17.05.12

Now Ford plans to upset the apple cart with a complete ground-up redesign of the Escape that improves power and fuel economy.

Ford unveiled the new Escape at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday.

Some shoppers might be turned off by the new look, but other buyers may be attracted by fresh design and the car's features, said Jesse Toprak , an analyst with auto information company TrueCar.com.

"It is certainly a leap," Toprak said, "but I believe Ford is trying to be more like Hyundai in terms of design and styling with new models. They want to be more aggressive and to stand out among crowded product choices that consumers already have."

He said the new model would still have the "one-size-fits-all proposition" that has made the current Escape so popular.

Jason Sprawka, who manages marketing of the Escape at Ford, said Ford is hoping the new design will catch the attention of the millennial generation — the children of baby boomers who might not have grown up in a household that ever owned a Ford. And while the new styling might skew the Escape toward female buyers, he said the new model will still have the same towing capability and even more cargo space — features that tend to attract men.

Source: Christian Science Monitor