Escape vs Rav 4 review CarExpert

[Dr Smith]

https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-com...toyota-rav4-gx

One part I'd like to highlight:

Despite our Escape coming from the Spanish factory that produces the European Kuga, the Australian model is fitted with an engine reserved for the North American market.

I'm assuming the 2.0L is used in other Euro built cars so the engine is shipped to Europe already or built in Europe as well.

Now my question is then how come the Endura (built in Canada) wasn't offered with the more powerful diesel available to UK buyers for a short time or why wasn't one of the Ecoboost engines offered to us. As is seems Ford Australia has been able to have a powertrain not offered to European buyers fitted down a European production line for a spec not offered to Europeans.
Or have I missed something?

[Big_Daz]

Ford needs to check this review out... Escape was the Pick of the 2 (and won the review) but they still heaped praise on the Rav4 for, you guessed it, having a Hybrid option... Ford needs to get their's here ASAP and price it VERY similar to Rav4 Hybrid...

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Big_Daz

Ford needs to check this review out... Escape was the Pick of the 2 (and won the review) but they still heaped praise on the Rav4 for, you guessed it, having a Hybrid option... Ford needs to get their's here ASAP and price it VERY similar to Rav4 Hybrid...

The hybrid Escape/Kuga only just got announced in Europe while obviously the PHEV is on hold until the battery manufacturer gets it's act together so maybe, just maybe by the time the PHEV is available the Hybrid could also land here.

[Sprintey]

The Escape looks good and did really well in that review. Ford playing to strengths of old - better handling, more power, keen pricing too!

Torque converter auto seals the deal over CVT in a choice of fwd base models.

Yep, I'd consider it, but the resale may hurt compared to the RAV4.

[simon varley]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Torque converter auto seals the deal over CVT in a choice of fwd base models.

See, that just kills it for me. There is no manual. UK gets a manual petrol and diesel rwd but yet again we don't. I know that new autos are good, but it just strikes the car immediately off the list for me if there is no manual option.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by simon varley

See, that just kills it for me. There is no manual. UK gets a manual petrol and diesel rwd but yet again we don't. I know that new autos are good, but it just strikes the car immediately off the list for me if there is no manual option.

What would the % of base model manual sales be in a small family SUV? <2%?

I know the Euro taste of simple, basic manuals (that was M&D in our family, being European) but Aussie market must be almost wholly auto in this segment?

(Well done to Mazda for providing the choice btw, they've got the zoom zoom handling and the manual)

[Big_Daz]

Originally Posted by simon varley

See, that just kills it for me. There is no manual. UK gets a manual petrol and diesel rwd but yet again we don't. I know that new autos are good, but it just strikes the car immediately off the list for me if there is no manual option.

Australians just dont buy manuals in any great quantities any more, especially in an SUV of Escapes size. The tiny quantity they may sell wouldnt be worth it to them.

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

The hybrid Escape/Kuga only just got announced in Europe while obviously the PHEV is on hold until the battery manufacturer gets it's act together so maybe, just maybe by the time the PHEV is available the Hybrid could also land here.

If Ford are serious about it they will make it work once everything is sorted.... Ive started seeing some Ad's on the new Escape (the "we don't need fancy special effects" ad's) which is a positive step. Toyota shows people want them but cant keep up with demand. The wait is 3/4 months at least for the Cruiser Hybrid in alot of cases. This is such a popular segment at the moment and may be a way to get people back in a Blue Oval dealership..

[deesun]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

The Escape looks good and did really well in that review. Ford playing to strengths of old - better handling, more power, keen pricing too!

Torque converter auto seals the deal over CVT in a choice of fwd base models.

Yep, I'd consider it, but the resale may hurt compared to the RAV4.

If u look at RAV sales, power isn't an issue. Apparently driving a slug around doesn't worry RAV owners.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-com...toyota-rav4-gx

One part I'd like to highlight:

I'm assuming the 2.0L is used in other Euro built cars so the engine is shipped to Europe already or built in Europe as well.

Now my question is then how come the Endura (built in Canada) wasn't offered with the more powerful diesel available to UK buyers for a short time or why wasn't one of the Ecoboost engines offered to us. As is seems Ford Australia has been able to have a powertrain not offered to European buyers fitted down a European production line for a spec not offered to Europeans.
Or have I missed something?

The previous Australian delivered escape's 2L engine also came from the Spain factory. American escape's had the same spec engine but it was built in the states. I'm guessing it's still the same for the new one, and not American built engines shipped over to Spain.

[fordomatic]

Had a RAV 4 for a hire car when our Outlander was being repaired. Biggest hunk of junk i've ever driven, super basic inside and rides terribly.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

Had a RAV 4 for a hire car when our Outlander was being repaired. Biggest hunk of junk i've ever driven, super basic inside and rides terribly.

Most hire cars are base models aren't they?
so super basic inside and rides terribly is normally a given.
not sure what Outlander you have but the base model would be much the same wouldn't it?

on this review clearly not base model id pick the Rav over the Outlander, s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctIm0HNMIBk

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

Most hire cars are base models aren't they?
so super basic inside and rides terribly is normally a given.
not sure what Outlander you have but the base model would be much the same wouldn't it?

on this review clearly not base model id pick the Rav over the Outlander, s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctIm0HNMIBk

Reviews are useless to me, I like to actually test drive what I want to buy and decide for myself. The Rav is severely underpowered, It was also 8k more than the Outlander equivalent. When buying a little cheap plastic runaround to not care about, 8k is a lot of money.

Also, that review is on hybrids, we aren't talking about hybrids here.

Edit: The escape is a really nice car to drive and i think the best out of that sized market, x-trail, outlander, Rav 4.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

Reviews are useless to me, I like to actually test drive what I want to buy and decide for myself. The Rav is severely underpowered, It was also 8k more than the Outlander equivalent. When buying a little cheap plastic runaround to not care about, 8k is a lot of money.

Also, that review is on hybrids, we aren't talking about hybrids here.

Edit: The escape is a really nice car to drive and i think the best out of that sized market, x-trail, outlander, Rav 4.

I agree on the personal Test Drive, but I put the review as an example of comparing like for like models.

Inadvertently you did you own review on a Rav4 comparing it to your own Outlander.
but we don't know what year or models you are referring too. I'm sure you do but personally I'm not a mind reader.

[simon varley]

is it auto because that's all that is offered? genuinely don't know. I do know that a base model manual could be considerably cheaper than a base model auto.

what I do know is that the excuse is constantly that it is not worth bringing in the small volume units because the cost of compliance is too high. To me that's BS. The cars are type approved so once a model is homologated that is supposed to cover all variants. Another reason for dumping the ADRs. We should just accept the full ECE type approval and that allows all Euro variants to be imported including manuals and high power options.

[prydey]

Why does the author of the article talk negatively about the driving position of the escape, saying it's a bit high and you tend to sit on the car rather than in it, yet when speaking on the rav4 mentions the high driving position with no criticism?

I've not driven an escape (yet... currently looking to buy one) but I've sat in them and they are quite a nice place to be.

[Sprintey]

They always used to criticise the Falcon for the sit on/too high feeling. Its as if the journos grew up with the hat backward, chair-so-low your face is looking through the steering wheel crowd...

Overall the new Escape and the smaller Puma, Ford is onto some really good product here - combine with Ranger/Everest and you've got a solid core lineup. Hope they keep winning comparos, and keep on-message with effective marketing.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

They always used to criticise the Falcon for the sit on/too high feeling. Its as if the journos grew up with the hat backward, chair-so-low your face is looking through the steering wheel crowd...

Overall the new Escape and the smaller Puma, Ford is onto some really good product here - combine with Ranger/Everest and you've got a solid core lineup. Hope they keep winning comparos, and keep on-message with effective marketing.

I agree, the range is good and maybe with the new President a rethink on pricing has occurred.

I'd assume if V6 diesel hits Ranger then Everest will get it also, I just think the jump in $$ is too much from Escape AWD to Everest AWD and call me odd but I'd like something other than black for an interior.

Does anyone remember the very first media interior photos of the Everest which had what I guess was Cashmere in local Ford speak....looked a class above the black interior.

I'm still mulling over what I do car-wise next year and frankly if I want the towing ability of the Terry, but all the safety tech there isn't much with a RWD bias short of the Jeep, Merc & BMW and none in the Ford range with a high-end interior which is what I'd like.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

I agree, the range is good and maybe with the new President a rethink on pricing has occurred.

I'd assume if V6 diesel hits Ranger then Everest will get it also, I just think the jump in $$ is too much from Escape AWD to Everest AWD and call me odd but I'd like something other than black for an interior.

Does anyone remember the very first media interior photos of the Everest which had what I guess was Cashmere in local Ford speak....looked a class above the black interior.

I'm still mulling over what I do car-wise next year and frankly if I want the towing ability of the Terry, but all the safety tech there isn't much with a RWD bias short of the Jeep, Merc & BMW and none in the Ford range with a high-end interior which is what I'd like.

The Endeavor (indian market Everest) has the cream coloured interior. Some other markets have too. I think Ford steers away from the cream coloured interior options after how ridiculously lowly it was optioned on Falcons. Try and find an FG with a china beige interior. Your choices would be extremely limited compared to the black interior ones.

If the customers don't want it, and don't ask for it, they won't get it. And the majority want black/grey interiors.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

I agree, the range is good and maybe with the new President a rethink on pricing has occurred.

I'd assume if V6 diesel hits Ranger then Everest will get it also, I just think the jump in $$ is too much from Escape AWD to Everest AWD and call me odd but I'd like something other than black for an interior.

Does anyone remember the very first media interior photos of the Everest which had what I guess was Cashmere in local Ford speak....looked a class above the black interior.

I'm still mulling over what I do car-wise next year and frankly if I want the towing ability of the Terry, but all the safety tech there isn't much with a RWD bias short of the Jeep, Merc & BMW and none in the Ford range with a high-end interior which is what I'd like.

I know what you mean, same conundrum here. Jag F-Pace has AWD all the time with a 90/10 RWD bias... And yes, so nice interiors like DFB just posted. I'm even harder as I want a full time AWD with petrol motor, and that type of Territory finished up in 2011.

[Yellow_Festiva]

That's a really good write up. If I were in the market for that type of car I would certainly take one for a test drive.

[Vesper Martini]

My opinion. I often see the light colours on website & Brochures as its difficult to photograph the black, and the light colour seems more spacious.
but in Reality people by the dark colours because they are worried about marking and stains.
My earlier Territory Ghia seats would get stain marks from wearing a new pair of Jeans

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

My opinion. I often see the light colours on website & Brochures as its difficult to photograph the black, and the light colour seems more spacious.
but in Reality people by the dark colours because they are worried about marking and stains.
My earlier Territory Ghia seats would get stain marks from wearing a new pair of Jeans

Agree. Light colours look good but if you have a family they just aren't practical. Also we must remember that to the bulk of the buying public, a car is just a tool.

Still as mentioned, it surely costs nothing to have it as an option.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by prydey

Agree. Light colours look good but if you have a family they just aren't practical. Also we must remember that to the bulk of the buying public, a car is just a tool.

Still as mentioned, it surely costs nothing to have it as an option.

But when the kids have left home you can then go for the creamy look.

(The back seats just need a good clean once the Grandkids go home )

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

My opinion. I often see the light colours on website & Brochures as its difficult to photograph the black, and the light colour seems more spacious.
but in Reality people by the dark colours because they are worried about marking and stains.
My earlier Territory Ghia seats would get stain marks from wearing a new pair of Jeans

Luckily being an industrial chemist means cleaning isn't an issue. My first Territory had the Cashmere leather interior and yes it stained blue from new jeans however by gosh it looked the best interior of any Ford I've owned....

Having seen some Range Rover combo's you can even option a light leather seat/door trim etc.. with a dark colour on the seat bases and floor carpets, best of both worlds...and are we Aussies unable to keeps car interiors clean compared to our US Fordites?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Luckily being an industrial chemist means cleaning isn't an issue. My first Territory had the Cashmere leather interior and yes it stained blue from new jeans however by gosh it looked the best interior of any Ford I've owned....image

Having seen some Range Rover combo's you can even option a light leather seat/door trim etc.. with a dark colour on the seat bases and floor carpets, best of both worlds...and are we Aussies unable to keeps car interiors clean compared to our US Fordites?

I loved that interior too. I also loved the Northern Tan trim on the last of the SZ MK II's, many didn't though.



We have the two-tone leather trim in the Jaguar. Looks so good, but I do keep on top of the cleaning.

[simon varley]

I have 6 manuals at the moment a '63, a '69, a '73, two motorbikes and a 2020 Wildtrak. The only auto we have is the missus' focus and that's only because we can't get a manual

[prydey]

The manual v auto is a non argument really. Its just personal choice. One is not better than the other.

In the context of the thread (Escape vs Rav 4) I doubt there'd be much demand for a manual from either brand.