2020 Ford Escape Release Date, Hybrid

The Ford Escape, company’s second-best-selling vehicle coming with a total redesign for the 2020 model year. For the fourth-generation Escape, the famous Michigan carmaker revamped almost every element of the compact crossover SUV. The brand-new 2020 Ford Escape gets a fresh exterior design. The interior is now more versatile as well. Also, the chassis is more than 200 pounds lighter and more rigid than the previous model.

Moreover, the engineers use martensite steel in the A-pillars which makes the Escape’s exterior stronger, while reducing the mass. This compact crossover SUV is based on Ford’s new modular unibody chassis. According to the rumours, the company have plans to tune this model for off-road use in the future.

2020 Ford Escape Exterior Changes

For the exterior redesign of 2020 Ford Escape main man was Joel Piatkowski, Global Director for cars and crossovers at Ford company. The result is a wider, lower and longer vehicle than the previous version. The roofline is also more sloped, and the optimized liftgate and shrouded underbody will definitely improve the aerodynamics. This model will be very special indeed. The engineers and designers spent many hours in the wind tunnel, tunning the airflow, below and over, basically all around the vehicle.

Furthermore, new Escape comes with a shield-shaped trapezoidal grille, similar to the one on the sixth-generation Mustang. Also, the front fascia details are visually comparable to the details on the Ford GT. The new Escape rides on a 106.7-inch wheelbase, that’s 0.8 inches longer than the previous model. The 2020 version comes with a 62.4-inch front, 61.8-inch rear track, up 2.6 inches front and 2.1 inches rear. One of the main improvements for this generation is the lower beltline. Now, the outward vision is better for rear seat passengers. On top of that, with the tailgate badges and raised lettering, the Escape will offer a more upscale look.

Interior Redesign

The interior of upcoming 2020 Ford Escape has also been redesigned, with the main focus on flexibility. The second row can slide fore and aft by approximately six inches, so the customers can adjust the space between passengers and cargo as they want. The glove box is quite generous, you can easily put a 12-inch tablet in there and the luggage compartment can accommodate any type of sport or fishing gear. Moreover, you can bring your whole team, the new Escape has enough room for four adults. If the teammates squeeze a little, there will be room for the fifth team member as well.

The second-row bench seat can fold, and offers superb legroom when it’s slid all the way rearward. Also, the steering wheel travel is improved, by 1.3 inches. This means the end of troubles for the taller drivers, and now they can fully enjoy this wonderful cabin. As for technology, Escape comes with an impressively equipped interior. The Ford Pass Connect with 4G LTE Wi-Fi is included, and with it, you can connect up to 10 devices at once. Furthermore, a wireless device charging is available as well, four USB connection and three 12-volt socket also. For the base model, the standard feature is a 4.2 centre touch screen. If you choose the SE and above models, you’ll get an 8-inch touch with Apple CarPlay, Sync3, Android Auto, Ford+Alexa as part of standard equipment.

The upcoming Ford Escape will be a 7-seat SUV

Interesting news is coming from Ford’s headquarters in Michigan. The company is planning to add the third row to the Escape and make this compact SUV a 7-seater. The idea behind this project is to make the 7-seat model an ideal substitute for the Ford Kuga, the best-selling crossover SUV abroad. That will surely leave a lot of questions and doubts among the fans of this model. The biggest concern is regarding the cabin room and will it be big enough for all of the passengers.

Worry not, the new 2020 Ford Escape will come wider and slightly longer than the previous version, and another row of seats will fit perfectly. Moreover, this vehicle will probably replace Ford Edge in the States. Both of these models ride on a similar platform and share pretty much the same design elements, so this replacement is more like a refreshment.

Specs

The 2020 Ford Escape will offer four drivetrains to choose from. First one is a 3-cylinder 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged gasoline powertrain. This unit can produce 180 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. The 1.5-liter engine will be standard in the S, SE and SEL trim levels. This powertrain comes with a cylinder-deactivation program, that keeps it run on two cylinders and that way, improve fuel economy on the highway. Second engine choice is a 4-cylinder 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged gasoline drivetrain, that can develop 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. This unit will be standard in Titanium models and optional in SEL.

Moreover, gasoline models will have a brand-new 8-speed automatic transmission, but the shift paddles will be available only with a 2.0-liter engine. The Hybrid and PHEV models work with an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT). Front-wheel drive is the standard option on the 1.5-liter, hybrid and PHEV models. On the other hand, all-wheel drive is standard for 2.0-liter gasoline versions and optional for the 1.5-liter and hybrid. Selectable drive model comes as standard on all 2020 Escape models.

2020 Ford Escape Hybrid and PHEV

The 2020 Ford Escape will have a hybrid gasoline-electric setup (HEV) and a plug-in hybrid gasoline-electric system (PHEV) as well. The HEV will use a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder gas powertrain with a 1.1.kWh electric motor. This combination produces 198 hp, and it will come in the SE Sport and Titanium models. The PHEV uses a 2.5-liter gas drivetrain and 14.4-kWh electric motor, with the combined output of 209 horsepower. The PHEV will be available in the SE, SEL and Titanium trim levels. Just to mention, the horsepower and torque numbers for the 1.5-liter and 2.0- litre powertrains were created using 93-octane fuel.

However, we can expect slightly lower figures when 87-octane gasoline is used. The EPA fuel economy numbers are still unknown, but we know that the plug-in hybrid will have an EV-only range of up to 30 miles. Moreover, the standard Hybrid will be able to cross more than 500 miles in between rechargings. The liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack on the Hybrid is installed below the rear seat, so it can’t cut short cargo space. Also, the 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid and PHEV comes with four EV modes. Auto EV mode decides if the vehicle should go on gas or electric power. EV Now mode, users can operate the new model in an all-electric mode. The EV Later is a gas-only mode, and it preserves electric miles for later usage. Lastly, the EV Charge allows the driver to charge the battery while driving.

Release Date and Price

The 2020 Ford Escape will be constructed at the Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky. The new model will have five trim levels: S, SE, SE Sport, SEL and Titanium. The price is not yet announced, but we expect that it will be known by the launch date in the fall of 2019. However, the plug-in models will arrive later, the release date is planned for spring of 2020.

Also, the price is a bit of mystery. We don’t have the official information from the company, but the price range should be similar to the 2019 prices. So, the customers can expect the price range between $24,200 for the S model and up to $32,460 for Titanium. With these prices, the main rivals of the 2020 Fors Escape will be Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Chevy Equinox and Hyundai Tucson.