The 2023 Ford Escape has finally been revealed with a sportier image and a number of key updates, technology offerings, and package offerings to freshen its image in a sea of A-Game competitors in the compact SUV class.
Ford sees its Escape as the less rugged and boxy SUV in their lineup, that persona handled by the Bronco Sport. A good strategy but many have said the current Escape is too conservative, perhaps a bit dowdy in its form and character.
To that, the 2023 Ford Escape gets a sharper face with standard LED headlamps and a new jawline to give it a more sporting and premium appearance. A cherry on top is a new range of ST-Line trims seek to sport up the Escape to help it shake its milquetoast image.
The ST-Line brings styling ups like a gloss black mesh grille and lower fascia trim, revised rear fascia with skid plate design elements, and a larger rear spoiler and body color lower cladding all planted to the ground with a more aggressive design of alloy wheels in sizes 18 or 19-inches.
Available in three trim levels, the ST-Line, ST-Line Select and ST-Line Elite, the top models get a “coast to coast” LED signature lighting element that connects its LED headlamps visually.
The base ST-Line Escape can be had with either the 180 horsepower 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo with FWD or AWD. The ST-Line Select and ST-Line Elite can be optioned 250-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo or the 210-horsepower 2.5-liter Hybrid. The 2023 Ford Escape ST-Lines range from $29,840 to $38,460
Other trim grades of the 2023 Ford Escape have been renamed and reshuffled. The entry-level S is now called Base and starts at $27,500. The SE is now called Active which begins at $28,845. Titanium has been renamed Platinum and is now $37,465.
The $38,500 Plug-In Hybrid is now at the top of the line in a single trim offering but can be upgraded with a Premium Package. So while it’s one trim grade in name, it’s effectively two as the Premium Package really adds a lot of interior upgrades like quilted leather and Co-Pilot 360 features.
Speaking of the interior, it gets a number of relatively minor but important updates. Color and trim offerings are revised with Ebony and Gray being the two colors offered. Standard is now an 8-inch digital instrument cluster screen and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system even on the Base trim.
Available on Active trim and above is a new large format 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen and audio system with the next generation of new cloud-connected SYNC 4. It includes a raft of new services like cloud connected navigation, Alexa Built-in services and over-the-air software updates just to name a few.
On ST-Line the interior gets red stitching and highlights on the door panels, seat trim, center arm rest, floor mats and its flat-bottom steering wheel. Seating is a combination of vinyl and cloth on ST-Line and ST-Line Select. The chairs can be upgraded to a premium quilted leather on ST-Line Elite with an optional package.
Once bonus, a mini spare tire now standard, no more fix-a-flat kit. Lastly, two new colors join the fray, Vapor Blue Metallic and Cinnabar Red Metallic. You can log onto the Ford website to dig into all of the range of options and features, and color choices as the build app is now live for the 2023 Escape.