Ford is preparing to discontinue the Escape SUV, Automotive News reports. Motor1.com has contacted the automaker to confirm this report and get more details.
A Ford spokesperson responded: “The Ford Escape is and will continue to be an important part of our lineup. The new 2023 Escape went on sale earlier this year, introducing a new ST-Line trim, as well as new hybrid and plug-in hybrid trims, and we’re pleased with its sales.”
The Escape will allegedly last until 2025. Sometime after that, an EV will reportedly replace it.
Ford just refreshed the Escape for the 2023 model year. It received styling revisions like LED headlights and optional 19-inch wheels. Inside, the model received the Sync 4 infotainment software for the 13.2-inch screen that supports wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The digital instrument cluster measures 12.3 inches. The Blue Oval offers safety tech like evasive steering assist, adaptive cruise control, predictive speed assist, a 360-degree camera, rear parking sensors, and cross-traffic braking. Pricing starts at $27,500.
Buyers can select an EcoBoost turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 180 horsepower. Front- or all-wheel drive are available. The ST-Line Select and ST-Line Elite grades get an EcoBoost turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder offering 250 hp. There’s also a hybrid-assisted 2.5-liter four-cylinder providing 192 hp. A plug-in-hybrid version of the 2.5-liter mill offers 210 hp and provides a 37-mile electric-only range.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested 15 small crossovers in late 2022. The Ford Escape, built after May 2022, and the Volvo XC40 were the only ones that received a Good score, which is the agency’s highest rating.
Ford has delivered 64,839 examples of the Escape as of the second quarter of 2023. This is down 12.3 percent from the 73,920-unit volume in the same period in 2022.
The Escape nameplate debuted for the 2001 model year. A second generation arrived as a 2008 model, and the third-gen vehicle premiered in 2013. The latest version launched for 2020.
The Escape isn’t the only Ford product getting the axe. The Edge is also going away, and the Transit Connect is leaving the US but remains available in Europe.
Get a closer look at the refreshed Ford Escape in the video below:
