2010 Ford Escape

Acceleration is zestier with the optional 240-horsepower, 3-liter V6, but Edmunds.com says it still can't keep up with V6 versions of the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox (Base MSRP: $22,615 to $29,970) or 2010 Toyota RAV4 (Base MSRP: $21,675 to $27,985). Like those SUVs, the V6 Escape can tow up to 3,500 pounds when properly equipped. The automatic transmission is the only choice with this engine. Expect an estimated 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway/21 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, dropping to 18 mpg city/23 mpg highway/20 mpg with four-wheel drive.

Braking tests get mixed results. Edmunds.com calls the Escape's brakes "damning," with "antiquated" rear drums (most rivals have discs) "that simply don't have the power to bring the Escape to a stop as effectively as other small SUVs." Another reliable expert test finds braking has improved to be very good.

Rollover safety ratings are a low point for the Escape. It's more likely to roll over than most other small SUVs, and injuries are more likely due to its Marginal (as rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) roof strength, crash tests show. The Escape does get the highest possible ratings in front-, side- and rear-crash tests. Standard safety features are par for the class: antilock brakes, traction and stability control and front, front-side and curtain airbags.

Inside, the Escape's cabin materials have improved; Edmunds.com and Cars.com find them mostly okay, but ConsumerGuide.com says they still feel "low-rent." Visibility is a strong point, and testers say the Escape really does feel big enough for five adults, although some find rear legroom a bit tight. The rear seats don't recline or slide, or fold in one step, as newer SUVs' do. You have to remove the headrests and tip the seat cushions forward before you can fold down the seatbacks. Cargo space tops out at 66 cubic feet, just shy of the 70-plus cubic feet found in the Honda CR-V and others.

Optional high-tech features are one of Edmunds.com's favorite parts of the Escape. Trim levels start with the Ford Escape XLS (Base MSRP: $21,020 to $22,770), which includes air conditioning, keyless entry, full power accessories, cruise control, a blind-spot driver mirror and a CD stereo with auxiliary jack. Ford's critically acclaimed Sync system, which integrates your cell phone and MP3 player into the vehicle's controls, is optional. The Escape XLT (Base MSRP: $24,045 to $25,795) adds several features including satellite radio and MyKey, which allows parents to limit their teen drivers' speed and stereo volume. The Escape Limited (Base MSRP: $25,625 to $27,375) adds heated leather seats, among other things, plus the option to buy navigation and an auto-park feature that Edmunds.com says "works notably better than the one found in the exponentially more expensive Lexus LS 460."

Reliability has been average or better, according to owner surveys. The 2010 Ford Escape carries a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

The aging Ford Escape doesn't make it into most head-to-head SUV comparos anymore, but Edmunds.com, ConsumerReports.org, Cars.com and ConsumerGuide.com thoroughly test it as they do most vehicles on the market. (Cars.com's test is of the 2009 model, largely unchanged for 2010.) Motor Trend's Truck Trend names the Escape its runner-up compact SUV for 2010, but with little explanation. The Escape fares worse than some other small SUVs in crash tests at SaferCar.gov and the IIHS. FuelEconomy.gov gives official fuel-economy estimates for all versions of the Escape, and J.D. Power and Associates provides reliability ratings.