My son and my husband both play ice hockey, so, when looking for a car cargo space and AWD were the two top items required. I didn't want a huge SUV since I also do quite a bit of city driving and something more compact was a better choice for parking. I looked at all the small SUV's and the ONLY one that was able to accommodate two full hockey bags, plus suitcase, plus my family was the Ford Escape. Throw in the heated seats which are a god send for this hockey mom and you have the perfect vehicle. It is great in the snow and ice - never gets stuck even on poorly cleared roads or the poorly maintained access way to some of the more rural rinks we travel too. Gas mileage is consistently a little better than it was rated for as well as I often find that my combination MPG in the 25-26 range. The car is solid and I feel safe driving it. It has been incredibly reliable too - the only visits for service have been for regular maintenance, there have been no mechanical issues at all!