The 2004 Ford Escape Is Not What You Think: RCR Race To the Bottom

Welcome to Race to the Bottom, the latest Regular Car Reviews series! This week, Roman continues his search for the worst car of all-time with an RCR first: the 2004 Ford Escape! This is the SUV that Ford refused to call a Crossover, from a period where they were still knee deep in their partnership with Mazda. But is this an all-time bad example of poor automotive engineering? Or is the bad press surrounding this car over-exaggerated? Could this actually be a sleeper hit? Join us for a test drive and an in-depth critique, as Regular Car Reviews takes on the 2004 Ford Escape in an all-new Race to the Bottom! 00:00 Intro 02:10 I Don't Trust Ford 04:09 The Appeal of the Unappealing 05:07 Engine Talk and Build Critique 10:26 Guessing the Price 12:39 Transmission Problems, Recalls, Dangers 15:18 Where Is the Water Pump? 17:37 More Recalls and Failure Points 19:26 This Is Not A 4x4 21:30 What Is This Car? 22:40 In Defense of the Ford Escape 23:49 The Ford/Mazda Partnership 25:00 Can I Recommend This? 26:35 Test Drive 32:42 Surprised By the Escape 34:37 I've Wasted My Life 39:02 Final Thoughts and Ranking Videos mentioned in this review: Crazy Taxi In Real Life (Plus RCR Car Meet Details): https://youtu.be/Kp878ctQoo8 The Complete History of the Corvette: https://youtu.be/RfqUaTLICKI Why I'm Selling My Mustang: https://youtu.be/JwqG-ru8FlU 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo (Regular Car Reviews): https://youtu.be/dcBQWNHLql0 Keywords: 2004 Ford Escape, 2004 Ford Escape review, ford escape, ford, escape, regular car reviews, rcr, regular cars, race to the bottom, mazda, mazda tribute, used cars, cars, car reviews, compact SUV, crossover, crossover SUV, SUV, road test, test drive, driving, rcr reviews, best car reviews, automotive, used car reviews, 2000s cars, cheap cars

Added 5 Jun 2026