2023 Ford Escape

Inside, the new 13.2-inch touchscreen fitted to all but the base Escape—the one you’re likely to rent from Avis—breathes some new life into an otherwise fairly somber cabin with unimpressive trim given Ford’s hearty pricing. Lighter hues and woodgrain-like trim work their way in as you climb through trim levels, but no Escape has the elegance offered by the Hyundai Tucson. 

If you’re looking for an off-roader, move on to the high-riding Bronco Sport since the Escape sits low to the ground. 

How fast is the Ford Escape?

With 181 hp from a 1.5-liter turbo-3, the base Escape gets the job done well enough around town but can feel stressed at highway speeds. 

The quickest option here is the 250-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 fitted to higher-end ST-Line versions and the Platinum. It’s not as quiet and refined as it could be, but that’s a fair trade-off for zippy acceleration. 

Ford offers two hybrids: one with a plug, and one without. They both share a 2.5-liter inline-4 mated to lithium-ion batteries and two electric motors. Thanks to their electric assistance, these models move smartly away from a stop and hardly feel labored at speed. The upsized battery in PHEV versions offers nearly 40 miles of range (in about 3.5 hours on a Level 2 charger) on a full charge, which can be stored for later use if you want to maximize your emissions-free motoring. 

Unlike Toyota’s RAV4 Prime, though, the Escape PHEV isn’t intended to be a speed demon. It’s also a little loud inside since the CVT forces the gas engine to rev up and stay up when the pedal is mashed down. 

All models have a terrific ride worthy of a luxury model, with nice steering weighting. ST-Line versions have sporty looks but no notable hardware changes to make them handle much differently. Hybrids have a softer ride and low-resistance tires with less grip, which suits their mission fine. 

Rear-seat riders have nearly 39 inches of legroom, though hybrids lose a little more than in inch due to their battery packs. They’re still plenty spacious, though, and benefit from wide door openings, a bench on tracks that can be moved forward and back, and reclining seat backs. 

Behind the rear seats sits 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space, or 33 cubes in hybrid form. 

Which Ford Escape should I buy?

The Escape Active costs about $1,300 more and it includes a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a power tailgate, and a host of small styling upgrades. It’s also the gateway to additional driver-assistance tech such as adaptive cruise control, uprated B&O audio, a 13.2-inch touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

Adding all that tech—plus all-wheel drive—hikes the price to a fairly substantial $34,500 or so. 

Alternatively, the cheapest way into a hybrid is now the ST-Line for a little under $35,000. But if you want all-wheel drive with the hybrid powertrain, Ford will force you into the dressier ST-Line Select for $36,500. That’s a lot of cash, especially since you’re still not sitting on leather seats. 

How much is a fully loaded Ford Escape?

The range tops out in ST-Line Elite trim. Add optional leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a few other items, and Ford will want nearly $46,000.

The Esacpe Plug-In Hybrid runs a little under $40,000, though all-wheel drive is not available. It can be dressed up to the tune of $47,000. 

It's 26/32/28 mpg with all-wheel drive. With the bigger turbo-4, it's set at 23/31/26 mpg.

Hybrids check in at 42/39/36 mpg. 

We expect that the plug-in hybrid will retain something similar to last year’s 37 miles of range on a full charge.