we got the 09 4 cyl 6 speed auto recently, we got the xlt and it pretty much has all we need. I like the stone coloured interior best, with it you get alternating coloured panels on the interior and I think it looks nicest.
I added the sync since it's illegal to drive while using a cel phone in Ontario. Satellite radio is great, I don't care much of the traffic aspect of it, but everyone has different needs. GPS is always nice to have but factory options are always so much more than your typical off the shelf GPS. We also added ambient lighting, I thought that was a cool option for the interior, I (and my son) love it. There is a convenience option that is pretty good, it gives you temperature and fuel economy info on the center display, it's a decent set of features. They have heated seats if your into stuff like that, we never got it though.
I think the Escape has some good features above the comparable Honda CRV - fuel economy, 6 speed auto, increased storage room, etc...... . We love our Escape, it runs great and is really comfy on long trips. | 
