Overview & Reviews

The 2005 Ford Escape gets a freshened look and some new mechanicals. Last year's base 2.0-liter engine is replaced by a new 153-horsepower, 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine that's available with either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. This new engine is a more viable choice for budget-conscious buyers, and like the V6, it can be matched with a new electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system. Meanwhile, the V6 engine has been tweaked to provide improved throttle response. Antilock brakes are now standard across the line. Interior updates include a floor-mounted shifter, new gauges, upgraded seats and additional storage. The most significant improvement inside is the addition of the optional Safety Canopy rollover protection system. Further, the vehicle's structure has been modified to better absorb offset frontal impacts, and the backseat gets a full set of three-point belts. On the outside, all Escapes have reworked front and rear fascias with a new grille design and headlights. Finally, an XLT Sport model joins the lineup.

• Powerful V6, quick and efficient hybrid model, large cargo capacity, comfortable interior, carlike handling, optional side curtain airbags.

• Four-cylinder models feel unrefined at high rpm, so-so interior materials quality.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 391.00

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  Too many things gone wrong - 2005 Ford Escape
  By johnny_canuck - July 24 - 5:02 pm

  Bought in August 2012 with roughly 70k miles, heres what has gone wrong: - one tie rod, other is now in need of replacing - hole in exhaust - fuel pump - spark plugs - front brakes now need replace - transmission is clunking In not even two years, ugh. It cannot handle the 3,500 lbs it says it can, bad mileage, just awful.

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  first time hybrid not so well - 2005 Ford Escape
  By mrblue3 - May 23 - 8:42 pm

  bought the car only six months ago and its running in to problems. the first couple months it ran awesome what i expected, good mpg for a suv with awd. now the cooling system for the HV battery is falling apart piece by piece, that seems to be just one of fords flaw with the beginning years of the escape hybrid. first it was the cooling fans the whole kit actually, parts plus labor about 700 at dealer. now the blend door actuator is not opening to allow air in to cool the battery. from what i was told by another diagnostic the ac is not working proplery, had that diagnosed and the rear ac line going to the battery is punctered. cant wait to trade it in for a fusion hybrid

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  Do not buy this junk! - 2005 Ford Escape
  By maxout06 - September 24 - 9:13 am

  I bought a 2005 Escape XLT with 78,000 on the odometer. Good price and the thing looked cherry. After driving it for a couple months, the OBD light came on and it started misfiring. After a little research, I found out Ford used sub-standard parts to build this model. The ignition coils burn out the drivers in the ECM at about 100,000 miles. Well past warranty stage. Ford knew of this and sent a memo to dealers on what to look for if the code P0351 was showing. A repair that costs average $1,500. The worst thing is since this issue took place after market, the only ECMs left are used or reman. This is the reason people are buying Asian cars more. Ford, you people are crooks.

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  Dont bother with the base 4 cylinder - 2005 Ford Escape
  By bsumorgan - November 9 - 2:00 am

  I got a job where I needed to carry stuff for work and I also needed to haul our small family around in the winter. The ford escape seemed like a perfect fit. It drove well enough, but the 4 cylinder is just plain lethargic. At low gears its all right, but in second and third, well, you had better not be making emergency maneuvers. The arm rests are hard and unforgiving. I didnt like the position of the seats relative to the floor. The 4WD, however, was FANTASTIC! I could drive like a complete idiot on snow and ice, and it didnt matter. Ford AWD is much better than the AWD that I had in the Saturn Vue I bought after owning this. My advice: get the nicer trim level with the 6 cyl and 4wd.

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  Bad Plugs - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Bill - May 8 - 8:21 pm

  For the first five years car has been great. Not happy with interior. Upholstery wearing out much to soon. What really steams me is that at 38000 miles the plugs, coils and power module have just gone out. With this mileage I cant believe it. I have been a loyal Ford BUT!

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  Big Problems - 2005 Ford Escape
  By george-e - July 20 - 10:06 pm

  Great little car. Aside from the transmission going out at 50k! Had a nice Mit. Galant with over 100k still ran great, but I just thought I should get something newer.

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  Run away fast! - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Forditaboutit - April 19 - 5:14 pm

  I had this car for only two years. It developed a problem with the spark plugs that caused it to die (momentarily) when I hit 70. A thousand dollars later, that was fixed. Then the transmission went. Two thousand dollars later, that was fixed. Then, just last week, a piston rod broke free and destroyed the engine. This car was less than five years old, and had less than 100,000 miles on it. Never again. I am done trying to support the domestic auto industry. I dont expect much from a car. But I certainly expect more than the Escape provided.

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  Lease be gone..yee haw! - 2005 Ford Escape
  By marsan5 - September 28 - 10:08 pm

  We just finished our lease on this SUV. Pros are lots of cargo space, zippy around town and easy to drive. Cons are brakes not designed well for rural use, rotors and brakes non stop getting fixed, AWD got locked on one day on pavement. Bit of a gas pig. We had cloth seats and they stained if you looked at them! Three kids in the back is too crammed up. The door sills are too high, trapping mud and snow in like crazy. Cheap interior. The nerf bars stink in snow as they bottom you out, and when driving AWD when you get stuck, you are stuck!

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  Poor paint finish - 2005 Ford Escape
  By Ford Junk - March 11 - 10:00 am

  The dealer ship was great ! But this will be my last Ford My wife picked up our 2005 Escape she did not notice the paint on the hood had a mark by both windshield squirters looked like water marks. They do not come off ! look its a new car and already has to have body work. You can leave the key in and no alarm (makes it easy to lock your keys in the ESCAPE) doors do not lock when you put it in drive this is a safty issue if you have small children.

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  Not for the petite - 2005 Ford Escape
  By kathy m - February 18 - 3:20 pm

  Nice looking vehicle, inside & out. Terrible gas mileage; was expecting 18- 21 mpg but getting only about 15 (and its not my driving style causing low mpg). Not a good vehicle for shorter folks (I am 5 ft. tall). Rear seat headrests obstruct view when looking back, emergency brake is on the other side of the center console (causing you to have to REACH), and needing to have the seat as far forward as possible to reach pedals means that knees/shins bump up against the dash under steering column - saftey risk if ever in accident. Havent experienced its handling in snow yet.