Week Three: ZipSetGo.com Makes a Getaway in the 2011 Ford Escape

For week three of the Ford "Kick the Tires" series, we made our getaway in a new 2011 Ford Escape! Check out our videos and blogs below and Ford-Life's Traveler's Guide to the 2011 Ford Escape.

The Ford Escape – “Family Functional” 

This week, I was “Kicking the Tires” on a 2011 Ford Escape. I really liked the size and delicious color (Sangria Red Metallic) of the vehicle and the inside interior has great lines and looks sleek.  I love the power moon-roofs and shade that Ford is putting in their cars - it brings the outside in and is making summer travel more fun! 

This was a busy holiday weekend for us with barbeques, opening day at the pool and soccer tryouts!  The Escape is 100% Family Functional with plenty of space and legroom for the kids in the backseat and the rear cargo compartment is spacious enough to haul all of our gear around.   Since we were on the go the entire weekend, the Sirius radio and Sync Voice activated controls were put to the test and passed with flying colors.

I also need piece of mind in my vehicles safety features when hauling my family around town in all four seasons. So when I read the Escape’s equipped with the AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control™ (RSC®) which uses a combination of reduced engine power and selective wheel braking to help the driver maintain control, it helped put my mind at easy about safety and security of this vehicle.  

This vehicle is family functional and will get you where you need to be however, nothing but the color really stands out for me.

For more blogs by April, click here.
 

This week I drove the 2011 Ford Escape all week which was great because it definitely grew on me.  Although it is more minimal than some of the other Ford models, the features are more than adequate.

I love the rear view mirror back up assistance in all the Fords we have driven so far, especially in SUVs when rear visibility isn’t the best. The Ford Escape also beeps when you get too close to something, which is also helpful. The dual climate controls are also great; I am constantly cold, which isn’t always the case for my passengers. Sirius radio and a sun roof are great bonuses as well. 

Since I am not a ‘car person’ I don’t have great automobile lingo, but I do like how the Escape drives, especially on the highway. It handles well, and I don’t feel overwhelmed, even though I have never owned an SUV. The Escape is also easy to park, which is important to me since I live downtown.

The Ford Escape that I drove also has a feature called Flex Fuel which means it can run on regular unleaded gasoline or E85 alternative fuel. Unfortunately, I am not sure where to obtain E85 alternative fuel is Southwest Ohio, but this is a nice option when available. The Escape’s gas mileage isn’t ideal for me, at just 19 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway.

For more blogs by Rachel, click here.

This week’s Kick the Tires vehicle was the 2011 Ford Escape. This mid-size SUV is the perfect size for my small family of 3.  It has ample space in the backseat and cargo area for everything and everyone we need to haul around.  I felt very comfortable driving this vehicle – not too big and intimidating, while big enough to sit up high and see above most of the traffic around you.

Like the previous Ford vehicles we have test-driven, the Escape has a reverse view video in the rear-view mirror that is a great asset when backing up - a must-have in my next car!  A great family-friendly feature is the Ford MyKey system, which lets you set limits on speed and stereo volume for those lead-footed, hard-of-hearing teenagers (or adults) in your life. 

While the Escape met all my everyday needs and was quite comfortable to drive, it left me wanting more techie features. Nothing on the dashboard struck me as “state-of-the art”, like the MyFord Touch we experienced with the Ford Edge, and such an upgrade could really make this car stand out to me.

For more blogs by Andrea, click here.

Up next in our Ford "Kick the Tires" series, we pick up the keys to a 2011 Ford Fusion and test drive it for a week.

Enter for a chance to win FREE GAS!

It's so easy!  On facebook, just "Like" ZipSetGo and Lebanon Ford! The GoGirls will randomly select one lucky winner each week to win a gas card worth $50. There will be six gas cards total to be given away over the six-week period. Check out the official rules here!