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2020 Ford Escape VIN documents show three engines and two hybrids

Base engine is the 1.3-liter Dragon three-cylinder

Ford Escape Hybrid
Ford Escape Hybrid / Image Credit: SpiedBilde
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Another day, another powertrain scheme revealed. Based on VIN decoder documents Ford submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, we learned of engine options for the 2020 Lincoln Corsair. The same paperwork shows 2020 Escape trims and engines with a little variation on the Lincoln sibling. The base Escape S will get Ford's 1.3-liter Dragon three-cylinder, with a horsepower yet to be declared. It will replace the 1.5-liter EcoBoost cylinder that makes 179 hp and 177 pound-feet of torque in the current Escape S.

The Corsair's base engine will be the top-tier engine in the Escape — a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder. As we saw with the Corsair specs, though, it looks like Ford's cutting back on horsepower. The Escape document lists the 2.0-liter as "240PS GAS," which is 237 horsepower, same as it did with the Corsair. That 2.0-liter currently makes 245 hp in the Escape and the Lincoln MKC, a drop of eight horses. The premium engine in the Corsair, a 2.3-liter EcoBoost, is listed as having 275 hp, which is 10 hp less than the 2.3-liter in the current MKC.

It looks like there'll be a traditional hybrid and a plug-in hybrid for the Escape, since Ford lists FHEV (full hybrid-electric vehicle) and PHEV on the documents. Both use the 2.5-liter Duratec four-cylinder. Hybrid horsepower isn't listed on the VIN paperwork, but that engine presently makes 168 hp and 170 lb-ft in the base Escape S. The same engine in the Fusion S puts out 175 hp and 175 lb-ft.

The Escape will come in the same four trims as today: S, SE, SEL and Titanium. Any can be optioned with all-wheel drive, but only the SE, SEL and Titanium offer hybrid options and plug-in hybrid options. On the Corsair, the PHEV is a trim to itself and only available with all-wheel drive. Sadly, there's no indication of an Escape ST.

With the Escape due in showrooms sometime this year, we shouldn't have long to wait to fill in the blanks.

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Ford Escape Information

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