2020 Ford Escape Gets Sharp New Look, Hybrid and PHEV Options
Photo: Ford Motor Company
The 2020 Ford Escape gets an all-new look, several innovative features for its segment, and four new engine options — including hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains Ford says will offer best-in-class range.
“This all-new Escape brings a sleeker, sportier design with the capability to take you on just about any of your life’s adventures,” said Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s president, North America. “With our class-leading hybrid powertrains, customers will spend less time at the gas station and more time on the road.”
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In an effort to make the new Escape stand out more against its competitors, Ford employed several design quirks from its performance vehicles, including a Mustang-inspired trapezoidal grille and a lower front end that draws influence from the Ford GT. The Escape’s profile is more coupe-like, owing to the styling of the Focus Active, and it sit much lower, wider, and longer than its predecessor.
Backing up its more athletic aesthetic are four new powertrains, including an available 250-horsepower 2.0-liter EcoBoost that Ford estimates will return a 0-60 mph time up to 10 percent faster than its predecessor. The Escape S, SE, and SEL get a standard 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder with cylinder deactivation, marking the engine’s debut in North America.
The Escape will feature not one, but two hybrid powertrain options. The SE Sport and Titanium are standard with an all-new 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle hybrid engine that’s expected to return 198 horsepower and an 85-mph top speed in electric-only mode as well as a projected best-in-class 550-mile range. The plug-in hybrid powertrain will be offered for the SE, SEL, and Titanium and is projected to offer a best-in-class 30 miles of electric-only range. Both will feature four EV modes: Auto EV, EV Now, EV Later, and all-new EV Charge mode.
To ensure the success of the Escape among families, Ford has configured it to deliver best-in-class max second-row legroom and standard second-row sliding seats. Gasoline-powered versions deliver 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, and the hybrids will be comparable thanks to smart positioning of the liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery — roughly one-third the size of the first-gen Escape Hybrid’s battery — beneath the second row.
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In terms of tech, the 2020 Ford Escape gets an available heads-up display that projects information onto a 6-inch screen — a Ford first in North America — as well as Active Park Assist 2.0 and Evasive Steering Assist (both class-exclusive) and standard Ford Co-Pilot360.
Expect more information on the 2020 Ford Escape, its powertrains, and its fancy features as the year goes on.
Photos: 2020 Ford Escape Revealed
Richard Bazzy is the face of Shults Ford, the No. 1 Ford dealer in Pittsburgh and all of Pennsylvania. Known for his unique approach to selling cars and his penchant for cowboy hats, Richard runs Shults Ford of Harmarville, Shults Ford Lincoln of Wexford, and Shults Ford South. Visit his YouTube channel and see just how well Richard Bazzy can yee a haw.