2016 Ford Escape

Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) says the 2016 Escape gets a new Cold Weather Package and available leather seating on SE models and is the debut vehicle for Ford's improved Sync 3 infotainment system. Cars.com (opens in a new tab) describes Sync 3 as a multimedia system with conversational voice recognition and smartphone-like touch controls, and lists a Chrome Appearance Package as a new option for the SE. Carvana (opens in a new tab) notes Sync 3 replaces MyFord Touch as standard on the Titanium and is included in the SE's 201A package, while the S uses basic SYNC voice controls with a 4.2-inch screen, and calls 2016 the final pre-refresh year of the 2013 to 2019 generation before the larger 2017 update.

KBB lists fuel economy from 21/28 to 23/32 mpg city and highway, and EPA rates the 2016 Escape at 23 to 26 mpg combined and $2,400 to $2,700 a year in fuel.

NHTSA lists four recall campaigns for the 2016 Escape. 17V398000 covers driver's knee air-bag modules produced without the inflator gas generant material, so the air bags may not inflate properly in a crash, and dealers replace the knee air bag. 22V413000 covers a bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission and may degrade or detach, which dealers fix by replacing it and adding a protective cap. 25V695000 covers a rearview camera that may display a distorted, intermittent or blank image in reverse, fixed by inspection and camera replacement in a phased campaign, and 26V011000 covers 2.0-liter engines whose block heater may crack and leak coolant, short-circuiting when plugged in, with owners advised not to plug in the heater until it is replaced.

Owners have filed 1,124 complaints with NHTSA on this model year: power train leads with 320, followed by back-over prevention with 217, engine with 199, unknown or other with 151, electrical system with 92 and steering with 71. Consumer Reports (opens in a new tab) quotes owners reporting significant trouble with the CVT transmission on several Ford models and an engine that would fail to power the car, and Autojunket (opens in a new tab) covers the year's reliability report.

Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) lists used 2016 Escape prices from $8,025 for the S to $9,950 for the Titanium at a dealership, with trade-in values of about $2,675 to $4,200 and private-party values of about $6,625 to $8,625. The gap between trade-in and private-party value is unusually large here, so selling privately matters more than usual.

EPA rates the 2016 Escape at 23 to 26 mpg combined and $2,400 to $2,700 a year in fuel. The 2016 Honda CR-V rates 27 to 29 at $2,150 to $2,300, the Toyota RAV4 24 to 32 at $1,950 to $2,600, the Mazda CX-5 26 to 29 at $2,150 to $2,400 and the Chevrolet Equinox 18 to 26 at $2,400 to $3,450. On EPA figures the Escape is less efficient than the CR-V, RAV4 and CX-5 and more efficient than the Equinox's lower end.