MOTOR RIVALS

The popular Ford Escape SUV is newly engineered to make customers feel unstoppable - with even more driver-assist technologies to help enable safer and easier driving, new mobile connectivity that allows owners to interact with their vehicle from anywhere through a smartphone app, and two new efficient EcoBoost® engines. The new Escape is the first Ford vehicle in the world with available SYNC® Connect, allowing users to unlock doors, check fuel level and even locate where a vehicle is parked. To help drivers feel more confident behind the wheel, driver-assist technologies available for the new Escape include adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning with brake support, a lane-keeping system and enhanced active park assist. That's all packed in a vehicle that has been redesigned from the inside out, including a driver and front passenger area upgraded with more storage space and mobile device charge ports. Escape customers can continue to select from S, SE and Titanium trim levels, as well as a new Sport Appearance Package available for SE and Titanium.

Powertrain

Escape is the first Ford vehicle to make Auto Start-Stop standard with either of two EcoBoost engines new to the model - a 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter twin-scroll. The technology senses when the vehicle is sitting idle and shuts off the engine to conserve fuel, resulting in a 4 percent to 6 percent improvement in fuel economy in stop-and-go traffic. The engine restarts automatically - in less than half a second - when the driver releases the brake pedal.
• Escape SE and Titanium trim levels come standard with the new 1.5-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost, while the powerful new twin-scroll 2.0-liter EcoBoost is optional. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard across the line, with new paddle-shift technology available for Escape SE and Titanium.
• The twin-scroll turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost delivers 245 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque, along with greater efficiency and improved noise, vibration and harshness performance. New pistons provide a higher, more efficient compression ratio, and a newly designed, integrated exhaust manifold is optimized for the twin-scroll turbo system.
• The aluminum-block, twin-cam 1.5-liter EcoBoost with integrated exhaust manifold is projected to deliver horsepower and torque output comparable to the 1.6-liter - an expected 180 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque.
• Along with the new EcoBoost offerings, the 2.5-liter i-VCT four-cylinder engine carries over as standard equipment for the Escape S series.

Chassis

The Escape can seat up to five. And its versatility lets you convert rear seat room to extra space — up to a maximum 68 cu. ft. — when transporting cargo takes priority. Fold both rear seat backs for a flat load surface and 68 cu. ft. of total cargo space. Or fold down either of the 60/40 split rear seat backs for more cargo space and still carry one or two rear passengers. If you’re carrying items such as luggage, leave both seat backs up and you have 34 cu. ft. of cargo space. On Escape models with 17-inch wheels, the load floor is adjustable: high position for a flat load floor and easy loading with the seats folded; low position for additional cargo room.

Technology

SYNC Connect, available with SYNC® 3 for the new Escape, comes with complimentary activation for five years. A user enables the system through a two-step authentication process designed to protect personal information. SYNC 3 features faster performance, conversational voice recognition, intuitive smartphone-like touch screen and easier-to-understand graphical interface. With SYNC Connect, owners can remotely start their vehicle and schedule future starts, as well as lock and unlock their Escape using their smartphones. The technology provides vehicle location, as well as key vehicle information such as tire pressures, battery and fuel levels.

Other driver-assist features available help make the daily commute safer and easier for drivers of the new Ford Escape:
• Adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning with brake support: Sensors detect when Escape is approaching a slow-moving vehicle, and adjust cruise control accordingly
• Enhanced active park assist: Provides steering assistance to park the vehicle in a parallel or reverse perpendicular parking spot, and pull out from tight parallel parking spots; driver controls brake, accelerator and shifter. Technology includes side park distance control
• Lane-keeping system: The system includes lane-keeping alert, which alerts drivers when they drift unintentionally from their lane, and lane-keeping aid, which provides steering assistance to guide an unintentionally drifting vehicle back into its lane
• Driver Alert System: Using data from the lane-keeping system, the Driver Alert System can detect signs of fatigued driving and provide a warning on the instrument cluster
Already available driver-assist features for the new Escape include:
• Blind Spot Information System with cross-traffic alert: BLIS® can alert drivers when a vehicle enters the defined blind spot in a neighboring lane. An indicator light provides a warning in the side mirror corresponding to the side on which the vehicle is approaching
• Hill-start assist: The feature holds the vehicle stationary on a hill long enough for the driver to transition from brake to gas pedal
• Auto high-beam control: System automatically switches from high to low beams, and vice versa, depending on ambient lighting
• Hands-free, foot-activated liftgate: Opens liftgate with the simple kick of a key fob-carrying customer's foot beneath rear bumper - perfect for those whose hands are loaded with gear

Safety

The Ford Escape is equipped with features to help you maintain control, as well as to help protect you in the event of an accident: Standard AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™) includes Curve Control, designed to slow you down when it senses you’re going too fast for a particular curve. The standard Tire Pressure Monitoring System alerts you when your tires are under-inflated (not available on spare tire). Escape features the Personal Safety System,™ next-generation dual-stage driver- and front-passenger airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, and front seat-mounted side airbags. There’s also the Safety Canopy® System with two-row side-curtain airbags.

After a major refresh for 2015 that brought a new powertrain, significantly enhanced exterior and interior styling and a long list of new standard and available features, the 2016 Honda CR-V returns with a new Special Edition (SE) trim and a lineup with a starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $23,595. The new Special Edition CR-V is positioned above the LX trim by adding larger 17-inch alloy wheels with an exclusive two tone finish, second-row and rear privacy glass, and security system. With only an $800 premium over the LX, the SE represents a high-value proposition for the premium look and additional feature content. The new Special Edition (SE) trim is positioned between the LX and the EX and is available in front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) versions. Together with the top-of-the-line Touring version introduced last year that includes the Honda Sensing™ suite of safety and driver assistive technologies, CR-V is now available in 12 trim/wheel drive versions.

The bold front fascias unified design blends the solid grill and upper air intake with the four-lamp, multi-reflector halogen headlight arrays in a smart upward sweep. This dynamic grill shape is inverted below by the aggressive-looking lower air intake/skid plate design, in contrasting silver, and fog light pods to create a deep, multi-dimensional look. Commanding horizontal lines at the rear and the contrasting silver colored skid plate design continue the wide, planted look of the new CR-V. The CR-Vs body retains the aerodynamic efficiencies of the previous version, with numerous design elements such as a long roofline and integrated rear spoiler that assist in producing a low coefficient of drag. The EX-L and Touring trims are equipped with roof rails that start at the A-pillars and sweep along the roofline toward the rear end of the vehicle (available as an accessory on CR-V LX and EX).

Powertrain

The 2015 CR-V's new Earth Dreams Technology™ 2.4-liter direct-injected DOHC i-VTEC inline 4-cylinder engine produces 181 lb-ft of torque, an 11-percent increase over the previous engine's 163 lb-ft while making the same 185 horsepower. The new lighter-weight engine is mated to a new continuously variable transmission (CVT) with G-design Shift that provides smooth, seamless ratio changes and contributes to increased EPA fuel economy ratings of 27/34/29 mpg (city/highway/combined) for front-wheel-drive models and 26/33/28 mpg for the Real Time AWD models.

For drivers who desire the four-season confidence of all-wheel drive, the CR-V is available with Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System to help provide power to those wheels with traction in low-grip driving conditions such as snow, rain and unpaved road surfaces. The electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system provides a fast, intuitive initial response when a loss of traction is detected and minimizes the negative effect on fuel efficiency.

Chassis

The fundamental goodness of the CR-Vs packaging is retained for the 2015 model, with ample room for five, including generous headroom of up to 39.9 inches and passenger volume of up to 104.1 cu-ft. The comfort provided by these interior dimensions is accomplished in concert with an aerodynamically efficient body design. The 2015 CR-V rides on the same 103.1-inch wheelbase as the previous model but is 1.1 inches longer at 178.3 inches. Width is the same as the 2014 CR-V, at 71.6 inches, but track is slightly wider for all trims, beginning with 62.1 inches front/62.2 inches rear for the LX FWD. Height remains the same at 64.7 inches for the FWD models and 65.1 for AWD models.

An updated suspension design, and features such as Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) and Motion-Adaptive Electric Power Steering (EPS) all contribute to the CR-V's quality driving experience, which is enhanced further on the EX and above trims with wider front and rear track dimensions due to wider wheels (+0.5 inches). The CR-V uses front MacPherson strut and rear multi-link suspension systems that benefit from tuning changes. The rear multi-link system helps maximize rear seating and cargo space while providing stable and comfortable handling and ride quality. Newly revised shock absorber tuning helps deliver a refined driving feel.

Technology

The 2015 CR-V includes easy-to-read instrumentation and, for the first time on CR-V, Honda's new 7-inch touchscreen Display Audio telematics interface. Display Audio, standard on EX and above trim levels, allows the user to tap, pinch, and swipe – just like on a smart phone or tablet – to control audio and other telematics features, including the available next-generation HondaLink™ and the Honda Satellite-linked Navigation System™. All CR-Vs retain the full-color intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID) that offers a range of customizable features via fingertip controls on the steering wheel. The CR-V's audio and telematics systems offer a high level of connectivity, including a standard Pandora® internet interface and SMS text messaging function, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® phone interface.

Safety

As with all Honda vehicles, safety is a primary focus, starting with the CR-V's next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure that helps make the CR-V highly effective at absorbing and dispersing the energy of a frontal collision crash. Overall, the body receives more than 60 changes to improve stiffness and collision performance, and the 2015 CR-V is targeted to achieve top safety ratings, including a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a NCAP 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA. Standard safety equipment on all models include Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) electronic stability control system, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist, frontal airbags, side-curtain airbags, SmartVent® front-side airbags, and a front seat design that can help reduce the severity of neck injury in the event of a rear collision. The newly available Honda Sensing™ suite of safety and driver assistive features includes Honda LaneWatch™, Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW). These systems benefit from the adoption of new sensor fusion technology that integrates the capabilities of a windshield-mounted monocular camera and millimeter wave radar to provide enhanced sensing with ability to identify and anticipate multiple collision scenarios, including a pedestrian collision, and initiate warnings and, in some cases, emergency braking.