Ford’s updated Escape has arrived and it is again an all hybrid line-up.
The three variant range starts with the Titanium FHEV (that’s full hybrid electric vehicle of the self charging kind) at $59,990.
The middle model is the ST-Line X hybrid which adds all wheel drive and is $66,490. The most expensive is the ST-Line X plug-in hybrid which is now $72,990. Those prices have all risen compared with the previous models; the line-up used to start at just over $53k and ran to $69k.
All models use the familiar 2.5-litre four-cylinder running with the hybrid automatic transmission and motor/battery system. The front drive Titanium has a maximum output of 132kW, while the AWD model gets 134kW. The plug-in, with its more powerful electric motor, makes a total of 178kW.
The more important numbers are the fuel efficiency figures which in the Ford release were stated at 4.8L/100km for the Titanium, 5.3L/100km for the ST-Line X and 4.7L/100km for the plug-in hybrid. That last one might have been a typo however.
Further down, in the fine print of the release, Ford lists the homologated fuel efficiency for the hybrid as being between 5.3 and 6.4L/100km as per the WLTP testing regime. The PHEVs fuel efficiency is between 0.9 and 1.2L/100km with an homologated pure electric driving range of between 60 and 69km on the WLTP test.
Read the Ford Escape PHEV review
Ford says the Escape has evolved both inside and out with ‘a fresh, confident design’ and each model has ‘unique features and personality’. A full width LED light bar frames the new front grille on the ST-Line X models.
Inside is the latest generation of Ford’s Sync entertainment system with 5G connectivity, cloud-connected navigation and wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.There’s a new generation of adaptive cruise control which can brake for curves and junctions and also an improved 360 degree camera system.
The braked towing capacity for the Titanium is 1600kg while both all-wheel drive models can haul up to 2100kg.
