Customer Ratings & Reviews

It works good enough. Don’t turn it to full sensitivity or it will go off every 5 seconds

I like the Escort radar line, but if you choose one that requires the 'mag mount' suction cup windshield mount, plan on replacing that every year. It will fail and drop your expensive electronics crashing down onto your dash and floor. I know I own 3 Escorts and the mag mount suction cups fail every year.

One if my favorite radar scanners. I went through 2 prior from escort and all treated me so well! Definitely getting future models!

Works alright. Not the best. Doesn’t pick up long range like the others.

Works better than expected. Before getting one I order one that requires hard wire installation, this one does not require that and is what I was looking for.

It’s very good I loved it. Specially the display is very bright.

I’ve had the opportunity to use this item and so far it works amazing, it alarms every time I’ve encountered a cop

Gives more than expected I love this little guy and definitely recommended

Works great, bright screen, stays connected to the app and has paid off already

50/50 chance it will read nearby radar or not. Got over a $300 speeding ticket while using it

The Escort Max 4 radar detector is the new kid on the block for Escort. They market this radar detector as a mid-range model, but in my experience using it, it hits way above mid-range. The Escort Max 4, even though it is a step behind the Max 360c Mk2, has excellent range. I have both of these radar detectors, and side by side, it is hard to tell that the Max 4 gives up much range at all to the 30c Mk2. False alerts are a thing of the past with this radar detector as well. I turned on all of the bands and sub-bands to see how bad false alerts could be and to my surprise, I have had only a couple of alerts that I had to credit to a passing car's lane change alert system. This radar detector is very quiet on the road. This radar detector has the ability to be synced with your phone to take advantage of the drive smarter app available from Escort through your phones app store. The drive smarter app allows the radar detector to use shared network alerts so you can have advanced warning of radar and laser. The app also allows you an easy interface to set up and change the settings on your radar detector . The Max 4 has built in GPS which shows your speed and if connected to the drive smarter app, the speed limit of the road you are on. It also allows this radar detector to utilize autolearn, which will lock out areas where there is a continuous false signal present. This is Escorts upper mid-range detector, so you are going to give up something from the higher end models. In this case, it doesn't seem to be range or false alert filtering. However, this radar detector does not have directional arrows to show where the radar signal is coming from. That is something I have gotten used to having with the 360c mk2 and this model does not have wifi connectivity like the higher end model. If you want a simple plug and play radar detector with lots of range and very few false alerts, I don't think you could go wrong with the Max 4. It checks most of the boxes.

Wasn’t worth it, had a lot of false flags and very expensive for the quality

The last time I purchased a radar detector was back in the 90s and that one was very annoying and did not really help detecting anything. Granted, I was in a dense suburb in Long Island NY at the time. Nowdays, I am in Texas. Still a lot of people, but a bit more spaced out. Unboxing this, I see that there was a welcomed zip up carrying case that looks of high quality. All the items needed to install and operate the detector was in the package. There was a small quick start guide where you are directed to download the app that works with this detector. Before I installed this in my car, it is pretty important to make sure you have the latest firmware installed on your detector. I just used a Usb C that I had already connected to my computer. Downloaded the firmware software from Escort's support site, opened the app on my computer, plugged in the detector to my computer and opened the program. Once opened the update is seemless. You just click one of the big buttons and the program does the rest. I had to perform an update and that took less than 5 minutes to complete. Next I installed the detector to my windsheild. For some, you will have to play with the placement along with how much length you have to use to get a good connection to the mounted detector. Being you install it on the windsheild, high or low. For me, I have a pretty deep windsheild and because of that, I could have wanted a longer cord in my case. For most, it should be fine, but it would have been nice to have at least another six inch in length, because my power source is in my center on console, where most cars have them closer to the dash. That is my only gripe so far. However, what I do like about this unit is that you can lockout areas using the button on the cord! No need to reach up onto the device. Also if you have the app open, you can also use that method as well. As for the software, the detector is paired to your device via bluetooth. When this is done, you can use the app's map and navigation which works suprisingly well. Also in the app, you can change the device settings which is easier than doing that on the detector itself. Back to the settings, you can edit things like speed limit alerts, the color to match your interior lights and a lot of other features, which I left alone. In using the detector without the app, it acts as a normal detetor and works pretty well in daily driving. One weekend, we drove for 4 hours and I tested out the app feature, which is the navigation functionality that integrates seemlessly into the app that alerts you. Think of it as the detector as a smartwatch giving you notifications of alerts while driving. In the 4 hour straight driving, my Pixel 8 Pro ran hot and my wife had to place my phone near the ac vents to cool it down for about 5 minutes each time the phone alerted me. I forgot to mention this integrated into Android Auto for me and worked without any issues. I was very impressed. Other than my device heat issue, the unit performed as it should. It alerted me to stationary radars as well as highway patrol radars. Is it 100% accurate? No, but no one really is, but for the price, it's pretty darn well near it, in my usage. Would I recommend it? Heck yes! Use it with or without the software, I recommend with it for all the features it boasts and use it on your infotainment system, be it carplay or android auto, it works really well. And the quick magnet mount and dismount system to the windsheild is stellar. In my spirited driving, it has not dropped once!

TL;DR version: This is a great unit in this price range, but the bizarre design of the power cord takes away a full star. Getting started with the Escort Max 4 is simple. You can attach it to the suction cup (included), or to your mirror, visor, or a dash-mounted pad (none of these are included), attach the power cord, and you’re ready to go. The suction cup is great, providing a super strong mount with a quick release magnet that attaches to the detector. This is assuming, of course, that windshield mounting is legal where you drive. To take real advantage of the Max 4, however, you’ll need to connect it to the app. Before getting to the app, we do need to say something about that power cord. Escort (Cedar Electronics) calls it a Smart Cord, and it’s not the standard straight cord to a USB outlet in the dash. Someone decided that complication was better, so it’s a coiled cable with an RJ-11C (or similar, I didn’t measure it) connector on the detector end; think old-style land-line telephone cord from the connector to the coil. This is hard-wired into the power socket adaptor. It’s bulky, ugly, hard to conceal, and it means you can’t just plug into your vehicle’s USB outlet, so you’d better hope the cord is long enough the reach the 12V power outlet. This was a really bad design choice where a simple USB-C cable would have sufficed, and it makes an otherwise excellent unit somewhat difficult to live with. Once installed, head straight to the Drive Smarter app. This is a very clean app that’s easy to use and understand and, unlike the power cord, does not appear to have been designed by ex-AT&T employees who were trying to relive the glory days of the 1980s. Connecting to your phone via Bluetooth 5, the app allows you to set sensitivity, volume, color (to match your dash), over speed and over speed limit alerts, etc. When connected, it uses your phone’s GPS to determine location and shows you the speed limit on the detector’s display, right next to your current speed display. You’ll want to change the over speed limit setting right away, otherwise you’ll get an alert every time you creep over the limit by 1 MPH, which happens a lot in normal driving. Otherwise, sensitivity seems quite good, particularly if you turn off the sensitivity filter. The filter being off will cause you to get more false alerts from things like traffic monitors, auto-drive sensors, and even automatic doors, but I found the improved notification of actual threats to be worth the tradeoff. While slightly annoying, you can generally tell if the signal is getting stronger or just a blip, and for more permanent structures, like doors, you can set the GPS activated filter to block subsequent alerts. In open areas I was getting signals about 1.5 miles ahead of the actual speed check, and had plenty of warning to slow down when being approached from behind or the side. Alerts are a noticeable but hot jarring. I’ve had detectors that generate loud, obnoxious sounds. While these get your attention, they’re quite disruptive. I really like the more subtle alerts from the Max 4. The base of the power cord also has a light in it – green for normal, red for active alerts. Of course, the odds of the 12V power outlet being in your line of sight while driving are pretty low. Despite the odd design choice of the power cord, I really like the Escort Max 4. I use it every time I go out, and find it indispensable for long trips. I don’t think you can do any better in this price range.

Entering the radar detection world is the Escort Max 4; a newer improved version of the Max 3. There are several things to like, and a couple of which are questionable with varied opinions. Overall this is a nice detector. It may not be impressive, but for the price range it is decent. To start things off, setup is as easy as it comes. Be sure to update the firmware through your computer, this is important to get the best results. The unit does not come with a printed and detailed manual, you will have to procure it from their website. Through there, you can better understand how to navigate the menus and configure the detector. However, you can also do this much easier through the Drive Smarter app. Again, connecting the app with the device is very easy. After all of that, you are able to use the detector. If you use the included suction cup, remember to securely attach the radar to the mount. Even though it is magnetic, there is still a hook that keeps is securely. The detector it self seems to do a good job, it picks up a lot of different signals and even filters out the false ones as it starts learning. When used in conjunction with the app, you can see the speed limit in the device and get warned when you are over the limit. Now onwards to the questionable things. These are questionable because there are mixed opinions online, and personally I have experienced both sides. So the detector has a lot of range, and focuses a lot on filtering out the noise. However, this seems to also be a slight downside, as it can accidentally filter out good signal. As far as my daily commute on the highway is concerned, it does seem to pick up radars as I am driving. But because of the negativity being received, it is hard to tell whether it is reliable or not. Would you rather be alerted with a more sensitive device, thus getting more false alerts? Or would you rather have a more positive alerts but have a greater chance of missing some? It is a tough decision to make, and this Escort Max 4 does the latter. Although you are able to configure a lot of what this detector will alert on, you will have to trial and error if you decide it is not to your standards. Overall, it is a decent detector. It does a good job to keep you alerted, and at the very least makes you more aware of your surroundings, especially on your daily commute. While completely trusting the device can lead to false positives, the odds are in its favor that it is better to have the detector than to not.

This detector was horrible. It alerted more to false things and cars then for cops. Returned this. Off to the next one.

So one can long for the days of just buying an electronic item, plugging it in (or putting batteries into it) and start using it. For better or for worse, those days are gone...long gone. It seems that pretty much everything is controlled either wholly or partially buy a smartphone app these days. This is true for this Escort radar detector. Just scrolling through the app and the settings and the extent of configuration, one can easily get overwhelmed. While it's true that many settings can be left to their default values to get you up and running quickly, you'll still want to tinker around in the app at least a little bit. As for the hardware itself, I'm a bit saddened by the fact that you still have to use the old 'telephone' like cable for power. I mean, the radar actually has a USB-C port but apparently that is meant only for connecting to your computer for firmware updates and data transfer / merging. I don't understand that decision making process. The EZ mag suction mount that the Escort comes with, however, is outstanding. This is by far the easiest way to mount a radar I've come across in some time. Other than that, the radar seems to work well and detect what it is meant to detect but I've found the volume level to be a bit low. I believe I've turned it up all the way but if music is playing even just a little loud, it may be difficult to hear the warning alerts.

When you're driving, it's a great idea to know what's around you and what's coming up ahead so you can be prepared for it. This Escort MAX 4 radar and laser detector does just that - it scans the road ahead (and technically to the sides and behind though that's not quite as useful) and does a great job of identifying sources of radar or laser emissions (radar is easier to detect given that lasers are much more highly focused, but it seems to do the job with both). I like that it displays both the band and the "signal strength" as it were so you can make your own judgements - perhaps a very low signal X band is scatter from a random source vs a medium and growing KA band signals traffic being monitored ahead and so forth. The detector also displays your current speed and can alert you when you exceed either the speed limit (if you pair it with the smartphone app which is highly recommended) or a threshold you set. Pairing with the app also allows the detector to functionally look even FURTHER ahead by displaying alerts based on data uploaded by other users who previously drove the route ahead which is really cool, turning this into not just a single sensor but part of a broader network of sensors to expand the horizon. Setup is VERY easy - you really just decide where you want to mount it on your windshield - most people put them either high near the review mirror or low in the middle of the windshield. I went with the low option and it's a good combination of being visible while keeping out of the way of my view of the road (no sense in adding a sensor to help see what's ahead and then blocking your view of...what's ahead). I lilke that there's a second "mute" button on the power plug in case that's easier to reach, though I rarely use the mute since I keep the volume low, and I REALLY like that there's an open USB-A power port on the plug so I don't have to choose between powering the detector and charging my phone. I do wish the power and data cable was just a straight cable instead of a coiled cable - the coiled cable does keep itself a bit tidier, but in my experience it's harder to route the way you want it since it's thicker and keeps wanting to retract. This is a minor grumble and not worth removing a star, but just noting it. Installing and pairing the app is similarly easy and it works on both Android and iPhone just fine. So all in all, if you're looking for a great way to see what might be waiting for you on the road ahead, this detector is a great way to do just that (provided, of course, it's allowed where you lilve and where you intend to drive). And it's the great combination of quality and features you'd expect from a leader in the buiness like Escort/Cobra. So if all that sounds good to you, give it a try today!

I have so many Escort radar detectors that I've purchased in the past, and everytime I purchase a new one, I always give my old one to my little brother. I have three vehicles all equipped with an escort radar detector. I thought it was about time to check out escort newest radar detector, and see how it compares to the ones that I have currently. So the radar detector arrives and I go through the normal unboxing and reading what comes with the radar detector. In the first thing that I noticed about this new one, was the fact that it didn't come with a 360 feature! That was my favorite feature and I used it a lot! So another thing as far as this detector goes, you definitely want to download the app, because it has so many features and much easier to set your detective that way, then trying to set it with the detector itself. So driving around to all the places are typically go, I kind of figured the radar detector was basic. Then after the second day, I realize mostly all the places I get false alerts from, wasn't giving me a false alert at all! So after realizing this, and sure enough, and sure enough, it definitely had zero false alerts after I realize that day, and the entire next day in a whole completely different area with a lot of stores! That's probably the best thing ever! Out of all the radar detectors that I've owned since 2006, I've never had one that completely removed all the false alerts! I also love the range on this one! Yesterday, I was driving down the highway for a long time when the detector started going off. And I kept trying to look and see if I can find the police car and I didn't see one, so I figured this is probably the first false alert. So as I kept driving, finally the police car comes into interview, and I was thinking to myself, wow! This has an extremely far view for picking up radar! I love this radar detector and think that if anyone gets it, they'll love it too!

It's been a long while since I had a Radar/Laser detector... I remember how big these were int he 80's and 90's... And with a lot of travel coming up, it was a good opportunity to try it out. We had 4 long highway trips over the last two weeks, logged over 1,000 miles First and foremost, this gets 1 full star deduction for the supported software, .5 Star deduction because nothing I tried... I could not get the Drive Smarter app, to create an account, and thus let us in to use the Apple Car Play features (which is one of the big key reasons I was excited for this device). Continued to fail for several days. Will update review, if we do get into the app. .5 Star deduction because the Escort software, was just... non-helpful. Yes, you were able to get in and configure the device, colors, the units, and several other settings, for those that really are adapt, can tweak this to exactly what they want. but after that, it really didn't do anything that the unit itself didn't do. The Escort app is not Car Play compatible, so did nothing for my navigation on the screen of the car. Since these are outside the hardware, these can get updated and do better over time, I hope. Now for the unit... The picture, is mis leading... this is bigger then the picture makes it seem. Longer. Which isn't "bad" unless you have a smaller windshield. My SUV, has a big windshield, so while it was in the view, didn't dominate, but on my smaller car, this may be an issue (but wasn't able to use it in that car, more later). The suction cup mount that comes with the kit, worked very well.. once you get the orientation correct. The unit didn't move after hours of usage, and heat beating down on the windshield. Easy power on and off, (with the provided 12v cord), with an easy to reach mute button on the power cord, with lights. nice touch. can be a loud unit, or as soft as you want, so that is adjustable to your preference. Now, as for detecting. I don't know... If the police where not out much on our trips, but the unit did do a VERY good job of picking up from almost 1/2 mile away, construction zone radar sensors... so I would presume it would also do as well on police. During our drives we only encountered 2 or 3 confirmed police radar checks (because we saw them as we drove by). However, only concern I have, is that we drove directly by a Hwy patrol car, in the middle median (twice, once there and once back). but no warning on the detector. But obviously no way to confirm, if this was just a decoy car and had no laser/tracking, or was something else. Now for my other 1 star deduction. My 2023 Outback, has no 12v plug. So went to go and use the USB power supply on this. Nothing I tried would get it to work, would continue to say low-voltage and power down. My outback has a 2.1a USB-C port right on it, and it would not power this unit. I tried several different plugs I have, that can power iPad Pro's with no problem, still no work. I didn't try the plug for my MacBook, because that would be beyond impractical in my car, as I would have to run a long car to my backseat. So that was a disappointment, that a modern piece of tech, was having difficulty with the USB-C power options, in a modern car. So overall... not terrible, just not the experience I was hoping for with this premium product.