The 09 Focus and Escape are not bad, but I think they are about 5 years behind the good competition.
I agree with the cheap and confusing dash layout of the Escape. The dash looks like it's made of 30 different pieces and has no continuity. The Focus is ok, but it's the same 2000 model with extra sound insulation. If they changed the front end of the focus, it might look more appealing.
But remember, these are cheap cars. The MSRP is a suggestion no one pays. You should get at least $2k off a focus and $5k off an Escape. But even with that, for the life of the vehicle, you have to worry about low resale value, long term quality and so on...