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Yes when braking and when coasting to simulate engine braking.

The C-Max was a tremendous surprise; it handled more like a go-kart than a top-heavy SUV. The Escape is that top-heavy SUV. I blame geometry as much as Ford's desire to please their target audience (this isn't a "man's car," whatever that might mean). Weight higher on the same track width will always be less stable. Then there's the seats... very comfortable in a straight line, but the lack of lateral support is a real barrier to spirited driving. That would help, and it's in the plan, but... I'm still in the getting acquainted period. Haven't even tried the Eco driving mode (Normal is default). It's possible the lovely smooth ride will go away as handling improves. Better ride is as obvious as the poorer handling. I'll raise them eventually. Per Tire Rack's spec sheet, there are three Ecopia tires in the 225/55R19 size. H-speed rating is available in a Japanese Ecopia H/L 422, and a domestic Ecopia H/L 422 that's OEM only on the 2020 Escape. The same is true for the 225/65-17, the base Escape tire size. Specs are slightly different, as you can see, below. The third tire is a domestic V-rated 51-psi version, but it's not an OEM. 225/55R19 99H SL 600 A A 1,709 lbs 51 psi 10/32" 27 lbs 6-8" 7" 9.2" 7.2" 28.8" 724 JP 225/55R19 99H SL 700 A A 1,709 lbs 44 psi /32" 25 lbs 6-8" 7" 7.2" US And none of these Ecopia fit a C-Max. That's the Ecopia 422, what TR calls a Grand Touring, not the Crossover/SUV Touring Ecopia H/L 422. My idea of an "unsafe" tire is one that is perfectly linear, until it lets go with no warning. Think cantilever-sidewall racing slicks. Safe enough for trained race car drivers who know the traction limit and have practiced recovery (ever wonder why racers will saw the wheel back and forth?). A "safe" tire warns the driver with progressively ineffective steering response as cornering forces increase. As the driver increases speed in a turn, as on a freeway on-ramp, increased steering input is required to maintain a constant radius. Going into a turn too hot, that increased steering input provides significant braking force which reduces speed to safer levels. It took me years of autocrossing to learn to stop braking with the steering wheel, and steer with the throttle. That's a double-edge sword. Analog gauges can tell you much more in a glance than any numeric display. Race cars are set up with gauges turned so "good" readings are all point up; a glance tells you if one's tilted. These displays must be read, requiring the same cognitive attention that's critical to avoiding collisions. There are analog markers in the circles around the numbers of the L/R displays, but they're very hard to see, and somewhat distracting; the speed display has a highlight that flashes in and out, annoying at night. Glad to hear there's light at the end of the block heater tunnel. I'm holding out for the proper factory routing the harness is design to provide. And in the FWIW department, I've seen no sign of EV+ but will keep an eye out as my home arrivals pile up. Having fun, Frank

Now over 200 miles and more observations. I finally found "grade assist." It's undocumented. Despite the manual's instruction to "Press the grade assist button to activate grade assist," I am unable to find the button! However, I did a long downhill today that normally had C-Max Grade Assist filling HVB and running the engine if I didn't brake before the bottom. To my surprise, the "Hill Descent Control" light came on (same icon as C-Max Grade Assist) and regen cranked up to 30 kW. It acted a little differently at the bottom of the hill, but the engine never turned. Once I knew what to look for, it seems to act like the L setting on the C-Max transmission, but only when going downhill. As I moved the throttle, regen lessened based on position, through zero, until it switched to EV. I'll have to go through the menus again to see if there's a setting option. I've driven enough to feel there's little-to-no loss in EV capability with the smaller HVB. I think they're charging more quickly when the HVB is low. I see the EV Available outline shrink as the HVB runs down, but find a short ICE burn gets me back past 10 kW available (of about 20 kW max). There's enough energy to EV for a bit. As a result, I think the maximum EV range is lower, but useful EV is accessible more of the time. Weather's warmer today so I've been driving a bit more aggressively. Handling isn't as quick as the C-Max, but it's not bad. These domestic Ecopias are fairly linear but I can feel a safe mushiness coming at the limit. This car has electric steering, and I do feel that bit of isolation, but it's fast enough for quick maneuvering. I also got to try out the AWD today, up a long, steep, snow-covered driveway. I needed my brakes at the top, while the C-Max has barely made it on occasion. It's warm today, and the snow was soft so the full-tread tires had a lot of bite. The car was very stable accelerating up the hill (sharp turn at the bottom) and it seemed I wasn't pushing the car at all. But I wasn't looking at the dash so no idea how hard I was actually pushing it. Having fun, Frank