Interesting....I just checked my 2007 Escape brochure (oldest one I have) and the XLT Sport and the Limited both have the external keypad standard. No idea when they made this standard, though.

But actually, if the OP is looking for a 4 cyl Escape, the Limiteds were all V6's anyway until 2009 (or was it 2008?) And the XLT Sport was probably V6 only as well.

George