Escape owners tend to praise the machine's ride and handling. Despite a commanding view of the road and respectable ground clearance, it feels like engineers have struck a nice balance between a car-like feel and truck-like stance.

2005 Ford Escape

Most owners also appreciate the Escape's flexible and roomy interior, which is said to be fairly durable and willing to haul around a wide variety of gear and cargo. Look for features like power accessories, a navigation system, premium audio with CD changer, a sunroof and heated front bucket seats. Side airbags were available as well.

On a test drive, it's important to listen for any unusual noises coming from the suspension or driveline- noting that any clunking or grinding sounds could indicate serious problems. The independent suspension in the Escape isn't designed for repeated heavy-duty work, and it will show signs of abuse if it was mistreated.

A look underneath by a mechanic will be a good idea as well, to check for leaks, dents or rust. Note that a front-end clunk in the Escape could also be a bad engine mount as well.

On a road-test, pay particular attention to the shift-quality of the automatic transmission, especially in early models. Shifts should be clean, precise and reasonably smooth. Avoid a used Escape with any signs of abnormal transmission operation, as reports of failures are somewhat common in early-model automatic Escapes.

If you're set on a four-cylinder powered model, go with the manual gearbox. If you need the V6, buy as new a model as your budget allows, to be safe.

Have a good look at the Escapes body as well, noting any rust or peeling paint. Some owners complain about a lack of durability in the finish, which could be called into price haggling.

If you have access to the Escape's original owner, it's important to determine whether any and all recall work was performed. The list of recalls is somewhat lengthy- though many items are relatively minor and easily fixed.

2006 Ford Escape