2020 Ford Escape
If you’ve been eyeing the Ford Escape, this is your year. Because the Escape has been fully redesigned for the 2020 model year. No time like a new decade to roll out what the Ford designers have been cooking. In this preview guide, we dive into what’s new and why you want this sport utility vehicle parked in your driveway.
New Engines
We can’t cover everything that’s new with the 2020 Ford Escape, so we’ll have to settle for the highlights. The big news is that the Escape Hybrid has returned, which we haven’t seen since 2012. That’s a long time to wait, but the hybrid is back, baby! Better yet, there’s a plug-in hybrid model as well with a range of 30 all-electric miles. That means if you live within 15 miles of your work, you won’t even touch the gasoline in the tank all week. Once the plug-in’s battery is depleted, this eco-friendly SUV simply switches over to gas for the rest of the trip. When you get home, plug it in, leave it overnight, and you’ll have a charged battery with which to tackle a new day.
More Power
The other biggie is the Ford Escape’s improved power and acceleration. That’s right, speed fans. Strap in and get ready to be impressed. The base engine is a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder that replaces last year’s four-cylinder. The new cylinder deactivation system shuts down a cylinder when not needed, saving you fuel when you’re not accelerating. Though it’s working with fewer cylinders, there’s a gain of 2 horsepower and 13 pound-feet of torque over the previous model. And if that base engine isn’t cutting it for you, there’s also a 4-cylinder 2-liter EcoBoost turbocharged gas engine, generating 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet, which is very impressive for a vehicle this size.
Better Looks
The word in Escape appearance is aerodynamic. Everything about its shape conveys air moving over and around this superbly crafted machine. The new Escape crouches lower, its stance is wider, and its body is longer than the previous generation. A sloped roofline really lifts fast-moving air over the Escape, allowing this SUV to cut through the wind life a hot knife through butter. That means the Escape doesn’t need to work as hard to get the same results.
Beyond that, the 2020 Ford Escape has hints of the latest Mustangs in its design, including a grille shaped like a shield and a similar nose. And we’ll also have you know that the Escape has slimmed down. It’s weighing 200 pounds less these days, which means the additional power debuting this year carries you faster and farther with less work.
There’s so much to love about the all-new, fully-redesigned 2020 Ford Escape. Test drive one soon and we think you’ll agree.