Last week was a lot like the British ocean liner Lusitania; it got sunk, but this time around it wasn’t the Kaiser’s fault. Instead of falling prey to a German U-Boat it was torpedoed by the New York Auto Show.
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Families with 2013 Ford C-Max, Escape and Focus vehicles will be paying a visit to the nearest Ford service department as soon as possible, over a defective child safety door lock. Continue Reading…
The votes are in, and the award for the Reader’s Choice of Crossover of the Year goes to the 2013 Ford Escape.
Ford is issuing a recall on its 2013 Escape and Fusion models equipped with the 1.6-liter engine for a possible fire hazard.
Testing is underway for 2013 model year vehicles, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) putting the new and redesigned vehicles through its crash tests.
Yet another recall is plaguing the troubled 2013 Ford Escape crossover because of a risk that a cup plug might dislodge in 7,600 units equipped with the 1.6-liter engine.
Looking to unseat the Toyota Camry from its position as the most popular car sold in America, the Nissan Altima tops this week’s list of the most popular new cars researched at AutoGuide.com
Surprising, considering it’s faced two recent recalls, the 2013 Ford Escape is the most read new car review on AutoGuide this week.
Days after the announcement of a recall for incorrect carpet padding that could stick the brake pedal in place, Ford is issuing a voluntary recall for approximately 11,500 2013 Escapes to fix a leaking fuel line.
Ford is recalling over 10,000 2013 Escapes due to mispositioned carpet padding that could lead to interference when braking.
Despite suffering hailstorm damage to 3,500 new 2013 Ford Escapes, the SUV’s launch is still right on schedule according to the American automaker.
The new 2013 Ford Escape has lost some weight and gained some increased aerodynamics, and the official mpg ratings from the EPA show an improvement, but are still not quite the best among Escape’s competitors.
With high oil prices upon us once again, automakers are looking to new sources of materials when it comes to vehicle component manufacture.
In Ford‘s case, we’ve seen developments like soybeans used in seat covers, recycled denim jeans for sound deadening, even wheat straw for plastic bins and Kenaf (a tropical, cotton derived plant) used for interior door panels.
The Ford Escape saw a major overhaul for the 2013 model year, ditching its traditional SUV styling for something more in line with the European Kuga offering.
As part of the American automaker’s ‘One Ford’ plan of ensuring North American models are nearly identical to its European counterparts, the changes to the 2013 Ford Escape are being welcomed with open arms.
Ford announced that it has almost 8,000 orders for its new Escape that will be hitting showrooms late next month with a starting price of $23,295, about $200 cheaper than its predecessor. But the base model isn’t even what the consumers are interested in. Half the orders for the new Ford Escape are for the higher trim levels: the new Titanium and the SEL which starts at $28,695. That falls in line with our recent report that average new car sales reached an all-time high of $30,748.
Powered by either a 1.6- or 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, the Escape combines performance (thanks to a turbocharger) with fuel efficiency. The previous 2.5L four-cylinder is also being carried over, but it’s expected that most buyers will opt for the new EcoBoost offerings.
GALLERY: 2013 Ford Escape
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Despite an all-new look, platform, new engines and technology, the 2013 Ford Escape is priced lower than its predecessor. Starting at $23,295 (including $895 shipping), the Escape S, which comes with a 168 hp 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, is a slight $200 less than the 2012 model.
Running through the list of models the SE will retail for $25,895 and will come standard with Ford’s 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine. This turbocharged engine is expected to make up as much as 90 percent of the Escape’s volume and makes 173 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. Ford also expects it will get 5 mpg better than its predecessor.
SEL models start at $28,695 and include the MyFord Touch infotainment system, a 10-way power driver’s seat and both front and rear temperature controls.
The top-trim Titanium costs $31,265 and comes with a more potent 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine as well as Ford’s new hands-free liftgate. That feature will also be available on SEL models but as a steep $1,895 option. The 2.0L EcoBoost is designed as a replacement for the V6 and delivers 237 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque.
GALLERY: 2013 Ford Escape
Social media is the newest venue which car manufacturers debut upcoming vehicles, and Ford is using prime time television to sell its new 2013 Ford Escape, with the challenge adventure based show, “Escape Routes.”
The show will follow six teams of two as they traverse America, stopping to compete in competitions along the way, all featuring the 2013 Ford Escape. ”This is the first time an automaker has used prime-time television to launch a new vehicles and it is a great showcase for the all-new Escape,” said Ford’s vice-president of global marketing, sales and service Jim Farley.
The show will air Saturday evenings at 8pm on NBC, and on mun2, a Latin American station on Saturday nights at 11pm.
Along with watching the show, fans can track the locations of each team in real time on escaperoutes.com.
New details on the 2013 Ford Escape are available thanks to a consumer survey page posted on the company’s website.
While the pricing details aren’t concrete, it gives us more information than we had last December when we reported that the American giant planned to drop their hybrid powertrain in light of lackluster sales and new engines that came close to the same fuel economy without electric motors.
Now we know that there will be four trim levels: the S, SE, SEL and Titanium. Prices increase along with the length of the package name. According to the page, the base “S” might start at $21,970, though the prices and features may change based on customer feedback.
The features list is slim, but will probably include an AM/FM radio and single-disc CD player with MP3 compatibility and six speakers as well as Ford’s MyKey, Safety Canopy and driver knee and side airbags.
The top-of-the-line “Titanium” package upgrades you to HD radio and a 10-speaker Sony sound system. Also Sync with MyFord Touch and a partial leather interior.
The mid-range SE and SEL models differ, but it’s hard to believe that Ford will really restrict features between the different Escapes, especially given that this is a tentative list.
GALLERY: 2013 Ford Escape
The Ford Kuga based 2013 Ford Escape will be available next year, promising to be a significant improvement to the outgoing model. However, Ford has announced that it will drop the Escape hybrid powertrain.
Outgoing Ford Escape Hybrid sales through Novembers have fallen to only 9,009 units, a 13 percent drop from November of last year. But more than the Escape Hybrid’s lack of sales success, Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of global product development, explains that the 2013 Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder engines will deliver fuel economy numbers that, “approaches the existing hybrid.” Kuzak also believes that a higher mpg rating will not be necessary to draw buyers.
More so, Ford will be saving its hybrid offerings for a brand-new-for-U.S. model, the Ford C-Max, which Ford developed in order to compete with the hybrid leader, Toyota Prius. The Ford C-Max is a multiactivity vehicle and will provide the same functionality and practicality of the Escape while delivering better fuel efficiency. The C-Max will be on sale by the second half of 2012.
GALLERY: 2013 Ford Escape
GALLERY: 2013 Ford C-Max
[Source: AutoNews]
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Don’t live in LA, or you just can’t be bothered to face the crowds and finish off your day with sore feet? Then you’re in luck. AutoGuide has done all the footwork (and the talkie talkie, and the video editing), to bring you the highlights from the 2011 LA Auto Show. From the Subaru BRZ STI Concept, to the 650-hp Shelby GT500 watch our video series to get the rundown on the most exciting vehicles at this year’s show.
Watch all of AutoGuide’s 2011 LA Auto Show videos below:
10. Chevrolet Spark
Just a few years ago picking a Top 10 Cars list from the LA Auto Show would have been a simple task, with few world premieres and most of the vehicles on display having already been revealed at some overseas venue. That’s no longer the case, with over 20 global debuts this year. So with a sizable list to choose from, the AutoGuide team sat down at the end of the two media days of press conferences to determine the most exciting, most interesting and most important reveals of the show. And here they are:
From the Fiat 500 to the Smart fortwo and Scion iQ, the mini car segment continues to grow in North America. Not wanting to pass this segment by, Chevrolet has entered the fray with a tiny car of its own, the Spark. Sized down from even the new Sonic sub-compact it still has a livable amount of space and comes powered by an ultra-small 1.2-liter 4-cylinder engine making just 85-hp. Thankfully it weighs just 2,300 lbs, so acceleration, shouldn’t be terrible.
Notable features on this car include a standard 7-inch screen with Chevy’s new MyLink system and Bluetooth. Plus, power windows, air conditioning and 10 airbags come standard.
GALLERY: Chevrolet Spark
Ford‘s new Escape couldn’t be any more different from the outgoing model, with a new look, a new platform, new EcoBoost turbocharged direct-injection engines and an all-new interior with an updated version of Ford’s MyFord Touch telematics system. Plus, Ford has added a cool new innovation, the handsfree liftgate. Find out about all the updates and watch the liftgate in action with AutoGuide editor Colum Wood from the floor of the LA Auto Show.
GALLERY: 2013 Ford Escape
Watch the video below:
A perennial best-seller in its current boxy SUV style, Ford has made a bold move, completely revamping the Escape crossover into a stylish urban machine, filled with high-tech features inside, and under the hood.
Part of the One Ford plan to offer global vehicles, this new sport ute replaces the current Escape in North America, as well as the Kuga in Europe – and actually looks like a natural design progression from that model.
To help deliver a nice entry-level sticker price Ford will offer a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder model, only with front-wheel drive, making 168-hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. Ninety percent of the volume is, however, expected to be EcoBoost models with a new 1.6-liter EcoBoost making 173-hp and 177 lb-ft, while a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine replaced the V6 offering, delivering 237-hp and 250 lb-ft. And to help keep those V6 buyers, Ford has rated the 2.0-liter’s towing at 3,500 lbs. EcoBoost models will be available as either front or all-wheel drive.
Ford has yet to announce official fuel economy numbers but says the new Escape should improve on the old model’s rating by as much as 5-mpg.
Ford will offer an updated (and supposedly easier to use) MyFord Touch system, while a big selling feature will be the handsfree rear liftgate. A fancy option, with the key in your pocket, just use a kicking motion under the rear bumper and the hatch will swing open.
GALLERY: 2013 Ford Ecape
