Buyer's Guide Director. Not everyone has a career centered on one of their passions, and I remind myself all the time how lucky I am.
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