Escort Passport 9500ix Review

Ever since the state of Washington set the nation’s first speed limit in 1909 (a white knuckled 12 mph), motorists have been driving just a little bit faster. It took less than a year for the first speeding ticket to be issued, and ever since a game of cat and mouse has ensued between motorists and police. When the first radar gun was used by police to catch speeding motorist in 1954, the police began to enjoy a decided edge in the competition. By 1961, the first commercial radar detector hit the market, and a game within the game began, as law enforcement officials attempted to keep their next generation of radar guns slightly ahead of commercial detectors.


 The game may have finally shifted in the direction of the motorist with the release of the Escort Passport 9500ix. Distinguishing red light cameras, speed traps, and aerial radar from nuisance and background signals has always been the most difficult hurdle for radar detectors to overcome. Few things are as infuriating as having to constantly slow down because your radar detector keeps issuing false alarms because you’re too close to the local community radio station. The Escort Passport 9500ix possesses the ability to mark and lock out nuisance signals, and features a unique Autolearn function that will add a fixed radar source to its database once you pass that location three times.

 The Escort’s easy to read LED display lets you know what type of speed trap you are approaching. The Escort’s camera-alert function will give a proximity warning whenever you are approaching an intersection that has a red light camera or speed camera, and it lets the driver know which type of camera to expect at the intersection. The Escort’s proximity features lets you know, in 100 ft increments, how far away you are from a radar threat. This helps motorist resist the urge to panic break every time they hear a warning emitted.

The Escort’s GPS feature allows users to plug their smart phone into the unit, and pickup radar detections other Escort users have encountered in the same driving vicinity. This feature gives drives ample notice if they are approaching a speed trap or aerial radar in the area. Coupled with the Escort’s 700 ft detection radius, and drivers have the best weapon yet in avoiding speeding tickets.

 At $500 a unit, the Escort does not come cheaply. But if you feel you have the need for speed, and no longer want to live in fear of getting a ticket, Speed Zone, Radartest.com, and Popular Mechanics all pick the Escort as one the top radar detectors on the market.

 Timothy Lemke is a freelance writer living in Portland, Oregon. For all of your truck and 4x4 accessories in Portland, Oregon, visit L&C Trucks.