Stupid Subaru

[MendoDave]

I see. According to this, it will tow up to 3,500 lbs.

http://www.ford.com/suvs/escape/specifications/towing/

I probably never tow more than 2,000 in my car.

[Scooter Montgomery]

VW Jetta Wagon . . .

I agree!

[duccarlos]

I see. According to this, it will tow up to 3,500 lbs.

http://www.ford.com/suvs/escape/specifications/towing/

I probably never tow more than 2,000 in my car.

Yep, it's very impressive for a 4 cylinder. Ford has definitely impressed me with their models of the last 5 years.

[ducpainter]

The 1.6 is pretty peppy for it's size. No turbo lag at all and great fuel economy.

[ducatiz]

Now the Golf Wagen

I agree!

[MendoDave]

The 1.6 is pretty peppy for it's size. No turbo lag at all and great fuel economy.

I read that it has a little difficulty pulling long up hills. The hp is around 170 or so? That seems a little underpowered, but not terribly underpowered.

[ducpainter]

I read that it has a little difficulty pulling long up hills. The hp is around 170 or so? That seems a little underpowered, but not terribly underpowered.

Pulling what?

Certainly not itself.

[MendoDave]

I guess thats Nor Cal speak for driving up a long hill.

[ducpainter]

I guess thats Nor Cal speak for driving up a long hill.

I realize what you said.

I'm telling you you're misinformed.

[MendoDave]

OK so these are the specs from Ford.

I would need to drive one.

http://www.ford.com/suvs/escape/specifications/engine/

[ducatiz]

I read that it has a little difficulty pulling long up hills. The hp is around 170 or so? That seems a little underpowered, but not terribly underpowered.

170 hp is underpowered??

My wife's 2011 Kia Sorento EX AWD has the 2.4 I4 engine with 175 HP and it is plenty for that size of vehicle for normal use.

We even have a tow bar on it for my bike trailer. 

We drove the v6 version and it simply wasn't a huge difference except for the MPG

My 1971 VW bus had 60 hp.  With a tow bar.

[MendoDave]

170 hp is underpowered??

My wife's 2011 Kia Sorento EX AWD has the 2.4 I4 engine with 175 HP and it is plenty for that size of vehicle for normal use.

We even have a tow bar on it for my bike trailer. 

We drove the v6 version and it simply wasn't a huge difference except for the MPG

My 1971 VW bus had 60 hp.  With a tow bar.

My Ute is 220hp, and I would describe the power as adequate. Sometimes I shift down into 4th going up a grade, and usually shift down a gear or two when making a pass. I feel that it makes enough power to get the job done but it's no muscle car.

The wagon has the same engine & transmission, it goes a little faster, and gets a little better milage, mostly because of the lower profile pushing through the air. The fact that it's just a 2WD probably makes some difference as well, but It feels pretty similar in performance to the ML.

I also have this old SL380 convertible I bought last summer to cruise around in. That engine was rated at 150hp. It's a smooth running V8, and a total boat anchor. It must do 0-60 in 11 or 12 seconds or something. So driving it fast is not an expectation for me. But the performance is definitely inadequate, especially considering the fuel consumption of 16mpg on the freeway. But those were different times and it's not my daily driver.

So to me the in-between rating of 170-180 give or take, seems somewhere in the middle. My mind set is that 250hp is plenty in a car, and I don't own any that make that much.

Maybe the Ford is lighter than my cars, although it looks fairly large. It doesn't look like a compact, nor does it look like a behemoth, but looks squarely midsize. Maybe I'm wrong. I would have to drive one to see if it had enough power or not.

At this point in my life, adequate will do just fine in terms of power.

[hbliam]

170 hp is underpowered??

Yes, yes it is. 

[Popeye the Sailor]

170 hp is underpowered??

It's about right for a bike 

[ducpainter]

170 hp is underpowered??

My wife's 2011 Kia Sorento EX AWD has the 2.4 I4 engine with 175 HP and it is plenty for that size of vehicle for normal use.

We even have a tow bar on it for my bike trailer. 

We drove the v6 version and it simply wasn't a huge difference except for the MPG

My 1971 VW bus had 60 hp.  With a tow bar.

I don't think so either 'Tiz.

It's no race car, not slow by any means either, but it does everything we need for a family style small SUV.

Gets great mileage, plenty of interior space, and goes well in the snow.