Rent Ford Escape 2021 in Dubai

For a renter who wants an SUV in Dubai without paying SUV money, the Ford Escape 2021 is one of the easiest calls on our fleet. We deliver it to your door in one to two hours and rent from age 18, where most desks make you wait until 21, and the case for the Escape is straightforward value: a real five-seat crossover with a big boot and a turbo automatic, at a price closer to a hatchback than a premium SUV. The 2021 car is the current-shape Escape, roomier and better to drive than the boxy model it replaced. Our honest take is that this is the SUV for a couple or a small family who want space, a high seating position and a usable load area for the week, and who'd rather spend the difference on the holiday than on the badge.

Space and boot, the reason to size up from a hatch

The whole point of stepping up to the Escape is room, and it delivers. Two adults up front have plenty of space, and the back seat is genuinely comfortable for adults rather than just kids. Where it really pulls ahead of a small car is the boot. There's around 1,075 litres behind the rear seats, which swallows the weekly shop, a couple of large suitcases, and the soft bags that come with a family trip. Drop the rear seats and that opens up past 1,800 litres for the airport run with a full set of luggage or a bulky purchase from the mall. For a family of four packing for a week here, the Escape doesn't make you choose what to leave behind.

The engine and how often you'll fill up

Under the bonnet is Ford's 1.5-litre EcoBoost turbo petrol making 181 hp, paired with an eight-speed automatic driving the front wheels. A small turbo engine in a midsize SUV sounds like it might struggle, but it doesn't. There's a solid wave of low-down pull that makes the Escape feel brisk away from the lights and confident overtaking on Sheikh Zayed Road. The reward for the small engine is at the pump. It's an efficient SUV, so the tank stretches across several days of city driving and an airport run or two without you watching the gauge. That efficiency is a real part of the value here, since a thirstier SUV eats into whatever you saved on the rental.

Spec at a glance

Parking, ramps and Dubai roads

At about 4.6 metres long the Escape is an easy size to live with. It's big enough to feel like a proper SUV but compact enough that tight multi-storey bays, the steep Marina ramps and mall car parks don't become a battle. The high seating position helps you judge the corners, and the reversing camera handles the rest. Ground clearance of around 178 mm comfortably clears Dubai's speed bumps and the lips at mall entrances, so you're not creeping over every hump. On the open road it sits at 120 on the E11 without fuss. It's front-wheel drive, so treat it as a road car: great for the city, the highway and airport runs, but not a vehicle for soft sand. For the dunes you'd want a proper 4x4.

Keeping cool in the heat

A parked Escape gets fiercely hot through the Dubai summer, so the question is how fast it recovers, and the answer is reassuringly quick. The climate system pulls the cabin temperature down fast once you're moving, the front vents are strong, and there are rear vents so passengers in the back aren't left to suffer. The cabin is a sensible size, which helps it cool evenly rather than leaving a hot patch in the second row. Give it a minute with the doors shut after pickup and it's comfortable, which is exactly what you want when you collect the car at midday in July.

The costs that fall to you

A couple of Dubai basics before you set off. Salik tolls are charged to the renter as you pass the gantries, and any RTA fines during the rental are passed on to you. Seat belts are mandatory in all seats, and a child seat is required by law for children under four, which we can fit on request. None of this is unusual for Dubai, just worth knowing in advance.

Who should rent it, and who shouldn't

Rent the Escape 2021 if you want the most sensible value SUV for a Dubai week: a roomy, easy-driving crossover with a big boot and a frugal engine, ideal for a couple or a family of four who care more about space and running cost than image. If you need seven seats, look at a larger SUV or an MPV instead. And if a premium cabin and badge are the point of the trip, the Escape is honest, hard-wearing transport rather than a luxury statement, so spend up to an Audi or a Range Rover for that. For everyone chasing space and value, this is the smart pick.