{"id":29967,"date":"2022-10-27T11:28:46","date_gmt":"2022-10-27T15:28:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=29967"},"modified":"2022-10-27T11:28:46","modified_gmt":"2022-10-27T15:28:46","slug":"revealed-2023-ford-escape-updated-with-new-face-more-tech-st-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2022\/10\/revealed-2023-ford-escape-updated-with-new-face-more-tech-st-line","title":{"rendered":"Revealed: 2023 Ford Escape updated with new face, more tech, ST-Line"},"content":{"rendered":"

Detroit<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Introduced in 2020, the fourth-generation Ford Escape gets a refresh for the 2023 model year. But in the auto market\u2019s most popular non-truck class, no refresh is minor.<\/p>\n

Ford\u2019s fourth best-selling vehicle \u2014 after the iconic F-150 pickup, F-series heavy duty pickups, and Explorer SUV \u2014 Ford\u2019s compact SUV receives new model badging, new interior screens \u2018n\u2019 tech, and a revised exterior wardrobe.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll know it by the reworked front end that pulls back from its predecessor\u2019s low, Ford Focus-like grille for a broader mouth with the Blue Oval logo moved from hood to the mid-grille. The smiling, meshed grille is still in contrast with the design of the Bronco Sport, with which Escape has shared the segment since 2021.<\/p>\n

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\u201cEscape is the perfect city vehicle with its flexible, modern architecture,\u201d said Ford SUV marketing guru Craig Patterson.<\/p>\n

To that end, Ford charged its European design studio to pen the Escape. With narrow streets and dense city centers, Europeans know a thing or two about urban vehicles (the Escape is badged as Kuga on the other side of the pond).<\/p>\n

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With Escape aimed at urban customers and Bronco Sport targeted at adventure types, Ford\u2019s two-compact SUV strategy has paid off, expanding segment sales by nearly 70%. As a result, the Ford twins now sell upwards of 253,000 vehicles a year, good enough for fourth in segment in 2021 behind the Japanese Big Three of Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue.<\/p>\n

The Escape\/Bronco Sport tag team isn\u2019t the only Ford lineup change that has affected Escape. With the demise of EcoSport for the \u201823 model year, Escape will now be Ford\u2019s entry-level SUV at $28,995. Ford\u2019s Maverick, built on the same platform as Escape\/Bronco Sport, is the brand\u2019s cheapest vehicle at $23,670.<\/p>\n

While one of Escape\u2019s chief competitors, the Honda CR-V, is ditching its base model for a $32,355 starting point, Escape will continue to offer a nicely-equipped standard model for under $30K. Powered by a 1.5-liter, 190-horse engine \u2014 one of four engine options for the SUV \u2014 the Base will feature standard blind-spot assist, an 8-or-13.2-inch center screen, and state-of-the-art SYNC 4 infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (the CR-V only offers wireless CarPlay with its larger, 8-inch screen).<\/p>\n

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Then the Escape lineup really gets interesting.<\/p>\n

Taking an off-ramp from alphanumeric naming convention, Escape is the first Blue Oval model to shelve its SE and SEL models for proper names. Say hello to the new Base, Escape Active, Plug-in, ST-Line and Platinum lineup.<\/p>\n

Significantly, each trim (except hybrid models) offers the option of all-wheel-drive (a $1,500 upgrade) and the 13.2-inch screen, in addition to two tech packages. Most noteworthy is the all-new, sporty ST-Line trim.<\/p>\n

A descendant of the brand\u2019s iconic ST performance models, Ford expects ST-Line (starting at $33,835) to make up 50% of sales with its trendy, black-trimmed wardrobe, rocker-panel cladding, 18-inch wheels, flat-bottom steering wheel, rear skidplate, and rear spoiler. It will also option three drivetrains: 1.5-liter turbo-4, 2.0-liter turbo-4 and hybrid. An ST-Line Elite package stand out with an LED front mono-brow and 19-inch ebony wheels.<\/p>\n

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ST-Line replaces Escape\u2019s similar, blacked-out SE Sport Hybrid trim which \u2014 at under $30,000 \u2014 aimed at selling electrified tech to the mainstream, meat \u2018n\u2019 potatoes Escape buyer. How times have changed. Though the hybrid made up about 15-20% of Escape sales, it is no longer the focus of Ford\u2019s electrified strategy. Not with the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E EVs on the lot.<\/p>\n

Those popular vehicles brought in lots of government emission credits \u2014 enough to let Escape off the hook as a compliance vehicle. For those who crave short-haul electric-only transportation and long range gas reliability, a fully-charged Plug-in Escape will offer 37 miles of battery-only range.<\/p>\n

In hybrid mode, Escape will go a whopping 550 miles \u2014 30 more than the longest range EV, the $170,000 Lucid Air Dream Range.<\/p>\n

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While the Escape mixes and matches its trims and powertrains, its signature features will remain \u2014 mostly.<\/p>\n

Rear seat legroom is biggest in segment (and nearly as roomy as a Ford Expedition mega-ute) thanks to the seat\u2019s talent at sliding backwards 6 inches on rails. It will also recline. Escape\u2019s pioneering self-park feature (now found in other Fords, including the hulking F-150) is available \u2014 but Ford chose to ditch its kick-open rear hatch function. Customers just weren\u2019t asking for it.<\/p>\n

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Ford is a segment tech leader and for 2023 it also offers standard 4G connectivity, digital in-screen owner\u2019s manual, auto high-beams, and lane-keep assist. The Ford Co-Pilot360 tech package debuts Intersection Assist, which uses the front camera and radar sensors to help alert drivers to oncoming traffic while turning left.<\/p>\n

Built at Louisville Assembly in Kentucky, the new Escape will be in showrooms early next year.<\/p>\n

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Detroit\u00a0\u2014 Introduced in 2020, the fourth-generation Ford Escape gets a refresh for the 2023 model year. But in the auto market\u2019s most popular non-truck class, no refresh is minor. Ford\u2019s fourth best-selling vehicle \u2014 after the iconic F-150 pickup, F-series heavy duty pickups, and Explorer SUV \u2014 Ford\u2019s compact SUV receives new model badging, new […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29967"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29967"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29968,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29967\/revisions\/29968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}