2014 Ford Escape Owner Manual Printing 2 - Page 238

Wheels and Tires How your vehicle differs from other vehicles Sport utility vehicles and trucks can differ from some other vehicles in a few noticeable ways. Your vehicle may be: E168583 E145299 • • • Higher - to allow higher load carrying capacity and to allow it to travel over rough terrain without getting hung up or damaging underbody components. Shorter - to give it the capability to approach inclines and drive over the crest of a hill without getting hung up or damaging underbody components. All other things held equal, a shorter wheelbase may make your vehicle quicker to respond to steering inputs than a vehicle with a longer wheelbase. Narrower - to provide greater maneuverability in tight spaces, particularly in off-road use. As a result of the above dimensional differences, Sport utility vehicles and trucks often will have a higher center of gravity and a greater difference in center of gravity between the loaded and unloaded condition. These differences that make your vehicle so versatile also make it handle differently than an ordinary passenger car. 235 Escape/Kuga (TM2)