Ford has a history of offering an incredible selection of SUVs to their customer base. When it comes to this body style, Ford is a jack of all trades. Even though all SUVs are, well, SUVs, there is a tremendous amount of variation within the different sizes and subcategories. Ford has excelled in creating an option for each one, filled with features that specifically target the needs of each respective driver. From large family-friendly SUVs, to adventurous off-roaders, to BEV compacts and beyond, Ford has a hand in just about every kind of SUV, and they’ve made stand-out models across the board.
If you’ve been exploring their SUV lineup, narrowed things down, and are now looking for either a Ford Escape for sale or a Bronco, the choice will really come down to your lifestyle. The Escape has an interesting name, sounding like it’s designed to help you escape responsibilities, escape real life, and even escape the city. It is, but from the inside out. The Escape is built for drivers who spend a lot of time in the city, or have busy professional lives and want a vehicle that is, in and of itself, an oasis. On the other hand, the Bronco is truly made for literally, geographically, getting away from it all. It is designed for those who break away from regular, everyday life frequentl, venture out of the city, and into the wilderness. When you look at the thoughtful features in both, it becomes clear which driver each of these vehicles is for.
The Escape Is City Ready
The Escape is a compact SUV that is clearly designed for metropolitan areas and corporate environments, even from just the way it looks. It has a sophisticated curvature with subtle body lines and a sloped roof. The diamond pattern in the grille is elegant, but understated. Just on looks alone, it’s clearly made for the city.
As you move inside the vehicle, it becomes even more evident that the Escape is made to create a serene environment for those who need to spend a lot of time on busy streets and have hectic days. Starting with the connectivity, it has available built-in Amazon Alexa, letting drivers handle those last-minute purchases for home and office essentials or set reminders for appointments from the road. Meanwhile, the available 4G LTE WiFi can connect to up to ten devices. This feature means that not just the driver, but also the passengers can keep up with their obligations and busy lives. Realizing, when you’re struck in traffic, that you forgot to finalize that document and send it off is no big deal. Just pull over, open your laptop, and finish document from inside your Escape.
The Escape also has an available B&O ten-speaker sound system, letting you drown out the sounds of the rush hour traffic and sirens. Let it melt away with your favorite calming music, surrounding you through the ten strategically placed speakers. Plus, there is available wireless charging, so you don’t need to worry about your phone dying just while you were streaming your favorite song to your car’s sound system.
Another feature that makes the Escape city-ready is the available parking assist. This feature completely takes over tough parking jobs for you. Simply hold down the Active Park Assist button, and the vehicle will park itself, steering, braking, shifting and more. It even helps you out of tight spots when it’s time to depart. This will come in quite handy in a city, where drivers are often squeezing into tight, parallel spots.
The engine options of the Escape make it especially great for commuters and city dwellers, too. In addition to three gas engine options, each achieving excellent fuel economy, it also comes in a hybrid model, which is ideal for the stop-and-go type of traffic found in city streets and on congested freeways. The Escape’s most powerful optional engine, a 2.0L turbo I-4 making 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, is still less powerful than the Bronco’s standard engine, but you don’t need gobs of power in city driving. The Escape’s standard 1.5L turbo I-3 or 2.5L Hybrid I-4 both make just under 200 horsepower, which is perfectly sufficient, and much more fuel efficient.
If you can’t literally escape the city, at least the Ford Escape provides a virtual escape from some of the chaos of a metropolitan environment.
The Bronco Is Off-Road Ready
While the Escape is made to help drivers drown out their surroundings and handle day-to-day life, the Bronco is designed to bring the outside in. The Bronco is an off-road SUV, and it is unapologetically made for departures from pavement, stop lights, and skyscrapers. It’s made to help drivers explore the great outdoors without limitations and feel a connection with their surroundings.
Starting with some of the exterior design options, let’s first consider the soft top model, which lets you drop down the roof in an instant on those beautiful days when you want to get fresh air. You can even remove the doors of the Bronco (in off-road environments) to give a total feeling of oneness with your surroundings. The Bronco is really just a vessel that empowers drivers to fully experience the places they explore.
The Bronco is, in fact, so tailored for adventurers that there’s even enough room inside for two people to sleep with the seats down. So just because the sun sets in your remote, gorgeous destination doesn’t mean you have to head back into the city.
The outdoor enthusiast-friendly features continue with the rubberized floor mats available on certain trims. If you make a mess coming in from your dip in a lake, just hose these mats off. Even the seats are ready for some rugged living – some trims feature mildew-resistant material. Plus, the interior switches are sealed to protect against moisture, so don’t fret putting the top down of the Bronco on a humid day. The interior components are made to handle a little moisture.
A life of adventure requires lots of odds and ends like flashlights and carabiners, which is why there is a MOLLE panel system in the Bronco to let you stash all those items within arm’s reach. You won’t have to dig through consoles or under-seat storage to get that energy bar.
As for performance, the Bronco’s standard 2.3L turbo I-4 with 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque provides plenty of power to get down the trail. If that’s not enough, the optional 2.7L turbo V6, making 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, should fit the bill. The Bronco also has genuine four-wheel drive, with a transfer case and low range for trail crawling, as well as a beefy suspension to soak up bumps you’d never dream of driving an Escape over. The Ford Bronco is unquestionably a lean, mean off-road machine.
How Do You Need To Get Away?
The Ford Escape and Bronco are both high-quality, reliable and well-designed SUVs, each for a very different and distinct driver. Ford understands that some drivers spend a lot of time in the city, with busy lives filled with appointments, errands and traffic. When you can’t really get away, at least you can slide into a vehicle like the Escape that provides just what its name promises. Its comfortable, quiet cabin is decked out with features that make it a pleasure to sit in during rush hour traffic. Some features, like Amazon Alexa and Wi-Fi, even help you keep up with tasks on the go.
For drivers who are looking for a vehicle for serious off-road adventures, and for those craving more connection with the great outdoors, the Bronco is your SUV. Every detail in this vehicle was designed to enhance an off-road experience. From the removable doors to a retractable soft top option to a massive windshield for uninterrupted views of the vista, the Bronco will make you feel one with nature. It’s packed with details ready for a camping trip from a MOLLE storage system to an interior that can turn into your sleeping zone for overnight adventures, plus a drivetrain and suspension designed to take whatever rough conditions you can throw at it.
Whichever SUV you choose, you can expect quality performance, reliability and a great behind-the-wheel experience.
