Item: Ford Escape
Rating: 4.3
Author: CarMax

I'm about to turn 19, and I bought myself my 2011 Ford Escape about 4 months ago when my previous car (2016 Ford Focus hatchback) got passed down to my younger sister, just like it had been passed dow...

I'm about to turn 19, and I bought myself my 2011 Ford Escape about 4 months ago when my previous car (2016 Ford Focus hatchback) got passed down to my younger sister, just like it had been passed down to me 2 years before. I'd been looking at different small/midsize SUV's for about a year prior to purchasing my Escape, and I've gotta say - compared to the Focus, the size difference is CRAZY! When I drove the Focus, I could never have multiple passengers or keep my car clean. I used my car as a storage space, and all my stuff took up the trunk AND backseats. When I transferred this stuff to my Escape... it all took up about 1/2 - 3/4 of the trunk! That blew me away, for starters. I don't typically use my car for storage anymore (but I can!), and I now keep a mattress topper and pillows/blankets in my trunk. The backseats fold down completely, so going to a drive-in movie or spending a night out by a campground is super easy with a bed right there in my car!? Anyways - I prefer the look and feel of driving an older car, and since its a larger and heavier car than my previous one, it keeps me a little closer to the speed limit. I'm a smaller guy, so I also love feeling higher up and more solid/safe in my car without having to drive some giant monster-type thing. The car itself has WAY more upgrades than I expected for a 2011, like automated parallel parking, a nav system, premium sound, etc. I think the sunroof and fold-down backseats are my favorite parts of the car, though. Simple, but great. Overall, I genuinely think the only "con" or "downside" to this car would be the gas mileage, and that's a hard maybe - if you're driving a bigger car, it's obviously going to take and use more gas, right? I typically get 19-21mpg, which is mostly city driving. (And I think higher gas prices are more to blame for this car's downside than the car itself). For my current use: 10/10 car. When I think about future use, for kids or pets: Still a 10/10 car. I plan to keep driving this car until it physically cannot drive anymore.

Pros

Cargo Space
Interior Space
Ride and Handling

Cons

Fuel Economy
Cabin Noise

I love this car, or at least the idea of the car. It has lots of room, it handles well, plenty of power and get-up-and-go when you need it to. The controls on the center console of the dash and on t...

I love this car, or at least the idea of the car. It has lots of room, it handles well, plenty of power and get-up-and-go when you need it to. The controls on the center console of the dash and on the steering wheel are easy to use and the sound system is very good. The panoramic sun/moon roof is awesome too. If I had received a fully functioning version of this car, I would give it 5 stars and rave about my experience with CarMax. Alas, I did not. Within a couple weeks of purchasing it, the engine overheated and I had to have it towed back to the CarMax service center. They told me there was a known issue with this model where a plastic T-joint that is involved in the cooling system is known to fail. They were able to replace it and get the car back to me about a week later but I am still unsure how they sold me the vehicle with such a known defect. There was also no wiper blade in the arm for the rear window when I purchased it. Since then, and after my 90 day/4,000 mile warranty expired, I have had to replace the battery, both of the wiper blades for windshield, I am having issues with the transmission, and my local mechanic won't pass it for inspection due to the low tread on my tires. There is also some type of hydraulic issue with the back hatch where it will not stay up all the way. All of these things somehow managed to get checked off by whatever inspection process CarMax puts it's vehicles through before posting them for sale, though. Ultimately, I understand it is my own fault for not paying for the extended coverage that was offered to me during my sales process but I just wanted to share my less-than-ideal experience as a reminder to anyone thinking about using CarMax themselves. If you are going to purchase a vehicle there, please take it immediately to a mechanic you trust and have them do their own thorough assessment to let you know if anything needs to be repaired or replaced by CarMax while it is still under warranty. I did not do so and am now paying the price.

Pros

Cargo Space: It's not as spacious as other SUV's I have seen but I upgraded from a 2006 Nissan Sentra S so it's a huge change for me.

Cons

Value: For the cost it should have 4WD at the least, if not AWD, but it has neither.

It's a nice reliable vehicle (2nd one I've owned) and looks great but there are several issues: 1. The AC is weak. Has been weak in both cars. 2. The transmission HATES going into reverse. This was ...

It's a nice reliable vehicle (2nd one I've owned) and looks great but there are several issues: 1. The AC is weak. Has been weak in both cars. 2. The transmission HATES going into reverse. This was the same in both cars. 3. Not a lot of power -- the engine just doesn't have it 4. Cabin noise -- both vehicles have had more cabin noise than I'd like. The windshield "whistles" going down the road 5. Cargo space -- it needs more 6. Seats are stiff and become uncomfortable on long trips 7. The back up camera is miniscule

Pros

Fuel Economy: I average 28mpg
Styling: I think it looks good
Value: Decent vehicle for the money

Cons

Cabin Noise: Loud, the windows whistle, and the overall road noise is up there.
Reliability: Second Ford Escape I've owned and the battery life is terrible. Plus changing that battery is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone but a Ford mechanic.
Power: Not all that powerful engine-wise. The AC is weak ... very weak ... and this is the second one I've owned so it's not an individual vehicle issue, it's a systems issue. Plus it does not like to go into reverse sometimes. The gears SLAM even when I gently put it into reverse.

Used Ford Escape for Sale

Ford Escape Reviews

First car of my own :)

First car of my own :)

Pros

Cons

This entry is not valid

This entry is not valid

Pros

Cons

Decent vehicle but wish I'd bought a truck

Decent vehicle but wish I'd bought a truck

Pros

Cons

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