By Kyle Patrick Jul 28, 2020 Photos by Kyle Patrick
Here in a post-Bronco world, Ford’s Escape now makes more sense.
FAST FACTS
Engine: 2.0L I4 Turbo
Output: 250 hp, 280 lb-ft
Transmission: 8-speed AT, AWD
US fuel economy (MPG): 23/31/26
CAN fuel economy (L/100KM): 10.4/7.5/9.1
Starting Price (USD): $26,130 (inc. dest)
As-Tested Price (USD): $40,070 (inc. dest.)
Starting Price (CAD): $30,549 (inc. dest.)
As-Tested Price (CAD): $44,949 (inc. dest.)
When I drove the smaller-engined version of the Blue Oval’s bread and butter earlier this year, I knew the Bronco Sport was coming. But now that it has form, sharing the Escape’s engine lineup in a smaller—but no more affordable—package, the Bronco Sport has given the Escape purpose. The Escape is for the folks that want a family car, without having to call it a car, from the company that doesn’t build family cars anymore.
More power please
Selecting the highfalutin Titanium trim nets buyers the otherwise optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine as standard. I’m a big fan of the base triple-pot, and my first initial prods of the Titanium’s right pedal don’t immediately convince me the extra cylinder’s worth it. It’s the flatter power curve’s linear power delivery masking how much extra muscle this four-pot is packing: it’s deceptively quick. Put it up against a stop-watch and the difference becomes clearer. 250 horsepower makes the Escape one of the quickest in its class, helped even more by a stout 280 lb-ft. You’ll be the first crossover out of soccer practice, for sure.
The four-cylinder Escape rides with the same smooth character as the three-pot. It’s not sporting, but responds quickly and accurately to inputs. The lighter and stiffer platform swallows up bumps without sending much noise to the cabin, nor jiggling the folks within.
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The larger-engined model uses the same eight-speed automatic as other Escapes, while also featuring wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The tiny plastic paddles don’t offer much tactile delight, but they’re effective for forcing engine braking on downhill sections. Otherwise, leaving the transmission to its own logic results in almost zero cog-hunting thanks to the extra power of the engine. You can always slip the Escape into Sport mode if you want the ‘box to hold onto extra revs, though it feels about as natural as your grandma wearing Nike high tops.
Perhaps most surprising to me is the Escape’s start-stop system; specifically, how low-key it is. When the engine awakes from its brief siesta, I barely notice.
The penalty at the pumps for the extra power is minimal. Over our week together the Escape managed 29 mpg combined, an improvement on the EPA-quoted 26 mpg average. For comparison, the 1.5-liter pulled off 32.6 mpg during a week of similar AutoGuide use.
Tons of Titanium tech
Thanks to its position at the top of the trim pile, the Titanium comes chock-full of useful tech. Clocking the all-digital instrument panel is an early positive. Crisp graphics make it easy to read, and its configurable nature allows a driver to easily tailor the available info to their liking. An optional head-up display is also present on my tester. Normally I’m a fan of HUDs, but the dedicated glass panel in the Escape is more distracting than the usual direct windshield projection, at least to my eyes. Your mileage may vary.
Being a family vehicle, the Escape Titanium comes with a bevy of standard safety features. Many of them, including automated emergency braking, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and auto high beams, are standard on every Escape. The Titanium trim adds adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability as well as voice-activated navigation. The system works well, keeping the Escape within its lane without the ping-ponging evident in other setups out there.
An 8.0-inch central touchscreen uses Ford’s reliable SYNC3 system. It’s a little pokey on initial startup but quick to respond afterwards. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both supported, via USB-C or USB-A. Unfortunately the plugs are only in the front row, limiting charging abilities for those in back.
Near the end of a weekend cottage trip, the system simply refused to acknowledge the presence of my iPhone via CarPlay, however. I unplugged it, restarted the phone, turned the car off and on, and never did solve it. The following morning it worked perfectly. Technology, man.
FordPass Connect is also standard, supplying a WiFi hotspot with up to 10 connections. It also allows you to check up on the car via a dedicated app, as well as lock or start it remotely. A 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is also standard.
Ample space for people and their things
Ford has stretched the Escape to be longer, lower and wider than the last model. Combine the increased dimensions with a car-on-stilts stance and it’s both easy to get into and suitably roomy. Ford quotes 40 inches of headroom in front and marginally less in the second row. Meanwhile, front legroom is a 42.4 inches; more than the HondaCR-V (41.3 in) and ToyotaRAV4 (41.0 in), but less than the SubaruForester and upcoming 2021 NissanRogue (both 43.3 in).
Move to the back row and legroom is still ample for adults. What’s more, the row slides and reclines. This allows for a greater range of comfort for passengers, or for maximizing trunk space. Even with the seat slid forward, the Escape’s maximum 37.5 cubic feet of storage can’t match the CR-V’s 39.2. Blame the curvy tailgate for the Escape’s comparative lack of storage space. In truth, unless you’re regularly cramming it full of supplies, you won’t notice. The load floor is nice and low and the hatch opening is wide—though I’d like if it curved less aggressively at the bottom.
Drop the rear seats and you’ve got 65.4 cubes to play with. More likely to want to haul things outside of the Escape? The 2.0-liter is your tool of choice: when properly equipped, the all-wheel drive model will tow up to 3,500 lb (1,587 kg). That’s usefully more than nearly anything else in the class; only the Chevrolet Equinox and Jeep Cherokee out-tow it.
Chintzy interior details
My biggest gripe with the Escape’s interior isn’t the amount of space, but the quality of it. The dimpled door panels of the base model remain here, huge swaths of brittle-feeling black plastic that don’t feel appropriate on a range-topper. The lower center console around the cupholders feels similarly cheap, with only the silver-painted trim around the rotary gear selector breaking up all the black. The wood trim does its best to lift the ambiance, but I’d highly recommend selecting the Sandstone interior color option.
The leather seats are comfortable and widely adjustable, but don’t offer ventilation, only heating. (Neither heating nor cooling are available for second-row passengers as well.)
As mentioned earlier, there are no USB ports in the second row. Ford will be adding two more later in the year, but it feels like an oversight in a new-for-2020 model. At least the large panoramic glass roof—part of the Titanium Premium Package—lets a lot of light in back there.
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Verdict: 2020 Ford Escape Titanium Review
My loaded tester rings in at $40,070 including destination (or $44,949 in Canada): the only options are paint ($395 / $450) and the Premium Package ($2,100 / $2,350) That’s a lot of money for a model that doesn’t comprehensively out-point the competition. The MazdaCX-5 is similarly pricey, but the better drive. The CR-V offers more space; the RAV4, more off-road looks—and, in TRD Off-Road trim, chops to back that up.
The Escape is the most car-like, however. That may seem like a drawback in SUV-crazy 2020, but on the flip-side, it’s what I believe many buyers truly want from their high-riders. The Escape offers the easy maneuverability and accessible power of a mid-size sedan with the higher-up seating position and added versatility of a modern SUV. Cheap plastics aside, it covers the vast Venn diagram of the compact crossover segment well, appealing to most users’ needs.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
