In recent months, Consumer Reports has gushed over the Ford Edge, naming it one of the most reliable mid-size crossovers on the market and one of the best and most affordable used vehicles for teenagers, a top SUV available for less than $40,000, one of the best mid-size crossovers with standard safety features for under $35k, and a top 10 best SUV on sale today. However, CR members haven’t shown the same appreciation for the Ford EcoSport, while the consumer organization itself recently placed the 2021 Ford Explorer on its list of two- and three-row SUVs to avoid. Now, Consumer Reports is also recommending that shoppers avoid the 2021 Ford Escape, too.
CR put the 2021 Ford Escape on its list of popular cars to avoid list as a vehicle that sells well but doesn’t score near the top of the organization’s own rankings. It cites a number of reasons for placing the Escape on this not so prestigious list, including the fact that it “lacks the fundamentals to compete with the best small SUVs.”
Some of those complaints boil down to the performance of Ford’s 1.5L EcoBoost powerplant, which has plenty of power and returned a good 26 miles-per-gallon overall but is plagued by “an annoying vibration at low engine speeds,” according to Consumer Reports.
In the handling department, the 2021 Escape is “nimble and secure,” but CR finds ride quality to be a bit subpar thanks to an “underlying firmness.” Braking is apparently a chore, as the pedal is a bit sensitive to input, making smooth stops a challenge.
On the inside, Consumer Reports notes that the 2021 Escape’s controls are easy to use and that the rear seat is roomy when it’s pushed all the way back. However, it found the front seats to be a bit flat and uncomfortable. Throw in the Escape’s below-average predicted reliability, and it’s clear that CR isn’t a fan of the popular crossover, even though quite a few consumers are.
We’ll have more on the Escape soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Escape news and continuous Ford news coverage.
Comments
1.5 litre? That’s comical. Probably be junk before it gets 100,000 miles on it.
You do realize that cars are far more reliable than any definition of “the good old days.” A honking big block V8 from the 60s-80s can’t touch a modern engine for reliability.
Turbocharged to 181 hp, and does 0-60 in just over 7 seconds.
Had mine for about a year now. It’s a dang strong little motor. Super flat torque curve. I live in a fairly hilly area and it will pull along quite happily at less than 2000 rpms or just as happily run 5000 plus. If I keep my foot out of it it’s no problem to get 33-35mpg. I’m impressed with it for 91 cubic inches
I have a 2020 escape with 1.5 motor. The only time it lags a little is whe u have it put in eco and then it’s when you almost stop before u get up and go, as for the ride this sits and rides alot better than a hrv and alot of other same sized vehicles, I drove alot of them before I chose my escape which I love.
I have a new bronco sport. I am in love with it and 5000 miles and no issues. CR trashed it. They should of tested my badlands. CR is so critical of American cars and loves anything across the pond. I had a 18 crv and tons of issues. CR kisses and loves on Honda. That is why after 20 years with CR I am not renewing.
I haven’t paid much attention to CR for about 30 years now, I always wondered who was getting paid off to print such wheel spin smoke.
We have a ’21 Bronco Sport as well with 35k miles so far and love it. CR doesn’t know what they are talking about.
So is it just the 3 cylinder? Cause I’ve heard the 4 cylinder is pretty good and the hybrid is one of the best in the industry
Hi, I own a 2020 Escape SE Sport Hybrid.
Have driven it about 11k miles. Wife and I love it. No problems. Fantastic mpg.
Are you familiar with the Consumer Reports video show on YouTube—Talking Cars?
The hosts of the show called the hybrid model “the Escape done right.”
I have a 2021 Hybrid Titanium, and I get great mileage efficiency AVG 43 MPG. Everything was great until last week the timing chains broke. It will cost me 1800 to fix it. I asked my mechanic, reputable, what could I have done to prevent this from happening. His words: it is a faulty design, customers are complaining. My car is like new, I take excellent care of it, dealer services, and now… it is not even 3 years old and it needs a big ticket price repair. My advise: get an extended warranty or sell it before it gets to 60k miles.
Consumer Reports has a long history of trashing Detroit while overrating everything foreign. Their “predicted reliability” ranking is not based on reliability testing, but usually marketing surveys. I spent 42 years in automotive quality.
I can agree with CR about the front seats but everything else makes my ’21 Escape PHEV the most relaxing car that I have ever had.
I own a 2018ford escape with 1.5 eco boost and I love it, my family all have as well and have been excelllent
David, my brother has an escape with 100,000 miles, never have had problems, I take care of my cars and drive right, makes difference in any car
I agree to most of the replies.
In recent years. CR’s car reviews have shrunk down to several paragraphs. I find their ratings to be somewhat arbitrary and confusing at times. I think their reliability rating are based on only those readers that actually return their surveys. People tend to be more inclined to return these surveys when they have a problem. When purchasing a car. I rely on other car publications that do a much more thorough job with their car reviews than CR.
I really liked my 2017, until the paint peeled on the drivers side of the windshield and starting to peel on passenger side. Of course I was past my 3/36 warranty. Ford won’t do anything except charge me to paint it. I checked on the internet for any complaints…hundreds on 2017 paint peeling on each side of windshield. So I say, something was wrong with the paint in 2017. If I trade in, I will be penalized for the peeling paint, that is Fords fault. They should be recalled.
I have had a Ford Escape for 4 years now and haven’t had a problem with anything, works like a charm and am ready to get my new one in November
Had Ford’s for years, never a problem. CR always have a problem with Ford.It has become a joke
I do see a problem with the CR’s evaluation of all vehicles today & that is the change in their final rating. It used to be “Recommended” or “Not Recommended” now they use the term “to be avoided”. They lay out the pros & cons for each vehicle carefully giving you specs & objective opinions on the topics they feel are the most important for the reader. That is well done but instead of letting you decide which vehicle to purchase they then sum up by advising which vehicles not to buy…ludicrous!
CR is getting far too liberal in their “opinions”. Sour grapes 🍇 ?
I have a 2020 escape sel with the 2.0 best new car i ever owned. It has been Great.
Consumer Reports needs to just the hell up. They only really Japanese car company’s. They think the Rav4 and the CRV are the cream of the crop vehicles, which they are not. The Ford Escape has always been a consumer favorite.
I agree with CR about the brakes. Very touchy. I slso hate the engine. Either feels like it is going to stall or it wants to start out fast. Our 17 Escape was much better. The storage compartments were also much better. I loved my Jeep. Will probably go back to that in a year.
I have driven a 2013, 2015, 2017 and now 2020 Escape, for about a 220 k my miles. Virtually trouble free. All 2.0 Ecoboost.. Absolutely loved em all. I have found CR”s relentlessly negative bias of any American products, so frustrating, when always compared to their “go to” favorites, like Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, Audi ect.
They should be a European based Magazine/Show by now. I’d be more honest…
Our 1.5 Eco-boost is smooth with no issues in our 2020 Ford Escape SEL
Hmm. Hard to take CR serious. I have a 2017 Escape with 133,000 miles on it. And I have to tell ya, I haven’t done anything outside of regular maintenance on it. And I’m not a Ford guy!
Sounds right, our 2020 is small, but we were down sizing from a Ford Fusion Titanium
The complaints listed must be unique to the 2021 Ford Escape, we have a 2020 and there is no vibration with the engine. They need a side by side review of both years, also great gas mileage if my wife can keep it under 80 – 85 mph on the Interstate
It seems like Consumer reports has an issue with all the Ford products excluding the Edge. I have never used their recommendations for buying any product. My Escape is fantastic. My wife’s 2017 Edge Sport is comfortable, roomy, great performance and my wife loves her Edge with 40,000 miles. My son’s Explorer ST and Mach E are two great vehicles with the ST being the family trip SUV with higher than average miles for a nearly 2 years old vehicle. He traded his Ram pickup and loves driving his ST. The Mach E is newer and driven by my daughter in law to and from work to carry my grandkids for shopping and school functions. My 2017 Escape Titanium has been trouble free with the exception of the infotainment center issue that was repaired in 24-hours. Come on Consumer reports. With your poor product recommendations I’ve decided it’s a waste of time even considering your reviews. Now I have the perfect fire place starters using your magazines. I certainly won’t be buying future new copies.
2020 2.0 SEL is Awesome!
Mileage is a little down…22.4 all intown, but it RUNS! Sorry, I leave it in Sport all the time.
And the engine is smooth as silk.
Little too much road noise, seats are firm (FIRM) but comfortable.
Have towed a 12′ U haul with no trouble.
Great Car.
Ford is always criticized for their products. One of the best car manufacturers in the US. Toyota is overrated, their trucks are junk. 2017 Fusion with 92k on it. No issues. Love Ford products very much.
Toyota trucks are junk? Wonder why so many used in cess pool countries with few roads. All pick ups popular around here I chose my Lexus & Wife’s Hi Lander. we see a lot around here.
Consumer Reports should be avoided.
NCEcoboost is all over this site making negative comments. It really gets tiring. Go somewhere else.
2015 escape best care ever 88000 titanium
I purchased a 2021 Escape hybrid se on 9/7/21. The hybrid had 3,074 miles on it. The car ran flawlessly til February 25, 2022. The gas engine would start to vibrate when it first started. The stop safely now red display would appear and car would lose power. After several starts and stops I drove straight to my local ford dealership. The service folks were swamped and offered an appointment in two weeks. I promptly left the service area and found the dealership manager. They took my car and gave me a 2021 eco sport to drive.
A few days later they called to advise my car was done. I picked up and the car performed fine. They had inspected the intake, throttle body, cleaned MAPT sensor, reprogrammed PCM, reprogrammed BECM, SOBDMC and ABS. CEL still on. Ran self test, passed but light stayed on. Updated all module that had updates, cleared code, retest, passed and test drove.
The next day same problem again! Took back to dealership on February 28, 2022. I was given another eco sport to drive. In a few days my hybrid will be in the shop for a month. Ford has problems and they had better step up to the plate and correct these problems!
Read that ford warranty on 1.5 liter engine covers the timing belt for the “life on the engine.” Called info rep at the factory and also local dealership service rep and neither were able to confirm. Also “life of engine” comment sounds ambiguous.
The saga continues. Took my 2021 escape hybrid se to dealership on February 28, 2022 as stated above. I just picked my car up yesterday ( April 20, 2022.) So far so good. This is what they did to my car during all that time.
Ran self test. Code po 300, po 301, po 303, po304, po316, p1aoc. R&R throttle body again, cleaned intake again. R&R MAPT and clean. DEL Data display, power balance test, MISFORE monitor test, R&R injector rail. CK injector connectors. Swap #1 & #4 plug/ coil/ injector. Road test with data recorder, monitor with power balance. Misfire on #1. R&R valve cover & inspect valve and cam shaft. OK. Replaced MAPT sensor ( oil contamination) Manual compression check. #1-155, #2-155, #3-160, #4-155. Test injector wiring from PCM to injectors. All less than 0.5 ohms/ no short. Test coil wire to PCM- passed. Ck for PCM updates.-none. Replaced #4(now #1) injector. Improved but still runs rough at times. Replaced #4 ( now #1) coil and spark plug. Performed misfire re learn. Road test. Confirmed repair.
Does this look like faulty parts or some bigger engine problems? This car has 7393.6 total mileage. I love the car but now I’m wondering if I should start investigating lemon car laws.
The saga continues. Well… my check engine light came on today. I have driven the car slightly over 100 miles since it’s extended stay in dealership. This is really BS! My new car with 7000 miles is a piece of crap! Why does my 2021 Ford Escape hybrid se continue to have misfire problems? My patients is wearing out.
Do not buy a 2022 Escape, unless you are under psychiatric care and need weekly or more sessions to get your head read. If so i have some swamp land to sell you for your new home build.
Very true the new Ford Escape is not an SUV it is a car with a 3 cylinder engine, well maybe Ford has future plans and visionary scope to put a 2 cylinder lawn mower engine in its 2024 escape and Bronco lineup.
And why not, if people will buy them.
I say if this is the crap coming out of Ford, the bus is looking like an option.
All 3 Ford, GM and now the almost defunct FAC have paved the way, no pun intended through decades of fails to their own demise.
Buy Japanese
Just having read this article and almost choking on my coffee, this vehicle not just the engine but FAKE 4 wheel drive like its counterparts across the line even in the Ford Explorer.
Why bother????????
Wait, young people do not understand the concepts of a true 4×4 and will then cry mommy i am stuck, plz help me.
In a world of information available at your finger tips we have a society of morons that also build cars.
OMG your Escape is in the shop again, a light went on in your dash and you took it to the dealer.
I ask one question, what light went on in your head in the decision to purchase this vehicle?
Our 2021 Escape Hybrid has been solid for 21,000 miles, averaging 48mpg, too. Our 2018 C-Max Hybrid was bulletproof and fun to drive throughout its 42,000 mile lease. Compared to other American and Asian rental cars we’ve driven on vacations, we’re always glad to drive our Fords again.