We did. We researched the Titanium Escape and test drove one with the 2.0 L Ecoboost engine and 4WD. It was loaded and had an MSRP of nearly $39,000.
The instrument panel and display was more cluttered on the Escape than on the MKC. There is no comparison in the ride between the two vehicles in that the MKC is much smoother both in terms of ride and handling. While we were not initially sold on the idea of a push button automatic transmission on the MKC, the small stick crammed into the center console of the Escape looked to be the product of poor planning. We're also glad that we got the 2.3 L engine as the performance of the engine matches our MKC better than the 2.0 L engine that worked well in the Escape.
Even at the high end, the interior of the Escape did not compare with the Select MKC that we had originally test drove, and with the Reserve that we purchased. The exterior styling is clearly superior with the MKC over the Escape although I'm not as big a fan of the front grill as my wife.
The Escape is a very popular vehicle but there's no real comparison to the MKC. You're getting a lot more vehicle for the additional costs and that differential is not that great between the high end Escapes and MKC's with similar features. Once you've driven both vehicles, it's should be abundantly clear - the MKC is not an Escape with a Lincoln badge.
