The increasingly popular compact crossover segment is making things tough at Ford. Three trim levels compose the 2017 Escape line: base S, mid-level SE, and top-grade Titanium. But even with this year’s revised exterior styling, including a new Sport Appearance package, minor interior revisions (cupholders with “fingers”), a newly available 1.5-liter turbo-four, and a modified 2.0-liter turbo-four with more output, the Escape seems to be merely maintaining its solid third-place sales rank (behind the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4). But why? Safety features now available include lane keep assist, a driver drowsiness monitor, and adaptive cruise control with forward collision alert plus auto brake boost. With most new vehicles aiming for IIHS Top Safety Pick+, even those innovations aren’t very novel. Indeed, a modestly equipped 2017 Ford Escape SE AWD’s sixth-place finish in our recent Big Test of 2016/2017 small crossovers proves just how competitive this white-hot segment has become. So what if we were to consider a top-grade Escape Titanium AWD model with the best Escape engine available?