Cyclotricity Stealth review – CNET

The Good The Cyclotiricity Stealth’s powerful motor turns a country ride into an exhilarating race and its suspension forks make for a comfortable journey.

The Bad The motor has to be limited to be legal for use on the road, at least in the UK. The brakes and gears need improvement and the battery doesn’t last long at full pelt.

The Bottom Line If you want a bike for an extreme adventure rather than a city commute, the Stealth’s high-powered motor and burly suspension makes it a hell of a lot of fun on hillside tracks.

The Cyclotricity Stealth is for the adrenaline junkies among you.

It’s a mountain bike at its heart, complete with 26-inch wheels and springy front suspension that easily absorbs stones on rough off-road surfaces. It looks every bit as aggressive as you’d want a serious off-road mountain bike to look. Made in Britain, it costs £1,295 from the company’s website, which roughly converts to around $1,720 or AU$2,260. Cyclotricity ships around the world.

In the rear wheel is the electric motor, which provides a massive 1,000 watts of power. That’s enough to propel you to 30 mph (48 kph) which, I can assure you, is an exhilarating speed when you’re belting down gravel trails.

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Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The motor can provide assistance to your pedalling, but there’s a throttle too, which you can push down to ride the e-bike on the motor’s power alone. You can use it if you’re feeling lazy, but I found it immense fun to tear around hills purely powered by the throttle — it turns mountain biking into something approaching motorcross. The Stealth is comfortable to ride on- or off-road, and even without motor assistance it’s not difficult to get up to speed.

Withings Body Cardio Scale review – CNET

The Good The Body Cardio can measure weight, BMI, body fat and body water percentage, bone mass, muscle mass, standing heart rate and arterial stiffness. Sleek design, long battery life, works on hard floors and carpets.

The Bad Expensive. Its chief selling point is cryptic, and the “arterial stiffness” measurement doesn’t always work.

The Bottom Line The Body Cardio provides a new way for measuring heart health, but it’s not worth the time or money over a simpler connected scale.

Visit manufacturer site for details.

The Withings Body Cardio isn’t your typical smart scale. While it can measure weight and sync its data online like Withings’ other scales, this new version’s selling point is being able to measure cardiovascular health. This is the first scale that can measure Pulse Wave Velocity, a term I wasn’t even aware of before. It’s a measurement used to determine arterial stiffness and is said to be a key indicator of heart health.

In addition to this new metric, the Body Cardio can also measure weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat percentage, total body water percentage, muscle mass, bone mass and standing heart rate. And since it’s a smart scale, there’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to automatically upload your information to the Withings HealthMate app on Android and iOS.

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All of this sounds appealing, until you you consider the $180 (£140, AU$290) price tag, which makes the Body Cardio one of the most expensive consumer scales on the market. After using it for close to a month, I wasn’t sold on its value.

The scale failed to measure my Pulse Wave Velocity on numerous occasions, and even when it worked, I still found it hard to decipher what its value was to my everyday health. I recommend the more affordable Withings Body smart scale for $130 (£100). It’s essentially the Body Cardio, but without the standing heart rate data and the finicky Pulse Wave Velocity measurement. Trust me, you won’t miss them.

What is Pulse Wave Velocity?

Pulse Wave Velocity is used in clinical tests, research labs and some hospitals. My personal cardiologist and three others I called in New York City didn’t measure it, but studies have found it to be a reliable measurement for heart health.

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James Martin/CNET

To determine your Pulse Wave Velocity, the scale is equipped with special sensors that are said to be able to determine the exact moment when blood is ejected from the aorta and when it reaches blood vessels in the feet. The time between the two is then compared to your height (which you provide during the initial setup of the scale) to determine your Pulse Wave Velocity, a number that is measured in meters per second. If your eyes glazed over during that explanation, you’re not alone.

The entire process of measuring this and all other metrics takes about 30 seconds from start to finish. Unfortunately, it didn’t always work. About one out of every five times I received an error that stated the scale was unable to measure my Pulse Wave Velocity, but I didn’t know this until I opened the app on my phone. That’s because the small display on the scale only shows weight, BMI, bone mass, muscle mass, standing heart rate and a timeline of past weigh ins. It doesn’t actually show the Pulse Wave Velocity measurement.

2016 Volkswagen Golf TSI S review – Roadshow

The Good Its styling won’t age quickly and butcher resale value, its infotainment loadout is impressive on lower trims and its hatchback layout provides ample rear-seat and cargo space.

The Bad Its five-speed manual is old and seemingly fragile, and its fuel economy isn’t exactly all that and a bag of chips.

The Bottom Line For those that prefer to fly under the radar, the 2016 Volkswagen Golf’s practicality is sure to charm.

For those who err on the side of caution, the Volkswagen Golf has always been a pillar of sensible vehicle ownership. Not everybody needs to be flashy. Most people just want a car that doesn’t look bad, has competitive equipment and won’t be worth $1,000 in six months’ time. In that sense, the Golf is a damn smart purchase.

Two-door cars aren’t the most sensible vehicles, and Volkswagen does offer a four-door Golf variant, but this Golf I tested made up for its lack of doors with a rear hatchback, providing more than enough space for both cargo and rear passengers. Most competitors don’t even offer coupe variants of their vehicles, nevertheless hatchbacks, and especially not two-door hatchbacks (VW doesn’t call this a three-door, for whatever reason). The only one that comes to mind is Mini.

So if you are looking for a small hatchback, options are limited. Thankfully, the Golf won’t really leave you wanting for more. It’s not loaded with standout equipment, but based on what you get for the price you pay, it’s a solid bet.

Straightforward and easy on the eyes

If you’ve seen one Golf, you’ve seen them all. It doesn’t matter if it’s an old one or a new one, the formula hasn’t really changed in decades, and neither has the design language. There’s no flash here, like there is on a Civic Coupe. It’s restrained, it’s approachable.

You won’t be breakin’ necks in this car, that’s for sure.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

Volkswagen’s conservative design is largely a good thing, as cars with fantastical elements and sharp creases from fore to aft don’t age well, which can affect resale value. The Golf doesn’t have that problem.

The Golf maximizes the feeling of usable space by keeping the dash nice and thin, too. I don’t like excess dashboard real estate — if I can’t reach the area where dashboard and windshield meet, that’s interior space wasted.

Overall interior layout is ace. HVAC and seat-heater switches live in one area, and the touchscreen infotainment system and its corresponding buttons and dials (hooray!) live above that. I found it easy to commit everything to muscle memory in a short time.

A monochrome information display tucks in between the straightforward black and white gauges, which you peruse with the help of buttons on the steering wheel.

The cloth seats feel rugged and waxy. Personally, I prefer this kind of material, but other editors have called it out for being a bit too hard. The leather-wrapped steering wheel isn’t too chunky, but also not thin enough to belong on a 1994 Buick.

While I usually associate coupes with cramped rear seats, the Golf’s hatchback shape works wonders. My 6-foot frame fit easily in the back, with loads of headroom and a front seat with a built-in handle for quick ingress and egress. It also benefits cargo volume, and with the rear seats stowed flat, I wasn’t exactly hurting for storage space.

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Tech: Pretty fly for a car this cheap

Infotainment is slowly expanding beyond the head unit and incorporating smartphones, and it’s encouraging to see Volkswagen at the forefront of this trend. Even on the next-to-base TSI S model, the Golf comes equipped with a 6.5-inch touchscreen display that includes both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with Volkswagen’s own App-Connect system.

The Golf’s screen contains a proximity sensor, adding more options to the display whenever your hand draws near.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

The infotainment system itself is a breeze to use. Navigation buttons on the side make switching from page to page a low-distraction affair, and it even features a proximity sensor, hiding the icon dock from view until your hand nears the screen. It’s a pretty trick feature on a $20,000 car.

Oddly enough, this is actually the first year that Volkswagen offers a USB port on the Golf. Before this, it relied on a proprietary cable system, which was both expensive and annoying for families with multiple brands of phone. I wish there was more than just the one port in the center stack, but it’s better than nothing.

A backup camera is also standard on this trim level. Its resolution is high, which is an issue with not just competitors, but certain automakers in general.

The information screen between the gauges is absolutely loaded with information. Unlike others, the music tab will actually tell you what song is playing, not just the radio station you’re tuned into. Once I got a feel for the steering wheel buttons, I found it easy to flip between pages without even looking. Much of the Golf’s information can be easily accessed with a minimal amount of distraction.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Games Limited Edition Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

If Olympic fever is upon you, then pay close attention. Samsung is selling its splashily colorful, Games-inspired phone starting July 18 for a sum we still don’t know. It’s a bummer not to have a price yet to pair with the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Games Limited Edition, as it’s laboriously known, but at least we’ve now had a chance to see the phone in the flesh.

A variation on the Galaxy S7 Edge, this special-edition handset just happens to be the same one Samsung (as an official Olympics partner) is giving to all 12,500 or so athletes. But the company is whipping up excitement by also making 2,000 of these handsets available in select countries, like the US, Brazil, Germany and South Korea.

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What you get is simple, but fun. Tiny statements of color dress up the black phone and correspond to colors on those iconic Olympic rings — you get blue on the back, a red power button, green volume rocker, and yellow-gold front. Inside, a software theme surprises with lots of green, gold, blue and red tones on common screens (but not for third-party apps.) You’ll also see a small echo of white rings on the lock screen, which you can display on the home screen if you apply some optional wallpaper. Other than all that, the Olympic edition is the same as the regular S7 Edge, hardware composition and all.

The jazzed-up phone comes in a sporty case with thick, sturdy zippers. You’ll find headphones, a SIM card tool and the charger inside, but no surprising goodies like a case or VR games (the phone works with Samsung Gear VR) That’s fine with me, but part of me always hopes for unexpected extras. We don’t know what Samsung will charge, but if the phone winds up costing more for a few color accents, you’d be better off with a regular S7 or S7 Edge.

If you’re itching for an even moodier take on the S7 Edge, check out Samsung’s other summer spinoff, the one I like to refer to as…the Batphone.

In the US, Samsung’s Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Games Limited Edition sells exclusively through Best Buy.

Trianium Atomic S Battery Case for iPhone 6/6S review – CNET

The Good The inexpensive Trianium Atomic S Battery Case has a simple, unfussy design and charges your iPhone in a relatively short time.

The Bad The large opening in the back of the case is no deal breaker, but it does look jarring.

The Bottom Line Affordable and well designed, the Trianium Atomic S Battery Case is the top iPhone battery case for its price range.

With its built-in 3,100mAh battery and hard, matte exterior, Trianium’s Atomic S Battery Case conveniently charges your iPhone 6 (or 6S) and shields it from everyday bumps and drops. Retailing for $79.95 (or about £60 and AU$105 converted), it falls right in the center of the price spectrum — between Mophie’s $120 Juice Pack Plus (or £110 and AU$170 converted) and Anker’s $40 Ultra Slim Battery Case (or £30 and AU$55 converted).

However, though its price is middle-of-the-pack, its performance isn’t. For instance, it took about 2 hours on average for the case to fully charge the iPhone. This is about the time you’d expect for a full charge. Mophie’s Juice Pack Plus clocked in about 2 hours too, while the Incipio Offgrid Express (another $80 battery case) took notably longer at 2 hours and 35 minutes.

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In addition, when you charge the phone, the case’s indicator lights located on the back eventually blink off while charging (you can still tell it’s juicing your phone though by the lightning bolt battery indicator on the handset’s display). This is better-designed than Anker’s case, which has lights that stay on the whole time while charging, which can be a nuisance in a dim room.

The accessory comes in two parts: the main battery exterior and a bumper that covers the edges of the handset and snaps into the case. Compared with Incipio’s case, which had the same design structure, I had an easier time snapping on and securing this one.

Motorola Moto E3 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Motorola

I recently called Motorola’s new Moto G4 an “unbeatable Android bargain”, and already Motorola is trying to outdo itself with an even cheaper phone — the new Moto E3.

The E3 will sell in the UK for only £99, making it about £70 cheaper than the G4. US and Australian pricing and availability isn’t yet known, but that £99 price converts to roughly $130 and AU$175. We’ll update this article with more pricing information when it’s available.

So it’s extremely cheap, but it doesn’t appear to have made the sacrifices we often see in the budget end of the market. It has a 5-inch, 720p display, a quad-core processor, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel camera on the front.

The E3 runs the recent Android Marshmallow and has a microSD card slot to expand its storage, though Motorola hasn’t said how much it has built in. Best of all though is that it’s water-resistant like the G4. You can’t submerge it in water, but it will happily put up with a spilled drink or two.

I’m yet to see the phone in the flesh, so I’ll reserve my final judgement on this cut-down handset for the full review.

Dacor DYRP36D review – CNET

The Good The $8,999 Dacor DYRP36D’s integrated Android tablet contains useful tools such as guided cooking and explanations of the oven’s dozen baking features.

The Bad The tablet operates on an outdated Android system that has a negative impact on some apps. Its awkward placement on the oven makes it a pain to operate. And the app that lets you control the oven from a smartphone has its own problems, specifically with voice recognition.

The Bottom Line The Dacor DYRP36D’s tablet is an unnecessary addition to an otherwise solid range. Skip this appliance and use your own tablet.

Visit manufacturer site for details.

Good collaborations bring out the best qualities in the parties involved: peanut butter and jelly, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, hip-hop and Alexander Hamilton. When compatible partners merge, it’s hard to imagine one without the other. I wish I could say the same about the $8,999 Dacor DYRP36D, an appliance that combines a high-end oven with an Android tablet for an unsuccessful union of connectivity and cooking.

You can watch YouTube right on this oven.

Chris Monroe/CNET

The Dacor DYRP36D, part of the appliance manufacturer’s Discovery iQ line, is an ambitious dual-fuel range. Its built-in tablet is fully functional, so you can download and access apps right on the range. The tablet also acts as the control panel for the oven, which includes a host of cooking modes and guided programs to help you perfect recipes. The range itself delivers much of what we’ve come to expect from the Dacor brand: sturdy construction and consistent cooking results. And an accompanying smartphone app makes it easy to preheat the oven and set timers over a wireless network.

But unlike the successful pairings I mentioned earlier, Dacor’s creation isn’t greater than the sum of its parts. The tablet brings the DYRP36D down. It uses a locked-in, outdated version of the Android operating system. The tablet also failed to send notifications to my phone as the user manual promised. Voice recognition on the oven’s phone app couldn’t pick up the most basic commands. And unless you just want to pull up a chair and camp out in front of your oven, using the tablet while you’re standing makes for a sore neck. Those are a lot of pain points for an appliance that costs nearly $9,000.

I appreciate Dacor’s aggressive move into the smart kitchen with its Discovery iQ ovens. But just because a company can put a tablet on an oven doesn’t mean it should. Dacor needs to give the DYRP36D and the rest of the Discovery iQ line a makeover that gives as much attention to the appliance’s tech as it does to its cooking prowess. In the meantime, you’re better off buying a range without the smarts and using your own tablet until Dacor creates a smart oven that adds value to the kitchen.

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Tablet gives you a handle on the oven

Let’s give kudos where it’s due: Dacor started incorporating Android tablets into its Discovery IQ ovens back in 2013, which makes the appliance manufacturer one of the forefathers of smart, large kitchen appliances. The inclusion of a tablet in an oven is an inevitable by-product of the smart-kitchen evolution. We’re seeing more connected small appliances that use apps to guide you through recipes. Manufacturers are including hardware like cameras in their appliances to gather more information about the food you cook, along with adding Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and near-field communication (NFC) to make it easier for your appliance to talk to your smartphone or tablet. It makes sense that companies like Dacor would skip the middle man of your own devices and just include a connected device on an appliance.

The boldness of being a trendsetter is apparent in the Dacor DYRP36D’s design and features. Like other ranges from the high-end manufacturer, this 36-inch-wide model is an all-stainless-steel beast. There are six gas burners on the cooktop that are covered with formidable cast-iron continuous grates. The 5.2-cubic-foot electric oven is average in size, but the slick soft-close door is a smart feature that makes peeking in on your food a gentle affair.

The Dacor DYRP36D is a 36-inch wide range with a gas cooktop and electric oven. The Android tablet is located beneath the cooktop.

Chris Monroe/CNET

The centerpiece of the Dacor is the 7-inch tablet, which primarily serves as the control panel for the appliance’s oven. The tablet runs on Android 4.0 (aka Ice Cream Sandwich), a discontinued operating system. Dacor says the range’s hardware doesn’t support updating the operating system, a limitation that is evident when you attempt to download apps that are no longer compatible with that version of Android. This includes Pinterest, which would’ve been a great app to use with the oven.

The oven controls run off of Dacor’s iQ Cooking app, which is preinstalled on the tablet. The interactive touchscreen is easy to figure out, no small feat considering that the oven has a dozen cooking modes, a connected temperature probe and guided instructions for basic recipes. The interface explains the oven’s cooking modes with helpful illustrations and brief explanations or instructions so you know exactly what heating elements are in play. You can also save settings that you use often, so you only have to hit two buttons if you often bake cookies on convection bake mode at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, for example.

Unfortunately, some of those cooking-mode explanations on the tablet are in opposition to the range’s use and care manual. For example, the description for the Pure Convection cooking mode recommends lowering the temperature of a recipe when you use that setting, but the manual advises that you first reduce the cook time when you use this cook mode. These discrepancies might not faze folks who disregard any kind of instructions, but it’s enough to irk cooks who just want to get it right.

The Guided Cooking feature asks you to input information about what you’re cooking, and the oven will automatically determine the best cook settings for the dish.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Dacor’s oven controls also include Guided Cooking, a feature designed to walk you through cooking a dish. You select from a menu of dishes (such as a roasted chicken or rack of lamb), pick your desired internal temperature, enter the weight of your dish, then hit start. From there, the oven sets the temperature and cook time based on the information you entered. Note that the Dacor settings might differ from how you’d prefer to cook a recipe.

For example, I used Guided Cooking to roast a 5.5-pound chicken. During my roast chicken tests, I cook the chicken at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until it reaches an FDA-approved internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. But in Guided Cooking, the oven cooked the chicken at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour and a half. The Guided Cooking chicken ended up being slightly drier than the bird I cooked during my roasting test, but it still made for an enjoyable meal. Guided Cooking is a great addition for newbies who want to eliminate as much guesswork as possible from a recipe. However, more seasoned cooks might not agree with exactly how the oven chooses to prepare your meal.

Apple iPad Mini 2 review – CNET

The Good The iPad Mini 2 has a sharp Retina screen, an ultraportable design, great battery life and it’s the most affordable tablet with access to the iOS App Store. Upgradeable to iOS 10 later this year.

The Bad Android and Amazon tablets — and even Windows laptops — are available for less. Base model includes only 16GB of non-expandable storage. It’s missing the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and split-screen feature found on newer iPads.

The Bottom Line It lacks the features and speed of a cutting-edge iPad, but the Mini 2 is still a solid tablet for basics, especially if you can buy it at a discount.

Apple iPads are synonymous with “tablet” for good reason. Their high-end designs, fast performance, simple operating system and well-stocked App Store make them the go-to choice in the category.

Or, at least, that’s how it was. The growth of tablet sales has slowed considerably in recent years, with the exception of the bargain segment. Small 8-inch Android models like the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 and Samsung Galaxy Tab A can be had for as little as $170, £129 or AU$279, and Amazon has cornered the budget market with its selection of “good enough” Fire tablets that start at prices as low as $50 or £50. (Amazon doesn’t typically sell hardware in Australia, but the US price converts to about AU$70.)

Apple, of course, is all about premium, high-end products. But the company’s answer to bargain shoppers is to keep some of its older products in the line at discounted prices: 2014’s iPad Air 2 and 2013’s iPad Mini 2. The latter model remains the oldest one in the current line — but, with prices starting at $269, £219 and AU$369, also the most affordable.

Despite its age, the iPad Mini 2 still has a lot to offer for buyers who don’t need the latest and greatest model.

Here’s what you need to know.

The Mini 2 is the most affordable iPad model available.

Josh Miller/CNET

The Mini 2 is slower and has fewer bells and whistles than the Mini 4.

If you’re going to get an iPad, why not the latest and greatest? The iPad Mini 4 outshines the Mini 2 with a thinner and lighter design, faster processor, better cameras, and a more vivid screen (resolutions are the same, however). And though the iPad Mini 2 supports picture-in-picture, it doesn’t have the newer features that make the iPad Mini 4 a premium tablet — the TouchID fingerprint sensor and split-screen function (currently limited to the 9.7-inch Air 2, the Mini 4, and iPad Pro).

But Mini 4 is a bad deal compared to the iPad Air 2.

All those shiny features come at a price. The iPad Mini 4 starts at $399, £319, AU$569 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model, $499, £399, AU$699 for the 64GB version, and $599, £479, AU$829, for 128GB. But the larger iPad Air 2 — which is quite a bit faster — costs exactly the same, making it a far better deal.

It’s a little thicker than the newer iPad Mini 4.

Josh Miller/CNET

For basic needs, the iPad Mini 2 does a great job.

Whether it’s web surfing, email, Facebook or casual games, the Mini 2 still has more than enough power to get the job done. And the app selection on the iPad still outpaces what you’ll find on Android and Amazon tablets. The Mini 2 also doubles as a great “universal remote” for smart home products and streaming devices — something that can be left on the coffee table or in the kitchen for the whole family to share, which you wouldn’t want to do with your phone.

Nest Cam Outdoor Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

The Nest Cam Outdoor will be available this fall.

Nest

Nest Cam Outdoor, a $199/£150 outside-only Wi-Fi security camera, is slated to join the smart home brand’s product lineup this fall. International availability is expected to follow soon after.

Complete with a 1080p resolution, livestreaming capabilities, two-way talk, a 130-degree field of view, and night vision, Nest Cam Outdoor shares a lot of specs with the Google/Alphabet property’s existing Nest Cam, now called Nest Cam Indoor.

The team super-sized the power adapter for the outside version, though, so you’ll have roughly 25 feet of extension cord to work with. A magnetic disk is also included with your purchase, so you can create an instant base plate when it makes contact with a gutter or another obliging surface. And since the palm-sized Nest Cam Outdoor has a magnetic backing of its own, outdoor installation sounds really simple. In theory, at least. Of course, if you don’t have something magnetic handy, the team also includes a screw-in base for a more permanent installation.

In other Nest news:

• Same great Nest, now with even better looks
• CEO Tony Fadell announces he’s leaving Nest
• Nest Cam Indoor review
• A new Nest device to Protect what matters most

On the software side of things, Nest Cam Outdoor will be accessible via the same Android and iPhone apps as before. You’ll still have access to Nest Aware (the brand’s opt-in month-to-month subscription service), too — with a few changes. Nest Aware already allows for advanced features like motion and sound alerts, and continuous cloud recording, but it will add a facial-recognition feature called Person alerts with the launch of Nest Cam Outdoor.

While Person alerts won’t be able to distinguish between specific people and strangers like the ArcSoft Simplicam or the Netatmo Welcome, it is supposed to be able to tell the difference between a face and something else, like a passing car. Maxime Veron, Nest’s director of hardware product marketing, said in an interview that the Nest Cam Outdoor might be able to distinguish among more things in the future, too. Veron also confirmed that IFTTT and Works with Nest integrations will be available at launch.

No, this new security camera isn’t a huge departure for the brand. In fact, we’ve been waiting for Nest’s next piece of hardware for quite awhile. Even so, I’m intrigued by Person alerts and look forward to trying it out when Nest Cam Outdoor hits stores this fall.

2017 Ford Escape review – Roadshow

The Good With available Sync 3, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and a superior suite of driver aid features, 2017 Ford Escape blows the competition away where tech is concerned. The new, smaller 1.5-liter Ecoboost engine’s performance is on par with much larger engines from the competition. For 2017, the Escape gains Sync Connect — a 4G/LTE data connection that allows remote features and monitoring.

The Bad The awkward cabin design sinks the touchscreen deep into the dashboard, where it’s hard to reach and see. The 1.5-liter turbocharged engine offers no significant power or economy advantages over the competition’s naturally aspirated 2.5 liters.

The Bottom Line The new engine option is a nice evolution, but only adds a small improvement to the already excellent 2017 Ford Escape. However, seemingly smaller tech changes, like the addition of Sync Connect, Android Auto, CarPlay and a few driver aid features, make a much larger impact.

Major changes to chassis and sheet metal used to signal a new generation of a particular model, but Ford’s 2017 Escape feels like a whole new car with just engine and tech changes. Much of its structure carries over from the previous model year, but redesigns for grille and interior, engine upgrades, driver assistance systems and new connected technology adds up to more than a simple refreshed model.

Let’s start in the engine bay. Last year’s base 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated engine and the 2.0-liter turbocharged Ecoboost engines persist. The larger engine is good for 168 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. The 2.0-liter turbo gets a 5 horsepower boost, to 275, and a 5 pound-feet torque boost, to 245. Those are pretty big numbers for a small SUV, and something to consider if you frequently fill all the seats, carry cargo and pull a trailer.

Pint-size power: New 1.5-L Ecoboost engine

In the middle is the new 1.5-liter Ecoboost option: a tiny, turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission in either front-wheel drive or on-demand all-wheel drive configurations. Even for a small SUV, that’s a pint-size power plant, but with 179 boosted horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, it’s just a tad more powerful than Ford’s and the Toyota RAV-4’s 2.5-liter engines.

Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

You’d think that downsizing the engine would net fuel efficiency gains; and it does…sort of. At 24 combined mpg (22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway) for the all-wheel drive example that I tested, sure, the 1.5-liter Ecoboost the most efficient Escape model in Ford’s the lineup, but only just barely. Mazda’s CX-5, the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V all best it across the board with their naturally-aspirated, 2.5-liter, AWD configurations.

In its favor, the smaller Ecoboost engine is a pretty good powertrain, delivering decent performance around town and on the highway. It’s amazing how, after a few miles behind the wheel, the novelty of the small engine wore off quickly and I was able to just appreciate its solid, lag-free power delivery.

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To help save fuel, Ford implements idle-stop on the new Escape, which shuts down the engine at stop lights. When editor Wayne Cunningham tested the Escape earlier this year, his highest praise for this feature was that he didn’t even register it happening, as the car quietly brought the engine back to life when he lifted a foot from the brake.

Light off-road testing

During an extended, light off-roading session at California’s Hollister State Vehicular Recreation Area, I was also able to appreciate the engine’s ability to smoothly deliver consistent torque and the all-wheel drive system’s eagerness to shuffle power from front to rear to pull the Escape over rough terrain and up some genuinely steep inclines lined with loose sand.

Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

The 7.8-inch ground clearance kept me from scraping the undercarriage over larger bumps, and the independent suspension did a fairly good job handing basic off-road duties; however, the Escape never really felt at home. My SE model’s $1,295 Sport Appearance package 19-inch wheels and street-oriented tires probably didn’t help much in the dirt.

A sport mode for the transmission and paddle shifter helped with on-road performance, allowing me to bypass some of the six-speed automatic transmission’s tendency to find itself in too tall a gear, but ultimately this is neither a sports car or a true off-roader, so I found myself grateful and impressed by the Escape’s modest abilities in either of these areas.

Sync 3 with CarPlay, Android Auto

My example also came equipped with a SE Technology Package, a $1,395 suite that bundles in Ford’s new Sync 3 infotainment system with apps, along with some rudimentary safety tech.

Sync 3 is a pretty good get for the Escape. I’d say it’s a must-have option that’s streets ahead of the old MyFord Touch setup. The built-in interface is quick to respond to inputs, like typing an address without stopping between each letter press, and the visuals are crisply rendered. The onboard navigation (a $795 option on top of Sync 3) also works well with features like traffic data and voice commands that don’t suck.