Driving into summer with the Ford Escape

This spring I had the opportunity to test drive a 2018 Ford Escape, as part of a super fun "Escape into Spring" weekend. We planned out our day trip to Fulton's Pancake House, as I was looking for a road trip/fun destination combo for the kids.

Full disclosure that I already drive a Ford Escape, albeit a 2006. So I'm probably a little biased towards this car, and towards Ford Canada in general. Ford seems to run in our family's blood ;)

After driving around town in my ageing vehicle, stepping into the Escape was pretty magical. I breathed in the new leather smell, and immediately hooked up my phone to the SYNC-3, with a super easy-to-use touchscreen. I excitedly called my husband: "Guess what? I'm talking to you and DRIVING!!!" There's also the FordPass app, which I didn't have time to set up, but would have allowed me to start the car remotely, locate my parked car, or check fuel remotely!

I was driving the Titanium Sport, which I had to admit, had a great little kick to it. And with the Auto Start-Stop Technology, the car quietly shut down every time I came to a red light. Gas mileage was OK, but it IS still an SUV, and you would need to take that into consideration - especially with current gas prices!

My husband was excited to try the Enhanced Active Park Assist, which literally takes over your car to park for you. I think it takes a little practice to figure out though, and I have to admit I freaked out a bit when it started to turn the wheel for me.

The hour (and a bit) drive to Fulton's was so smooth and easy, and the kids were very comfortable. They (of course) shouted out constant requests for stations on Sirius, and the Disney station was a favourite. MY favourite thing about the highway drive was the Adaptive Cruise Control - it actually slowed down automatically for me when I was approaching a car in front that was going a slower speed. 

Other really cool features? The Lane Keeping system to stop you from drifting, as well collision warning. Not that I'm not paying 100% attention all the time while driving, but we all know how quickly things can change when you're distracted by a screaming child or fighting siblings. And finally, the capless gas tank - I LOVED this!! My cap always seems to stick, and with the capless system you just stick the nozzle in and pump away!

The final, and best feature, on this car was the Foot-Activated Hands-Free Power Liftgate. What exactly does that mean? When you're trying to carry 500 grocery bags to your car, you can give the back bumper a gentle kick, and the trunk will open automatically! Check out the video below:

Although we're not ready to purchase a new vehicle this year, I'd definitely recommend this car to any friend or family member who may be looking for a larger vehicle - it's so perfect for those long summer road trips. It's spacious, easy-to-handle, and let's admit it - pretty sweet to look at!

Disclosure: in exchange for sharing my experience, I was provided a 2018 Ford Escape from Ford Canada for one weekend, along an all-expenses covered day trip. All opinions are my own.