My son has a 2005 and if my memory serves me well, I don't think you can put the wheelchair in there without putting the back seat down.

I have a Honda Pilot with an optional 3rd seat that fits a wheelchair in the back with the 3rd seat folded down. But that's how I usually keep it unless I have 7 people in the car.
Have you looked into a Pilot? We got a great deal on ours at Kuhn Honda and we worked with Angelo Albano. (I have no ties to this dealership or to the salesman. It's just that we were treated very well.)

I'm sorry I don't know the vehicle. I just wanted to say that you are going to get tired of shifting. I've had a standard for 11 years...I was over it after the first year.

I have a Ford Explorer Sport and my Mother's Wheelchair barely fits in the back.

Gayle

I really prefer a manual gearbox and don't like automatics as much. But then, I'm a control freak and don't like a machine making decisions for me :-)

Thank you Monablair and happy_go_lucky_gayle... that's the information I need.

I have driven a stick shift ever since I got my license at 16. I actually prefer it. Better gas mileage and like colleenoz said - more control.

My hope was to replace a 12-year-old Ford Taurus (my mom's old car) and and 11 year-old Ford Ranger (my truck) with something that would let me have 4-5 passengers, be taller on the road and fit a wheel chair.

I guess I'll keep looking.

Thanks again,
Barbara

Barbara, I looked at photos of the Escape and do think it would hold a wheelchair with the back seat up, best thing to do is take the wheelchair car shopping with you. My dad had a Taurus and if I remember correctly it was lower than an SUV. I have a Ford Free Style and found lifting a wheelchair in and out difficult, and it's also lower than an SUV. I guess it depends on your height, age and the weight of the chair, ours was old and heavy.

Will you mother be able to get into and out of an SUV, I have trouble getting out of my Free Style, but I knew this when I bought it. My son drives an F 150 with large tires, when I ride with him he carries a small 2 step ladder so I can get up and down. You should have seen the looks on the parking attendents at the hospital last winter when I arrived for surgery, and he ran around the truck and grabed the ladder, he drove my vehicle to pick me up.

Sue

I don't know about the wheelchair but before I bought my Explorer, I was looking at Escapes. I think they are so cute but I don't think they would comfortably fit 5 people. That's why I ended up not getting it - there just wasn't enough room. We had three kids at home at the time and they wouldn't all fit. The Explorer has an extra seat and we can actually fit seven in it pretty comfortably.

We have the Escape, Folded, I think would fit. It doesn't look that big in back, but it is pretty nice sized. Call a ford dealer and ask. (We love our escape by the way, back seat isn't that comfortable, but it's usually just DH and I)

Vickey-MN

My stepdaughter and my niece have Escapes...they love those cars.

Good luck with your car shopping!
Dee