Escort iX Review

The Escort iX is a convenient plug-and-play radar detector ideally suited to the everyday driver. It offers reasonable performance and false alert filtering, plus a number of unique and helpful features. In fact it’s a modernized update to Escort’s best selling detector of all time, the 9500ix. Let’s dive into this in depth Escort iX review.

The 9500ix was my very first radar detector, and it was recommended to me because it was a good general purpose detector. It did the job, but I later wound up upgrading to a better performing detector which suited my specific needs better. Nevertheless, the 9500ix was an extremely popular detector for Escort and Escort’s customers, particularly for people who want a simple detector to use for their daily driving. The iX builds upon the foundation of the 9500ix and improves upon it in virtually every way. It even addresses some of the biggest issues I had with the 9500ix.

Escort 9500ix and Escort iX side by side

The iX is a big improvement over the 9500ix, but I gotta admit that it still isn’t my cup of tea. I prefer high performance detectors and the iX is more of a mid-tier performer. It’s also not the best bang for the buck for its performance level too. However, I can definitely see the appeal of it, especially for the everyday driver who just wants something simple and easy to use. Not only that, but the price is dropping online which makes the detector both more appealing and more competitive. If you enjoy convenience and simplicity, the iX will fit the bill without having to drop a ton of cash on the top of the line and pricier Max360.

Now before testing the iX, originally I had ruled it out altogether. You see, Escort used to sell the Max2 which had all the same features as the iX (except a different magnetic mount), but it had better performance, better filtering, and you could get it for less money. However, now that the Max2 is pretty much gone and the iX is often available for less than full retail, it makes Escort’s updated arrow-less consumer detector the one to keep your eye on.

Escort iX Review, Features & Highlights:

• Mid-range performance, not crazy long range alert distance
• Decent but not amazing blind spot false alert filtering
• Automatic GPS lockouts to filter out automatic door openers and speed signs
• Low speed muting to filter false alerts in new locations
• Automatic speed-based sensitivity adjustments
• AutoLoK sensitivity level for even further reductions in false alerts
• Multicolor OLED display
• Bluetooth integration with the app Escort Live which gives you:
  • Realtime radar and laser alerts shared with other drivers via the cloud
  • Easier programming by changing detector options via your phone
  • Speed limit of the road you’re on displayed right on the screen of the detector
• Redlight camera and speed camera alerts, updated regularly
• Advanced features like RDR and simplified Ka band segmentation for better performance
• Detectable by radar detector detectors
• Awesome magnetic mount, the best windshield mount on the market, super easy to mount and unmount
• Power cable has a remote mute button, alert LED, and USB port to charge your phone
• Speeding ticket guarantee if purchased direct from Escort

Performance

The Escort iX is a solid mid-range detector. It’s not a long range detector like the Uniden R3 or the Escort Redline EX.  On the other hand, it’s also not a poor performer like the Escort 9500ix or S75G. It is capable of good performance, especially when you take advantage of some of the advanced features it offers (disable RDR and enable Ka segments 1, 3, & 4) and don’t cripple it too much with filters.

This detector is based on the M4 platform, the same as what Escort uses with the 9500ix, S75G, RX65, X80, and many others. However, there have been some advancements to the platform over the years. For example, like the newer X80, you can disable RDR and enable Ka band segmentation for better Ka band performance, both range and reactivity. (You only have 4 segments instead of 10, so it’s a simplified form of band segmentation.) This is a welcome change because performance wasn’t the M4’s strong suit, but some of the newer updates  help improve this.

For example, take a look at this test from 2016, courtesy of the TXCTG. You’ll see that while the iX can’t keep up with high end detectors like the Redline and RPSE, it’s still able to outperform lower end detectors like the 9500ix.

Things will vary a bit from test to test as always, but the overall trend looks to be that the iX is a solid mid-range detector. It may not be the best choice for drivers in the most challenging of situations (such as in the mountains with lots of curves and trees and are the most demanding on radar detectors), but for your standard city/highway driving situations, it will fit the bill.

False Alert Filtering

There’s a variety of sources of false alerts out there and the Escort iX has several tools at its disposal to help you deal with them.

Automatic GPS Lockouts

The best feature is its automatic GPS lockout functionality, a feature unique to Escort. As you drive around with the detector, it can automatically learn where your stationary false alerts are from automatic door openers and speed signs. When the detector sees that same signal several times, it will learn it, beep and display “Stored” the screen of the detector, and filter it out for you next time you come by. If later you see a police officer there, it will alert you to the cop.

Other detectors can do GPS-based filtering as well, but you have to teach it what’s a false alert initially, usually with a few taps of the mute button. What’s nice about Escort’s detectors is they can do this learning and filtering process for you automatically, so you don’t have to deal with it. Put it on your windshield, give it some time to learn your area, and it will quiet itself down for you automatically. Very useful.

Escort iX locking out a K band false alert (notice the grayed out text)

Cruise Alert

If you’re in a new area where the lockouts haven’t kicked in yet, the detector also has GPS-based low speed muting called cruise alert. Basically you set a speed threshold in the detector (which gets replaced by the speed limit when paired to your phone running Escort Live), and when you’re below the speed threshold, the detector will stay quiet. This is really handy for when you’re driving around in rush hour traffic or sitting at a red light. When the detector picks up a signal, it will give you a quick double-beep to let you know something’s going on, and then go silent and stay quiet. Very nice to help you avoid having to constantly press the mute button incessantly around town.

Auto Mode

Speaking of driving slowly, the detector can automatically reduce its sensitivity on X and K band (common bands where false alerts exist) so that you get full sensitivity when driving quickly and reduced sensitivity for reduced false alerts when driving slowly around town. You can have full sensitivity all the time if you like by running in Highway mode, or have the sensitivity vary with your speed using Auto mode. Other detectors have a similar feature with City and Highway modes, but you have to manually switch modes. The iX can switch automatically for you which is a great feature.

AutoLoK

If you want to quiet the detector down even further on K band, you can switch from Highway or Auto mode to AutoLoK. This mode basically reduces K band sensitivity dramatically no matter your speed. If you really want to quiet down your detector, you can use this option. I like it for areas where I know from experience that K band is used very little, if at all, or I’m not too concerned when my RD at the moment, and I want the detector extra quiet because my fiance is with me, I’m on the phone, or whatever else. Alert distance will drop considerably in AutoLoK as you’d expect, but it’s one way to quiet the detector down even further when necessary.

Escort iX K band test results, Highway Mode vs. AutoLoK, testing courtesy of the TXCTG

TSR

If you live in an area where traffic sensors are in use, you’ll need to enable Traffic Sensor Rejection, or TSR. This filters out short duration blasts of K band so it slows down your detector and reduces range a bit, but it’s needed for traffic sensor filtering (you’ll know if you have these if your detector alerts to K band every mile or so on the highway), plus it’s needed to filter out blind spot falses so it’s something that most everyone who drives around other vehicles will need to run nowadays, especially with the iX.

Note: TSR is available with most every detector nowadays, but many modern detectors like the Redline EX, Max360, Radenso XP, and Uniden R3 have a separate BSM and TSR filter so they can filter out blind spot falses without having to take the hit to performance that TSR introduces. That’s one of the benefits of those more advanced detectors.

BSM Filtering

This is my biggest concern about the detector’s filtering. It’s okay at BSM filtering, but it does seem to false to more cars than other detectors do. However, the main issue is how it presents the alerts. You see, most detectors will give a pretty relaxed and chill false alert when it detects a blind spot false up ahead. The Escort iX? Full tilt, full power, full blast alerts like you just got nailed with instant on. While every radar detector will false to some vehicles with blind spot monitoring systems, not all detectors make you want to panic brake when you get near one to the point where you’re very likely to begin ignoring K band alerts altogether, looking for the blind spot car up ahead instead or just wanting to shut off K band completely.

I think the BSM filtering presentation is one of the biggest weaknesses of the iX and one of the biggest reasons to consider a better (but not necessarily more expensive) detector such as the Radenso XP (which is excellent at BSM filtering), Uniden DFR7, Uniden R3, or even Escort’s own Max360.

Escort Live Capabilities

Cloud Integration:

One thing that’s unique to Escort that I want to cover in this Escort iX review is their integration with Escort Live, an app that allows for realtime alert sharing between you and other drivers running Escort detectors, giving you an additional layer of protection. You can do that same sort of thing by running Waze (and it’s a good idea even if you’re running Live too), plus Waze has wayyy more users than Live, but Live is more automated, it’s built into your detector, and the alerts show up right on the face of your detector so you don’t have to worry about phone alerts and notifications.

Easy to change settings:

Instead of changing the detector’s settings by using the buttons on top and diving into menus, you can simply pull up the app and change settings right on your phone. It’s much easier to do this way.

Speed limit displayed on screen:

When running Escort Live, you can get the current speed limit displayed on the screen of your detector which is really nice to know while driving. The online database isn’t always 100% accurate, it doesn’t know every road on there (especially smaller surface streets), and it doesn’t take into account temporary speed limit changes due to school zones and construction zones, but it is a handy feature to have nonetheless and I’ve admittedly grown a bit fond of this feature. Sure you can do it with Waze too, but it’s nice to always have right in front of you no matter which app is running on your phone or if your phone is in your pocket. 🙂

Assorted Escort iX Features

Here’s some other stuff about the iX that I want to point out, both good and bad.

Magnetic Mount

Escort has introduced a brand new magnetic mount with the iX that they’re calling the “EZ Mag Mount” and it’s fantastic. It’s my favorite mount out of any radar detector. It’s an update over the magnetic mount design used on the Max360 and it’s shared only with the Redline EX.

This mount makes it unbelievably easy to mount and unmount your detector, plus it makes the detector rock solid when driving. No bouncing on the mount, even when driving on the highway. Escort did a great job with it.

One important thing to note is there’s a little lip on the front of the mount that prevents the detector from falling on your dash. It works in tandem with the magnet but not everyone puts their detector over the lip and it winds up falling off the mount, especially if you hit a bump. Make sure you mount the detector over the lip so that it stays nice and solid. Check out this quick demo video. As a fun little treat, you’ll see a special guest who paid me a visit to watch as I demo the magnetic mount. 😀

Gray case

The detector’s case is gray instead of black which means that if you run it down low on your windshield, it can reflect and glare on your windshield. This won’t be as big of an issue if you run your detector up high by your rear view mirror (recommended anyway for better performance), but I wish the detector had a black case without a glossy top for a stealthier and less obtrusive experience.

Color OLED display

The OLED screen’s display color can be customized to match your vehicle interior or whatever color you prefer including amber, red, green, or blue. It’s a nice upgrade over the LED displays Escort used to use.

Escort 9500ix’s LED display, left, and Escort iX’s OLED display, right

Redlight camera alerts

Escort has a very good redlight camera database that’s updated frequently. It’s also directional meaning it only alerts you to the direction of travel where redlight cameras enforce, not just every intersection that happens to have a red light camera.

The downside is that once your subscription expires (you get it for free for 1 year with the purchase of the iX), Escort charges you to renew your subscription ($25 for 1 year or $50 for 3 years). Other manufacturers give you free updates for life, not to mention there’s always Waze which is free.

The other thing is that if you encounter a RLC while driving on the highway (often happens when there’s a nearby surface street with an RLC close by), there’s no way to delete that individual alert. You can disable RLC alerts altogether, but otherwise you’ll get alerted every time you drive by. Other manufacturers allow you to individually delete RLC’s as needed, a welcome feature.

Speeding ticket guarantee

If you purchase the Escort iX direct from Escort (instead of from another retailer), Escort will give you a speeding ticket guarantee for the first year of ownership. Some conditions apply and it only covers the cost of the speeding ticket, not any associated hikes to your insurance premium or points to your license, but it’s an additional layer of protection.

As an aside, historically speeding ticket guarantees have been mostly a marketing gimmick, but one that works for sales. It’s typically been offered by companies who sell poor performing products as a way to bolster sales. (Sell a bunch more detectors with the guarantee, some people will get tickets they have to pay out for, but they’ll wind up ahead due to the additional sales.) In fact some people assumed (understandably) that only companies with the highest quality products would back up their products with a speeding ticket guarantee, but it turned out to be the other way around, and so speeding ticket guarantees weren’t something really considered by enthusiasts. We’d prefer investing our money in detectors that will do a good job of helping us avoid getting tickets in the first place. 😉

That said, other companies like Escort have since started offering speeding ticket guarantees as well. If you want one, you’ll need to purchase the Escort iX direct from Escort. A guarantee isn’t everything, but it is an additional layer of protection and it does help offer some additional peace of mind.

Escort iX Compared to Other Detectors

Next let’s take a look briefly at how the Escort iX compares to some of its closest competitors.

Escort iX vs. Escort 9500ix / S75G:

The iX is the successor to the 9500ix / S75G and it shares the same underlying M4 platform along with the excellent automatic GPS lockout functionality. However, the iX has performance improvements for longer range and better reactivity, a multicolor OLED display, bluetooth built in for Escort Live integration, and improved BSM filtering. The iX is a worthy, modern successor to the 9500ix / S75G. If you don’t need the Bluetooth, fancy display, and want to sacrifice some performance to save some cash though, the Escort S75G could be a detector to consider.

Escort iX vs. Escort X80:

The X80 retails for $299 while the iX retails for $499. For the extra $200, the main benefit of the iX is the integrated GPS functionality for autolockouts, low speed muting, and redlight camera alerts. If you’re going to pair the detector with your phone, the X80 can offer most of these features too (it also has Bluetooth build in). GPS lockouts are manual and you have to mark falses initially and teach your detector what’s a false by pressing a button on your phone so it’s more manual and phone dependent, but you’ll also get the low speed muting and RLC alerts using your phone’s GPS. Both detectors offer similar levels of performance thanks to their simplified BS/RDR options. If you’re cool with manual lockouts, don’t mind using your phone with your detector, and prefer a black case instead of a gray one, you can save $200 by buying the Escort X80.

Escort iX vs. Uniden DFR7:

IMHO some of the toughest competition for the iX comes in the form of the Uniden DFR7. It also retails for $200 less at only $299, but it offers better performance on 34.7, BSM filtering without TSR, better BSM filtering in general, a black case, and is stealth to radar detector detectors for those who drive in banned areas. The iX has better performance on 33.8, directional RLC alerts, a RLC database that’s updated more often, Bluetooth built in, a color OLED display, and perhaps most importantly, autolockouts instead of manual lockouts. If you’re cool with manual lockouts and don’t want to have to use your phone for the lockouts, the DFR7 is an excellent (and cheaper) choice.

Escort iX vs. Escort Max2:

The Max2 came out before the iX, but Escort has since discontinued the Max2 and effectively replaced it by the iX. The Max2 had virtually all the same features (except for an earlier generation magnetic mount), but better performance and better filtering… plus you could find it online for less than the iX even though the MSRP of the Max2 was $100 more than the iX. However, the Max2 is now discontinued, the price is now sky high (the only people selling one are those asking ridiculous prices so it’s not selling), and the price of the iX is dropping on Amazon so while the Max2 may have been a better and cheaper detector at one point, the iX is now the one you would get instead.

Escort iX vs. Escort Max360:

The Max360 is like the Max2 plus arrows. It has better performance than the iX, better filtering, doesn’t needs TSR for BSM filtering, plus it’s got arrows. The MSRP is $150 more than the iX, but it’s got some genuinely helpful features and benefits over the iX. Arrows to help locate the source of the threat can be very helpful and practice and the price of the Max360 has been dropping under full retail regularly as well lately, so if you’re interested in the 360, you can check out current pricing on Amazon.

Escort iX vs. Escort Redline EX:

If the iX is for the everyday driver, the Redline EX is for the enthusiast. The detectors are quite similar with autolockouts, bluetooth integration, a color OLED screen, the same magnetic mount, and so on. However, the Redline EX is based on the M3 platform and it offers better performance, BSM filtering without TSR, is stealth and thus undetectable to radar detector detectors, and has support for international radar guns like the MRCD which is in Canada. Most people driving around the US would be just fine with the iX and wouldn’t need the extra features, but for an extra $100, the Redline EX offers some additional features that enthusiasts may desire.

Escort iX vs. Uniden R3:

Finally probably the biggest challenge to the iX (and almost every other detector these days) is the Uniden R3. This guy offers monster performance, better blind spot filtering, also has an OLED display, offers GPS lockouts, is undetectable to RDD’s, and retails for $100 less. As a radar detector, it offers more core features for less money. However, the Escort iX offers some extra convenience features that many people enjoy including automatic GPS lockouts instead of manual, Bluetooth integration for Escort Live, and a more convenient mount. I wouldn’t say the mount itself is worth spending the extra $100 for the iX, especially considering the differences in performance and filtering, but the autolockouts are often a really important feature for people and it’s one of the most genuinely useful thing the iX offers above the Uniden R3.

Where to Buy the Escort iX

If you’ve decided that the Escort iX is for you after reading my complete Escort iX review, there’s two ways to purchase it

Buy from Amazon:

The Escort iX is often available discounted at less than full retail. Prices fluctuate all the time so be sure to check current pricing. Be sure to buy the detector directly from Amazon.com, not some random third party seller, so that you get the warranty from Escort. You can check by ensuring it says “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.” If you’re looking for the best deal on the detector, purchase the Escort iX from Amazon.

If you’re in Canada, you can buy the Escort iX from Amazon.ca.

Buy direct from Escort with the Speeding Ticket Guarantee:

If you want that speeding ticket guarantee that I mentioned earlier to get the additional layer of protection, then you should purchase the Escort iX direct from Escort.

Important Escort iX Guides & Information

In addition to the information in this Escort iX review, here’s some more helpful links and resources for you.

How to Program your Escort iX

Once you get your Escort iX, you can go through my tutorial to learn how to set up and configure your Escort iX.

How to Update your Escort iX

In order to update your Escort iX’s firmware or redlight camera database, download Escort Detector Tools (available for Windows or Mac).

Full disclosure:

This Escort iX review is in no way sponsored or paid for in any way and is a reflection of my own opinions based on objective testing and subjective driving experiences. The links I’ve included to purchase the detectors are affiliate links so I do make a commission when you buy, but it’s important to me to never let that fact influence my review of the detector one way or another. You guys deserve it. The iX I used is a retail unit purchased by @Andrew21 from RDF. He sent it to me after I asked for an iX to use for testing and review purposes. I’m sending it back to him after finishing up this review. Thanks Andrew! 🙂

That’s it! Thank you very much for reading my Escort iX review. I hope you’ve found it useful! If you’d like to purchase the detector, I would appreciate you supporting my site by using the purchase links that I have included throughout this article. If you have any questions about the detector, please feel free to ask down in the comments below. Thank you! 🙂

Summary

Reviewer

Vortex Radar

Review Date

2017-10-30

Reviewed Item

Escort iX

Author Rating

4

Product Name

Escort iX

Price

USD 499

Product Availability

Available in Stock