2023 Ford Escape Hybrid will get sporty ST-Line, PHEV doesn’t

Ford has introduced a refreshed and revamped 2023 Escape lineup that maintains plug-in hybrid and hybrid fashions, with the latter among the many variations that may be had in a sportier-looking ST-Line guise.

Because the automaker positions it, the transfer is a pure extension of what it began with the introduction of the Bronco Sport for 2021—when it successfully break up the Escape’s dimension into two completely different autos and type elements. Go a little bit sportier and extra city-savvy, and the Escape continues to be the one, however pivot to the boxy aspect, with extra overt hints of rugged weekend put on, and you find yourself on the Bronco Sport. 

Amongst compact SUVs, the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are the elephants within the room. However as Ford rightfully factors out, in case you add the gross sales of its two fashions collectively, you blast previous each of these different gross sales champs. And that’s earlier than even being attentive to the 40-mpg Maverick hybrid pickup.

Ford nonetheless positions its hybrid variations of the Escape as an upmarket powertrain however not essentially the highest one. The revamped lineup options Base, Lively, Platinum, and Plug-In Hybrid fashions, with the brand new Lively stage changing the previous SE and SEL. Base and Lively include a 181-hp, 1.5-liter turbo-3 and front-wheel drive, whereas the highest Platinum could be had both as a hybrid or with a 250-hp, 2.0-liter turbo-4—each with all-wheel drive. 

The Hybrid’s powertrain is carried over, with a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4 and traction motor, managed by way of a planetary drive system, making 200 hp mixed and related both simply to the entrance wheels or, mechanically, delivering all-wheel drive. For 2022, Escape Hybrid fashions achieved 40 mpg mixed with AWD and 41 mpg mixed with front-wheel drive.

The Escape Plug-In Hybrid is a standalone mannequin within the lineup and solely provided with front-wheel drive. It has a model of the identical system, however with a 14.4-kwh battery pack that may be charged up in simply 3.5 hours on 240 volts or lower than 11 hours on 120 volts. Then it will possibly go 37 miles on plug-in electrical energy and offers 210 hp mixed (barely lower than the 221 hp Ford quotes for the 2022 model).

Ford boasts that between Auto EV, EV Now, EV Later, and EV Cost modes, homeowners can decide which one finest meets their wants; as we’ve famous in our evaluation of the Escape Plug-In Hybrid, EV Now doesn’t all the time lock out the gasoline engine when there’s a full cost. 

Slotting slightly below the Platinum is a brand new sporty ST-Line mannequin that may be had in all however plug-in hybrid type and in Choose and Elite packages. Altogether, the ST-Line will make up 50% of the Escape lineup.

The ST-Line is primarily a sporty-looking improve bundle bringing a black mesh grille, a rear skid plate, and a single-wing rear spoiler, plus purple stitching and seat trim, a middle armrest, and extra inside. Having seen this in particular person, it accomplishes that, with the blacked-out look sidling in nearer to sizzling hatches than SUVs. In precise efficiency, its firmer suspension damping, flat-bottom steering wheel, and 18-inch wheels could assist convey a touch of the efficiency look. Elite variations additionally improve to 19-inch painted alloys.

All variations of the Escape now embody LED reflector headlights, upgraded lighting, and a sliding rear seat that adjusts six inches fore and aft to assist juggle house between cargo, youngster seats, and different passengers.

The Escape will get Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system, including accessible cloud-connected navigation and enhanced voice instructions plus normal wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. High variations get a 13.2-inch heart touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, and all variations within the lineup will get over-the-air software program replace functionality for a spread of car methods.

The Escape provides security options which assist with avoiding oncoming autos at intersections and in blind spots. The stepped-up security set provides accessible adaptive cruise management, rear cross-traffic braking, and an evasive-steering characteristic. Different accessible options embody rear parking sensors, and surround-view digital camera system, and a wi-fi gadget charging pad.

If there’s a shock right here it’s that Ford doesn’t anticipate the reconstituted Escape to promote in a lot greater numbers than earlier than as a hybrid; it sees about 15% hybrids and seven% plug-in hybrids in the entire Escape combine. It mentioned Escape Hybrid and PHEV fashions are bought to a wholly completely different sort of purchaser than the Mustang Mach-E, so it’s not blaming what these within the trade name cannibalization.

Extra hybrids are on the way in which, Ford has hinted, however they aren’t right here fairly but. Toyota has already been promoting almost 50% of its RAV4 crossover in Hybrid or RAV4 Prime PHEV type, and Honda goals to promote half of its redesigned 2023 CR-V fashions in CR-V Hybrid type. 

Ford says that the revised Escape lineup will attain dealerships in early 2023.