Focus groups and brainstorming sessions are valuable, but sometimes great ideas come out of real-world problems.
Zulf Ali, a senior interior designer at Ford, got one when he couldn’t find room to store his phone, wallet, and sunglasses when he drove his wife’s 2014 Escape. Frustrated with the lack of space, he set about giving the 2017 Escape more of it.
The emergency brake handle took up a lot of valuable so-called “Manhattan real estate” in the center console area, so Ali had it replaced with a smaller e-brake button. That allowed Ali and his crew to move the shifter back. That not only freed up a spot for a media bin and power ports, but allowed for more comfortable positioning of the driver’s right arm while driving.
In front of and behind the relocated shifter are more bins designed to fit everyday items such as phones, keys, and wallets. The center console is a little wider than it was before and has cup holders that can fit a wider variety of bottles (perhaps the new Fusion served as a helpful example of how to design them). The front storage area allows access to a lighted USB port and 12-volt outlet. There’s another USB port in the main bin, which is now 50 percent bigger than it was in the outgoing Escape.
A cargo net on the passenger side can fit more stuff in it. On top of all that, the glovebox has been redesigned to make it easier to store and access gear.
Thanks to all of these changes, the 2017 Ford Escape has 25 percent more front-row storage space and 15 percent more overall storage capacity than the model it replaces.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
