The 2023 Ford Escape gets a light refresh for the new model year. Exterior changes are mostly in the nose. It gets a new, taller grille with the badge moved into the middle of it. A full-width daytime running light is now available. And there's now an ST-Line version that features a unique grille mesh and body-color cladding. The interior is updated with new standard dual 8-inch screens for instruments and infotainment. Available as an upgrade is a 12-inch instrument cluster and a 13-inch touchscreen. The infotainment has been updated to Ford Sync 4.0 and can now be updated over the air. Powertrains are carryover including the turbocharged 1.3-liter three-cylinder and the turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder, plus the hybrid and plug-in hybrid 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines. The base model starts at just under $29,000 and the ST-Line is just $995 more.
TranscriptJOEL STOCKSDALE: Hi, everyone. We are checking out the 2023 Ford Escape today. It has been significantly refreshed from the previous version. The main part of the refresh is on the front-end styling.
It's got a new grille and lower fascia. It's similar to what you'll see on the Mach-E, or on the Ford Edge. This particular version, this is a plug-in hybrid, and it also includes an available full width daytime running light that goes across the front of the car.
The hood has been reshaped to fit it also, with more prominent creases and bulging toward the front. Most of the rest of it is pretty similar to the old one. This is the plug-in hybrid, so you'll see the charging door that is only on this version. But other than that, this is what most Escapes will look like, with the black plastic cladding and slightly updated rear fascia.
Now in addition to most regular escapes, there's now an ST-Line, which is over here. This one stands out, due to its body color cladding along the sides. It has a different grille that has a more aggressive mesh pattern, has different wheels, and just generally has a sportier demeanor. It even features little badging on the fenders, denoting its sporty nature.
So in addition to the new exterior styling, the Escape gets new changes inside as well. The instrument cluster and the infotainment system both get new screens. The base models get 8-inch screens in both places. But on higher trim levels, such as this plug-in hybrid, in the ST-Line, that we'll see in just a moment, they're available with a larger 12-inch instrument cluster, and a 13-inch touch screen that you see here.
It's also equipped with the newest Ford SYNC infotainment system, its Ford SYNC 4. This has been implemented on the Mustang Mach-E, and the F-150, and things of that nature. It's a horizontal screen in this situation, as opposed to the F-150 and Mach-E, that's mainly because the air vents are right here, and to have put in a vertical screen, it would have been a significant rework.
We don't mind the horizontal screen though, as it's still very large and sharp, and it's very legible, there's no problem at all with it. It is also now available with over-the-air updates. And in this particular version, the plug-in hybrid, this displays the new gray leather interior that's available for it. And the ST-Line gets its own unique interior.
And now we're in the ST-Line, and this one, being the quote, unquote, sportier version of the Escape, gets its own unique styling features inside. It's got this nice black leather and black upper liners, it's got red stitching, and it also has a nice leather-wrapped steering wheel with perforated leather and faux carbon fiber trim on the dashboard.
There are four powertrains available for the Ford Escape, they're all carryover from last year. There is the base 1.5 liter turbo three cylinder, it makes a little over 180 horsepower, and is available with front-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive. Then there's the turbocharged 2 liter four cylinder, which is available only with all-wheel drive, and makes about 250 horsepower.
The regular hybrid is 2.5 liter naturally aspirated engine. It makes 199 horsepower. And it's available with front wheel drive, or all-wheels drive.
And then there's the plug-in hybrid, which makes 210 horsepower and has about 37 miles of electric range. That one is only available with front-wheel drive. The base active starts at just under $29,000, and the seat line is just another $995 above that. So you can get the sportier styling without a big cost. The Escape will be available in the first quarter of next year, and order books are open now.
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