The formula for the compact crossover is not a complicated one: Combine space and utility with a modicum of off-road capability and an elevated seating position. Because of this, players in the white-hot segment must work extra hard to stand out from the bunch. To make a mark with the updated 2017 Escape, Ford’s strategy is to make only a few mild styling changes—and to cram in as much of the brand’s latest technology and connectivity features as possible, along with a pair of new-to-the-Escape EcoBoost engines.

Power-Tech

On the horsepower front, 2017 brings the arrival of the turbocharged 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine, as well as a revised version of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost. The 1.5-liter EcoBoost will be standard in the SE and Titanium trim levels, and although the numbers aren’t yet set in stone, it is projected to produce 180 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque. The optional twin-scroll 2.0-liter EcoBoost has received new pistons and a redesigned exhaust manifold for improved efficiency and refinement; it is rated at 245 horsepower and an impressive 275 lb-ft. Returning for duty basically unchanged is the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder, which will be available only in the base S trim. All three engines are mated to a six-speed automatic.

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Kicking off the tech portion of the program is the latest generation of Ford’s Sync Connect technology, which makes its worldwide debut in the 2017 Escape. More than just an upgrade, the new Sync Connect allows owners to communicate with their Escape via a smartphone app, performing remote start and locking/unlocking operations. The app also permits owners to remotely schedule future starting times and to check the amount of fuel left in the tank, as well as receive vehicle reports concerning future service appointments such as oil changes. Additionally, owners will have access to a vehicle-locator function to help if they seem to have misplaced their Escape. A two-step authentication process is required to access the app, with the idea being to keep crafty hackers and aspiring car thieves at bay. The Connect features are available in vehicles equipped with the new Sync 3 system, which promises better voice recognition, a more intuitive graphic interface, and faster performance. Connect comes with a free five-year activation plan; Ford hasn’t yet revealed the user cost past that point.

Auto stop-start is standard on EcoBoost-equipped 2017 Escapes, and Ford tells us it focused on making its operation as invisible as possible. Claimed to improve fuel economy in stop-and-go traffic by four to six percent, auto stop-start brings with it a unique battery, a beefier starter motor, and an auxiliary climate-control pump to keep the cabin fresh during long stops.

Additional technology making its first appearance in an Escape includes adaptive cruise control with forward-collision warning and brake pre-conditioning; lane-assist alert and active lane aid, which makes steering corrections; and enhanced parking assist (the driver operates the pedals and gearshift, the system controls the steering), which now performs in parallel and perpendicular parking situations. Returning to the Escape for 2017 are blind-spot monitoring, hill-start assist, automatic high beams, and the vaunted foot-activated tailgate.

View Photos MICHAEL SIMARI, THE MANUFACTURER

Style-Tech

Trapezoidal grille aside, the 2017 Escape could easily be mistaken for the previous model, but plenty of fresh sheetmetal has been applied to the familiar shape. Essentially new from the A-pillars forward, the 2017 model's fascia, fenders, and headlamps have been redone, as has the aluminum hood. In an effort to quiet the interior, Ford beefed up the acoustic insulation in the A-pillars, front doors, and fender liners; engineers also reworked the windshield seal and switched to laminated acoustic glass in the doors. The tailgate and standard LED taillamps are new, and Ford even messed a bit with the suspension, replacing the rear progressive springs with linear units and fitting firmer dampers.

To free up some room and create additional storage in the console area, Ford ditched the manual parking-brake lever (time to develop a new winter-driving technique), replacing it with an electronically activated parking-brake button. The shifter has been moved to the spot where the brake lever was, to permit easier access to the climate controls, and the center armrest has been lengthened slightly. A new steering wheel offers redesigned controls, and the amperage of the USB ports has been upped to provide for faster charging. Ford says a wholesale upgrade of the interior materials was ordered, but without a 2016 Escape on hand for direct comparison, it’s hard to tell the difference.

The S, SE, and Titanium trim levels return, and a new Sport Appearance package will be available for the SE and Titanium. Three additional exterior colors—Canyon Ridge, White Gold, and Lightning Blue—join the order sheet, as do six new wheel designs in sizes up to 19 inches.

The Escape has been a runaway success for Ford, the maker selling more than 300,000 units in 2014 alone. With numbers like that, it’s easy to understand why Ford decided to tread lightly with this update to its popular compact crossover.

MICHAEL SIMARI, THE MANUFACTURER

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