Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Richard A. Wright Sharon Cancelosa calls her yellow Ford Escape the "banana boat." She gave up a Mustang for the SUV to get more space.

My Wheels

Ford Escape sets driver free

SUV has plenty of room for her grandchildren and her busy lifestyle.

By Richard A. Wright / Special to The Detroit News

Sharon Cancelosa Sharon Cancelosa Age: 61 Home: Grosse Pointe Farms Favorite wheels: 2002 Ford Escape sport utility vehicle. Favorite road to drive: The back roads around Traverse City Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

At first glance, petite Sharon Cancelosa looks as if she would be most at home in a small sports car, such as the red 2000 Ford Mustang convertible she once owned.

But when she needed something a little bigger and a little more practical, she bought a Ford Escape sport utility vehicle and fell in love.

"The Mustang was a fun car and I loved it," she said. "But the Escape is more convenient, it has a lot more room. I have grandkids and I needed a vehicle with more room."

Cancelosa hasn't completely given up sporty motoring, however. Her husband, Jerry, has a black Mustang convertible that he keeps at their condominium in Florida.

And her bright and cheery yellow 2002 Escape is not exactly a stodgy truck. It's a relatively small SUV, so she has no trouble maneuvering it or keeping it under control.

In fact, she likes driving the SUV, even after her two years behind the wheel of her Mustang.

"I like it because I'm up higher," she said. "I feel more secure being up higher. It's not real big. It's a perfect size."

She also enjoys the SUV's nice big sunroof.

Cancelosa said she took a test drive in the Escape and fell for it right away.

"I call it my 'banana boat,' because it's bright yellow," she said. "That's my favorite color."

She's not too worried -- yet -- about owning a truck-based SUV amid the continuing rise in the price of gasoline.

"I'm not happy about the price going up," Cancelosa said. "But this vehicle is not too bad on gas mileage. I haven't figured out just what mileage it gets or how much it costs me more than a small car. I guess if it keeps going up, I will figure it out."

Cancelosa enjoys driving the Escape up north to the Traverse City area, where she and her husband have purchased a summer home.

"I enjoy driving it on the back roads up there," she said. "It rides and handles very well and is fun to drive. It's very peppy and it has good pickup."

Richard A. Wright is a Metro Detroit freelance writer.