http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic...Escape#p1550444
British expat mechanic here doesn't think much of them.
"Escape 2.3
When compared to the likes of the Honda CRV the Ford loses out in almost all fields, but subjective aesthetics. The Ford is certainly within the budget category of SUV and proves it with poorer fuel economy than the Honda, lower residuals, poorer reliability and a poorer ride. Ford often attempt to make up for their losses by including fancy sounding infotainment systems and other gadgets. My advice is to be aware as these often don't function well and or may become tiresome after short periods of usage."
http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=111455&hilit=Ford+Escape
"You should find nothing but good deals, or at least good sounding deals on Ford Escapes. They don't hold their prices well and suffer one of the greatest rates of depreciation on SUVs.
They are heavy on fuel and not terribly reliable"
My second piece of advice is that if you must go with an SUV, but only need one for the road, then go with a Honda CRV. It suffers the least depreciation, can come with a host of options, is the best fuel economy of most SUVs, is super reliable, easy to use, good interior space and drives very well.
Known issues or complaints on the earlier Ford Escape 2.0 l
1) Fuel consumption is the biggest complain by most owners, typically reporting a range of 5-7 km per liter if driving carefully.
2) General suspension early wear and tear
3) Airbags are known to have deployment issues and may not fire on time.
4) Poor quality and fitment of interior components and plastics.
5) Common engine oil leaks.
6) Engine auxiliary component quality. Unpredictable failures of components such as fuel pump, A.C. pump, water pump, alternator, as well as others.".