(November 14, 2012) Popular Mechanics magazine has conducted its first-ever Car of the Year awards and the inaugural winner is the 2013 Ford Escape.

Popular Mechanics says its Car of the Year selection "needs to be an affordable vehicle that excels in multiple auto excellence categories, not just one." And the magazine's editors say no vehicle hit a variety of marks harder or topped more editors' scorecards than the all-new Ford Escape.

The Escape is freshly minted, with a solid new chassis shared with the European Ford Kuga. It's still a compact crossover, but there's more room inside for people and gear. The driving experience feels like it's two full generational leaps ahead of the old Escape, a perennial best seller for Ford.

Its moves are athletic and nimble, yet when equipped with the towing package, it can pull 3,500 pounds.

The Escape's optional intelligent all-wheel-drive system gathers data from sensors and can preemptively split the torque between the axles through an electromagnetic clutch. There are two turbocharged EcoBoost engines, a potent 178-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder and a 240-hp 2.0-liter powerhouse. The more frugal Escape returns a laudable 33 mpg on the highway.

The Escape offers a suite of optional safety systems and introduces the hands-free power liftgate to the segment (just kick your foot under the rear bumper to trigger a sensor). The all-new Escape is fun, smart, and practical—everything a PM Car of the Year should be.