The Driver - Summer 2016 The Driver - Summer 2016 | Page 7

Titanium trim and available with the
Tech Package on the SE, the new Sync
3 connectivity suite has something
for everyone who has succumbed to
the vague necessity of smartphone
technology—Apple CarPlay, Android
Auto and the as yet unacknowledged
FordPass application which enables
an individual’s phone to access fuel
levels, and will even provide the ability
to initiate a remote start, lock or unlock
doors and will track your vehicle—in the
event one of your kids borrows it for a
Sunday afternoon drive. While today
there is no built-in Wi-Fi hotspot in the
automobile as some manufacturers
have seen fit, most smartphones
already have the ability to be converted
into a hotspot in a minute or two,
thereby adding greater flexibility to all
users—should this be of interest.

In the Titanium finish, we also
experienced lane keeping assist, park
assist, various driver alerts and, for
improved fuel economy when you
stop at an intersection or pull over to
admire grazing bears and rutting rams
roadside, auto stop/start.
Overall, there is much to like. Will
Ford see the Escape continue to sell
well—or will further changes and
innovations from the competition
make things more interesting for the
consumer in this important market
segment?
One observation that did kind of jar:
with the 2.0 litre EcoBoost, 91-octane
fuel is recommended (premium) with a
suggested consumption rate of 11.5/8.7
L/100 km (city/highway).
For a dollar shy of $36,000 on the
Titanium, is that a deal breaker? TDM

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