Ford’s low-key SUV

I must admit, it doesn’t elicit envious stares when you drive down the boulevard. You hear no gasps of ahhhh and wow either when it whisks speedily by. But for the likes of me, who deliberately want low-profile transport, without sacrificing luxury and even more luxury, the 3.0 liter V6 4WD Escape is the one vehicle that stands out.

Let’s face it. We do not live in Utopia. We don’t always drive along Ayala Avenue, in between upscale Makati subdivisions. In fact, most of the time, we find ourselves along a street where you wish your vehicle didn’t attract so much attention. Sitting in a Porsche Cayenne along a busy Quiapo side street will make you squirm, unless of course you also had three bodyguards with submachine guns. Get my drift? When you hear all those tales of Taipans scooting about town in AUVs, you understand the rationale behind this thinking. And with the Ford, looks are deceiving.

The Ford Escape is a really rugged-looking, sporty, luxurious and powerful SUV, especially in V6 format. There’s no more potent an engine in this class. The Escape’s 3.0 200-horsepower Duratec engine is the same basic powerplant in the Jaguar X-types (although tweaked for a higher 230 hp at more than double the cost). The leather seats and ride is the most comfortable I’ve ridden in a long while. The roominess of the cabin equals that of the Toyota Prado — without the 3rd rear seat of course, and it’s much higher cost. And yet, the Ford comes in such a compact package that little side streets and tight parking spaces are easy chores.

Recently, I took the Escape along with four adult-sized teenagers and their gear up to a jungle-like four-hectare airsoft battleground somewhere in Commonwealth Quezon City. This isn’t far from the Payatas dumpsite and the drive involves exactly what I was talking about in paragraph two. The fully loaded Escape handled the hilly drive with ease and comfort. It’s 4WD Control Trac mechanism made mince meat of the muddy ground inside the jungle battleground. The airplane-style little tables and cup holders for rear seat passengers was a useful accessory for hungry teenagers munching down burgers, drinks and fries from the drive thru. And most importantly, we didn’t attract undue attention.

For those in search of an affordable luxury SUV that can really GO ANYWHERE, Glorietta or Divisoria, Ayala Ave. or boondocks, do give the Ford Escape V6 a second look. It may not be as flashy as others out there, but in this day and age, that’s a real asset.