2009 Ford Escape XLT

ANN ARBOR, MICH.–Well, I can honestly say I've been to Hell and back – the village in Michigan, that is. In fact, I drove through it three times, smack dab in the middle of the test route for the 2009 Ford Escape.

The Escape is the most popular compact SUV in Canada. Ford says it is adding a five-speed manual transmission option to its mid-line Escape XLT this year– but only for this country. Also added this year, to all models, is an Easy Fuel capless fuel filler, ambient interior lighting and standard cruise control.

Pricing for the new models has yet to be announced, but a Ford of Canada spokesperson suggested there should be no price increases over last year. The 2008 Escape starts at $23,999 and goes up to $34,499 for the Limited all-wheel drive version.

Set to hit dealer lots in July, the 2009 Escape wears the same skin as last year, and inside only the foam in the seats has really been altered (it's now soy-based).

So the only real changes are the ones to the powertrain. Whether by luck or design, they all improve power and slightly reduce fuel consumption, according to Ford.

The Escape now comes with a new 2.5 L inline-four cylinder engine (replacing the 2.3 L) coupled to an all-new six-speed automatic transmission. Ford says this new six-speed can reduce fuel consumption by up to 6 per cent compared to last year's four-speed tranny. The new powerplant also puts out 18 more horsepower, and has improved torque and fuel economy. This is a so-called "win/win" in my book.

The six-speed transmission has enough gears to improve the Escape's 0-to-100 km/h times by a little more than a second, as well as increase the efficiency of its fuel-sipping highway overdrive ratios. Overall, Ford says, the '09 Escape lineup has improved its fuel efficiency by around 4 per cent across the board.

The Escape Hybrid is also using the new 2.5 L engine, adapted to its gas/electric technology, though it relies on a CVT transmission. The evolution of the engine processor that controls the transition from gas power to electric mode and back means the switching is now quieter, quicker and less intrusive.

Rounding out the trio of powertrain alterations is the redesigned 3 L V6 engine that puts out 40 hp more than the '08 version. Again, the V6 is mated to the new six-speed transmission, and even with the horsepower boost, its fuel economy is also improved, says Ford.

I drove all versions through the Michigan countryside, and while the V6 offers significant grunt, I was happiest with the new inline-4.

The slight boost in power along with the improved low-end torque is more than enough for this truck and being slightly lighter (30 kg) than the V6 version, it also felt better through the turns.

I preferred the feel and gentler power of the inline-4 to the heavier torque-steer feel of the more powerful FWD V6 as I pushed the power coming out of hard turns.

I tried both four-cylinders (FWD and AWD versions) and the Escape moved out smartly and offered adequate power when punched. The only noticeable difference was in the top gears, where the transmission downshifts more often than the old one on hills – but then, that's what it's supposed to do.

Fuel prices have been going up by leaps – that's not news – but in response, manufacturers are looking at every facet of design in an effort to claw more travel out of a litre of fuel. How they are doing it is very interesting.

For instance, the words aerodynamic and SUV don't seem right in the same sentence, but airflow has a profound effect on every vehicle. Even a boxy SUV design can benefit from some time in the wind tunnel, which the '09 Escape did.

As a result, engineers tacked a bit more material to the front air dam and created two small rear tire spoilers. These look like tiny mud flaps just ahead of the rear wheels. These bits of plastic may seem insignificant but Ford says they cut the SUV's fuel consumption by about a quarter of a per cent.

Another change came out of Ford and Michelin collaborating on a new tire design that improves fuel economy by cutting rolling resistance.

Called the Latitude Tour, this new generation tire will be standard on all '09 Escapes.

The P235/70R16 tire will fit a five-spoke cast aluminum rim. The LTD version is a bright machine-polished rim.

Engineers have also tinkered with the handling on the new Escape, including a new rear stabilizer bar, changing the suspension tuning and tightening up the steering response for a better cornering feel.

The Escape certainly does feel nimble: it steers flat through the corners, has limited body roll and has almost no dive when the brakes are pushed hard. Good upgrades all around.