[kingofheartsx44]

Hi All!

Let me first start out by saying that I really like where the in-car technology is going. My wife has a 2017 Ford Escape Titanium 2.0 AWD and I've been getting a little jealous. I have typically driven smaller sedans (4-door Focus Titanium), but have recently become interested in a larger family vehicle that would be good for road trips. I would jump right in and get an Escape, but the MKC has a sportier feel to it and makes for a quieter, more comfortable ride. I was able to test drive the MKC in 2.0L FWD and 2.3L AWD varieties, but I thought that the Escape felt faster -- even against the 2.3L MKC. I'm really torn between the two vehicles. To throw a wrench in there, I know that the 2018 MKC is getting some design alterations that may improve upon features and interior space. Here are some pro's and cons I've come up with:

Escape Pros:

• better gas mileage
• seemless gear shifting
• more room in the back seat
• more cargo space
• great acceleration
• costs a lot less

Escape Cons:

• only 3yr/36k mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
• feels a little bouncy sometimes
• no navigation turn-by-turn in instrument cluster
• torque steer

MKC Pros:

• quieter ride
• better sound system (even better with quieter interior)
• sportier feel/better handling
• 4yr/50k mile bumper-to-bumper warranty

MKC Cons:

• 2.3L AWD acceleration felt lacking, even in sport mode
• transmission has noticeable delay in between shifting gears
• technology package falls short of Ford Escape equivalent
• cramped rear interior

I think the acceleration and shifting are my biggest concerns. The 2.0L FWD MKC seemed snappier than the 2.3L AWD. The Escape 2.0L AWD feels snappier to me than either of the 2 MKCs, and the shifting on the Escape is barely noticeable. I'm wondering if it's just because the MKC hasn't had a chance to learn my driving style, or if this is just the way it drives.

From those who own a '17 model MKC, did you find that the acceleration and/or gear shifting improves after driving the car for a short while?
Word from the rumor mill is that the 2018 redesign will also improve interior space. Has anybody else heard of this?
Lastly, I'm looking forward to more driver assist improvements (Enhanced park assist, adaptive cruise control w/ stop & go, active braking, etc.). Is it likely that the 2018 model will adopt the newer and better versions of these features? Current model year technology package has some shortcomings compared to the 2017 Escape.

Thanks in advance. Any light that can be shed on any of these items would be very helpful.

 

[blankster]

Our MKC 2.3 AWD Reserve shifts like butter and has plenty of power (lots of torque). The powertrains will smooth out over time as the computer adjusts for your driving style. I have ride control with the 20" wheels and the technology package which is very nice. The seats are very comfortable and the leather is of high quality (imported from Scotland). Since both are build at Louisville Assembly, they share a lot of parts, powertrain and dimensions. My Lincoln only dealer experience has been very good far above what I received from a Ford dealer in the past.

 

[blankster]

"I know that the 2018 MKC is getting some design alterations that may improve upon features and interior space."

MKC follows the Escape in terms of refresh/redesign - No major changes are expected until MY 2019 at the earliest. Also confirmed by my dealer - There is also no "retooling" gap scheduled for the plant where they are built prior to the MY 2018 production (starting 8/28) which would indicate minor changes at best.

 

[mrmikesdeuce]

Sounds familiar! I had a '14 Escape Titanium AWD 2.0, and just traded it for a '17 MKC Reserve 2.3. The MKC has more zip than my 2.0 did. You have try 93 octane fuel to realize the full potential of your 2.3. If you go to " Automotive-catalog.com" you can get the complete specs and performance figures on both vehicles. I believe the MKC is about 400 lbs heavier than the Escape, but with the 2.3 motor is about .4 seconds faster in the 1/4 mile. It is also a couple of tehths faster 0-60.

 

[kingofheartsx44]

"I know that the 2018 MKC is getting some design alterations that may improve upon features and interior space."

MKC follows the Escape in terms of refresh/redesign - No major changes are expected until MY 2019 at the earliest. Also confirmed by my dealer - There is also no "retooling" gap scheduled for the plant where they are built prior to the MY 2018 production (starting 8/28) which would indicate minor changes at best.

I was thinking that the mid-year refresh would happen in 2019 as well, but the I mentioned my concern to my dealer when I took the MKC for a test drive. The rep said they were told that the grill design would be updated on the '18s to match the rest of the Lincoln lineup, but otherwise didn't know any other specifics.

I'm a little hung up on the adaptive cruise control and active park assist. The Escape has the enhanced park assist and the adaptive cruise control comes with pre-collision assist. The MKC is behind on both of these features in the 2017 model. I would be really disappointed if the 2018 model didn't update these features, or potentially add stop & go. I'm leaning towards the Escape for the moment and that Lightning Blue paint is really slick. Those driver assist updates would tip the scales back towards the MKC for me, especially due to price between a fully-loaded MKC Reserve and Escape Titanium. Otherwise, Lightning Blue may not be available for the 2018 Escape.

 

[MKC4ME]

I came from 13+ years of driving Toyotas looking for more of a luxury vehicle that I could acquire from an in-town dealership, resulting in my selection of the MKC. From what I could see, all of the technology options available on the Escape were available on the MKC, and some were available first or only on the MKC. The big difference is the packaging of the options and some of the terminology.

I'm not sure what you mean by "enhanced" park assist but my MKC has "active" park assist which works for parallel parking (but no longer perpendicular parking). I haven't really got the hang of using it because it involves automatic steering and manual forward/reverse operation. I tend to find that the vehicle is turning in much closer to the vehicle in front than I would feel comfortable doing and the tendency is to stop the operation which then means I have to finish it manually. It has active and fixed guidelines with the rear view camera for reverse perpendicular parking.

The adaptive cruise control works great, and I've found that if a slower vehicle pulls in front the MKC applies some braking and slows down more quickly than I could react myself. I feel though that there could be a false sense of security created because if you are driving without the adaptive cruise control on, it's not going to slow down automatically but will pre-charge the brake system. The blind spot information system and cross traffic alert are very desirable features and I miss them on my vehicles that don't have them.

My MKC also has the auto-stop/start feature and I have gotten used to it though I would be inclined to turn it off in stop and go driving on a major highway, and use the auto-hold feature instead. Although some drivers prefer the performance of the 2.3 L engine, I am finding the 2.0 L engine to be quite adequate, and comparable to other offerings in this class of vehicle (ie Lexus NX200T).

Good luck with your choice!