Used 2023 Ford Escape

The Ford Escape improves its value proposition in the compact SUV class with a thorough refresh for the 2023 model year. It continues with the same four engine options (two of which are hybrids) but gets a pretty significant aesthetic facelift and desirable new tech like standard wireless smartphone connectivity. It competes in a crowded segment led by the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, and Chevrolet Equinox.

Driving the Ford Escape is a pleasant experience that yields few surprises. In our testing, the base turbocharged 3-cylinder engine is strong enough for the daily commute and returns good fuel economy.

Upgrading to the available turbo 4-cylinder engine adds some extra excitement to this practical SUV. This engine is similar to the one that powered the now-discontinued Ford Focus ST, bringing back good memories of that hot hatch. It strikes a good balance of power and efficiency without sacrificing any of the practicality of the Escape.

The widely available conventional hybrid powertrain improves the fuel economy of the Escape pretty significantly. With the 2023 update, the hybrid engine costs the same as the turbo 4-cylinder when equipped with all-wheel drive (AWD). This allows you to prioritize performance or efficiency without worrying about a cost difference.

Finally, the plug-in hybrid powertrain delivers a driving experience similar to the conventional hybrid but with a bit more power. It can travel up to 37 miles on electricity alone, giving it the lowest annual fuel cost of any powertrain in the Escape lineup by a significant margin.

As for driving comfort, the Escape provides a smooth, comfortable, and quiet ride regardless of what’s under the hood.

Upgrading to AWD improves the all-season traction of the Ford Escape, but it’s not much of an off-roader. That’s where the more rugged Ford Bronco Sport comes in.

The interior of the Ford Escape gets some improvements for the 2023 model year. The most significant change is the standard SYNC 4 8-inch infotainment system. It’s upgradeable to a giant new 13.2-inch screen, and you can get a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The 2023 update keeps the technology fresh in the Escape.

The Ford Escape has a roomy, pleasant interior. There have been a few low-rent materials in the lower trims in previous years, and we hope that’s resolved with the 2023 refresh.

One of our favorite features of this interior is the sliding second-row seats. This function is uncommon in this class, making the interior more flexible. You can adjust the second-row seats to optimize passenger legroom, cargo space, or any balance you’d like. In our experience, the Escape has roomy, adult-friendly rear seats.

The cargo space in the Escape is above-average for an SUV this size. We’ve found it easy to load and unload thanks to a low cargo floor.

Ford updated the Escape’s exterior for 2023. The new front end reminds us of the bigger Ford Edge, but the rear and the sides haven’t changed much. The new ST-Line models add a sporty appearance package with a bold grille and spoiler, unique wheels, and painted rocker panels. The outgoing design of the Escape tended to blend in with the crowd, and this bold new aesthetic looks good on this SUV.

The Escape’s dimensions are in line with the compact SUV segment. In the Ford lineup, it’s between the smaller Bronco Sport and the midsize Edge.

Mechanical variety
There are four different powertrains available under the hood of the Ford Escape. The base turbocharged 3-cylinder engine is affordable and efficient, and the turbo 4-cylinder adds a sporty drive to the Escape. For better efficiency, you can also get it with a conventional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Sliding rear seats
Sliding rear seats are an uncommon feature in this class, but they come standard in the Ford Escape. These provide lots of legroom in the rear seats, and you can customize your cargo area to optimize the space.

SYNC 4
The standard SYNC 4 8-inch infotainment system is loaded with tech features, notably wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. You can upgrade it to a 13.2-inch screen with navigation and a Bang & Olufsen 10-speaker audio system.

Ford Co-Pilot360
The standard Ford Co-Pilot360 safety tech suite brings many driver assistance features to this SUV. Standard features include automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams. Additional optional features include adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, speed sign recognition, and a 360-degree camera.

Sporty ST-Line trims
Three new ST-Line trims join the Ford Escape lineup with the 2023 update. It’s not a full-fledged ST performance model, but it has an appearance package with a bold grille, spoiler, and sporty wheels. The ST-Line Select and Elite models are available with either the conventional hybrid powertrain or the muscular turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine.

Digital instrument cluster
An 8-inch digital instrument cluster comes standard on the 2023 Ford Escape. This adds a high-tech look and feel to the cabin, and it’s upgradeable to a bigger 12.3-inch display with greater customizability.

3-Cylinder Engine

The base engine (and most popular engine) in the Ford Escape is a frugal turbocharged 3-cylinder engine. The performance is adequate for the average driver, and it’s good on gas. This is the standard engine in the Base, Active, and ST-Line trims, and it’s not available in the upper trims.

The 3-cylinder engine uses an 8-speed automatic transmission. Like most SUVs in this class, front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard and all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional.

Turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder
181 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
190 lb-ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 28/34 mpg (FWD), 26/31 mpg (AWD)

4-Cylinder Engine

The available 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine is the sportiest engine choice in the Escape lineup, but it’s also the least efficient. There aren’t many SUVs in this class with these kinds of power and torque ratings (the turbo Mazda CX-5 is one worth noting), so it’s the one to get if you’re looking for an engaging drive in a practical SUV. It’s available in the ST-Line Select, ST-Line Elite, and Platinum trims.

Like the 3-cylinder engine, the 4-cylinder employs an 8-speed automatic transmission. Every Escape with this engine comes standard with AWD.

Turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder
250 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
280 lb-ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/31 mpg

Hybrid Powertrain

The conventional hybrid powertrain turns the Escape into a very efficient SUV getting over 40 mpg in city driving. It’s also pretty widely available throughout the Escape lineup. You can get it in all three ST-Line trims and the Platinum trim.

The hybrid powertrain employs a continuous variable automatic transmission (CVT) rather than the 8-speed in the non-hybrid models. If you get the hybrid engine in the ST-Line or Platinum trims, FWD is standard, and AWD is optional. However, every Escape in the ST-Line Select and ST-Line Elite trims has AWD.

2.5-liter Atkinson cycle hybrid 4-cylinder
200 total horsepower
155 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 44/37 mpg (FWD), 43/37 mpg (AWD)

Plug-In Hybrid Powertrain

The plug-in hybrid powertrain can travel up to 37 miles on electricity alone. Even when the full charge is exhausted, it operates like a regular hybrid and gets an impressive combined fuel economy rating of 40 mpg. The plug-in hybrid even benefits from an additional 21 horsepower compared to the conventional hybrid.

The plug-in hybrid powertrain comes exclusively in the standalone PHEV trim. It’s only available with FWD and uses a CVT automatic transmission. If you’d like a PHEV compact SUV with all-wheel drive, consider the Toyota RAV4 Prime or the plug-in variants of the Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage.

2.5-liter Atkinson cycle plug-in hybrid 4-cylinder
221 total horsepower
155 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA combined fuel economy: 105 MPGe on battery power, 40 mpg in gas-electric hybrid mode
Battery-only range: 37 miles

More Escape fuel economy information is available on the EPA’s website.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

The Ford Escape comes with a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, which is typical for this segment. All hybrid components get an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty.