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Old 03-17-2013, 05:22 AM   #1
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Anyone towing with a 2013 Ford Escape?

Anyone out there towing with a 2013 Ford Escape? I just Factory ordered a SE 2.0L 4WD last weekend with a towing capacity of 3500# to tow my 1971 Boler.
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Old 03-17-2013, 06:29 AM   #2
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You may be the first!!
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Old 03-17-2013, 07:24 AM   #3
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I'm interested in hearing your experiences. As other manufacturers pull back on towing capacity in this vehicle class, the Escape may become more popular.
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Old 03-17-2013, 01:25 PM   #4
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Turbo? Non?
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Old 03-17-2013, 01:35 PM   #5
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Escape and CMax

We looked at the Escape and hybrid C-Max yesterday. We liked them both but were particularly interested in the C-Max. The electric motor provides a lot of low speed torque, potentially a nice balanve to the 4 cylinder engine. I will say the CTV transmission scares me in the CMax.

Does anyone tow with a CVT?
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Old 03-17-2013, 02:02 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick Mooyman View Post
Anyone out there towing with a 2013 Ford Escape? I just Factory ordered a SE 2.0L 4WD last weekend with a towing capacity of 3500# to tow my 1971 Boler.
Cool!

I see by the specs that the 3500 pound capacity is with the factory tow package- what does that consist of?

Thanks!

Francesca
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Old 03-17-2013, 02:39 PM   #7
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2.0L turbo putting out 231HP on regular gas and 240HP on premium. Tow package consists of the trailer hitch and 4 pin wire harness, trailer sway control, bigger radiator and trans oil cooler.
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Old 03-17-2013, 02:51 PM   #8
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The C-Max will not tow. Not enough HP. And not rated for towing from what I can find. Don't know if I would even buy a vehicle with a CVT trans, have test driven a few and was not impressed with CVT trans in any of the vehicles I have driven.
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Old 03-17-2013, 02:52 PM   #9
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We looked at the Escape and hybrid C-Max yesterday. We liked them both but were particularly interested in the C-Max. The electric motor provides a lot of low speed torque, potentially a nice balanve to the 4 cylinder engine. I will say the CTV transmission scares me in the CMax.

Does anyone tow with a CVT?
My Escape has an eCVT. It is an amazingly simple device. It is basically a planetary gearset with two electric motor / generators. No belts, no pulleys, no friction wheels. The same principle is used in the Prius eCVT.

Toyota Prius - Power Split Device
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Old 03-17-2013, 03:07 PM   #10
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Generally Ford hybrids use the transmission system which Tom described; it is used by all Toyota hybrids. It is entirely different from an actual variable mechanical transmission (such as the belt and toroidal rotor designs used by Subaru, Nissan, and others), but related to the "Two Mode" hybrid design used by GM, Mercedes, BMW, and whoever else participated in that development program.

According to Ford.ca:
Quote:
Class II Trailer Tow Package (SE, SEL, Titanium)
Class II Trailer Tow Package:
Class II hitch receiver
Trailer Sway Control
Requires 2.0L EcoBoost I-4 engine
Power liftgate replaces hands-free liftgate on vehicles equipped with Class II Trailer Tow package
I guess the hitch (or perhaps hanging equipment such as cables and chains) gets in the way of the hands-free liftgate sensor.

The EcoBoost 2.0L is optional on the SE. The hybrid is gone from the Escape.
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Old 03-17-2013, 03:19 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Rick Mooyman View Post
The C-Max will not tow. Not enough HP. And not rated for towing from what I can find. Don't know if I would even buy a vehicle with a CVT trans, have test driven a few and was not impressed with CVT trans in any of the vehicles I have driven.
I have yet to see a C-MAX here. Like all Fords of about this size, it is built on the same platform, generally referred to as the Focus platform, although some variations (such as the Transit Connect) have few parts actually interchangeable.

The C-MAX has as much power as a full-size sedan of the 1970's. It certainly has enough power to tow, and has just as large an engine as Rick's Escape; however, it probably is not designed with the engine and transmission cooling capacity, and rear suspension load capacity and stiffness, to be suitable for towing. The specs web page doesn't even have a "Towing" tab the way the Escape does. The situation for the mechanically related current Transit Connect is similar, even though it is intended as a light commercial vehicle.

It's too bad - quasi-offroad styled station wagons (called "SUV" or "crossover") make less sense as practical tow vehicles than straightforward station wagons like the C-MAX (or the Transit Connect).

I have only driven one CVT - a Nissan - and it behaved very well. I would certainly prefer it to the VW I drove with a DSG (automated gear transmission), which was a disappointment.
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Old 03-17-2013, 03:26 PM   #12
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Actually the CMax has a lot of horsepower when you consider the combination of gas and electric motor. As to it's tow rating I'm not so interested in rating but capability, at least from a possibility standpoint.

I know it has more combined horsepower than my tow vehicle and probably more useable torque.

The reality is these maximum power ratings are rarely needed and rarely used. My Honda's peak horsepower and peak torque occure at realitively high engine speeds, yet it's worked very well as a tow vehicle.. In the old days you could always find an engine power curve, not so much today. I've always wondered how well the low speed torque of the electric motor would mate with a gas engine.

Thanks for the tip on the CVT transmission. I'll have to read about that configuation.
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Old 03-17-2013, 03:36 PM   #13
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.........I've always wondered how well the low speed torque of the electric motor would mate with a gas engine.........
On my Escape it is a nice combination. The Escape actually uses an Atkinson cycle engine, which provides higher fuel economy than an Otto cycle engine, but has less low speed torque. The electric engine provides full torque at zero RPM and up.

Product Press Info | Ford Motor Company Newsroom


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Viewed by itself, the Atkinson cycle engine in the Escape Hybrid is about 4 percent more efficient than the nearly identical conventional 2.3-liter engine in the base Escape model. Why then is the Atkinson cycle not more widely used in conventional vehicles? Its main disadvantage is reduced torque, particularly at low engine speeds. The Escape Hybrid supplements the gasoline engine with an electric traction motor to provide low speed torque and a satisfying launch feel.
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Old 03-18-2013, 06:23 AM   #14
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Ok so I guess by all the comments, I will be the only on towing this summer with a 2013 Ford Escape on this website. First time I have been first in a long time.
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Old 03-18-2013, 07:10 AM   #15
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Ok so I guess by all the comments, I will be the only on towing this summer with a 2013 Ford Escape on this website. First time I have been first in a long time.
Wear it like a badge of honor, you are now THE expert.

And thanks for making my pension check cash.
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Old 03-18-2013, 07:29 AM   #16
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There is always a first time!!
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Old 03-18-2013, 03:34 PM   #17
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Tom,

Do use your Escape Hybrid to tow? If so what kind of performance do you get?

Thank you Norm
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Old 03-18-2013, 03:43 PM   #18
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Tom,

Do use your Escape Hybrid to tow? If so what kind of performance do you get?

Thank you Norm
Norm, I'm a flatlander, so I can't speak to mountain towing. Driving at 55 - 60mph, I was getting 22 - 25 MPG towing (with canoe). Acceleration is about the same as the V6. Of course that wouldn't hold true up a long mountain grade, but for passing , merging, etc it is reasonably peppy.
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Old 03-18-2013, 04:39 PM   #19
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This is interesting; I'm enjoying reading the discussion. Gotta say I love my Mazda Tribute (Escape's cousin). I'm not up on the latest models but I can speak for the durability of mine. 2001, v6 (based on the Taurus v6), w/Class IV hitch. I've hauled the kids and pulled various trailers over the years. Used both as a commuter and on long road trips. I just got back from a long trip last week with it and our camper. It's got over 200k miles on it and still going strong.

Gotta say I'm impressed by the durability of it. It's done everything I've asked it to do over the years. I plan to keep riding it till it drops. If the wife gets her way, we'll be hitching up the camper and driving from Ga to Mount Rushmore sometime this year.
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Old 03-18-2013, 05:12 PM   #20
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Sean,

We're forever asked our favorite place and Ginny consistantly responds Mount Rushmore. i recall the evening program was very good.

Safe Travels
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