Eliminating confusion about trim levels is part of Ford’s marketing of the Escape as a “calm space.”

2023 ford escape simplifies lineup, declutters interior in mid-cycle refresh
Ford

  • For 2023, the Escape’s front end is new from the base of the windshield forward. LED headlamps are more aggressively styled, and a light bar now stretches the full width.
  • The Escape trim walk has been recast, beginning with the Base trim, then stepping up to Active trim, then the ST-Line (Select and Elite), and then Platinum and Plug-In Hybrid.
  • The instrument panel is less cluttered now that all the hard climate-control buttons are digital and have been moved to the base of a new larger display screen. The overall look is cleaner.

    There’s a lot riding on—and alongside—the Ford Escape. Dearborn’s C2 vehicle platform, in play for four years now, stands as a microcosm of Ford Motor Co.’s entire product portfolio—and is a vital entry point for first-time buyers. The C2 architecture underpins the Maverick pickup truck, Bronco Sport crossover, European Focus compact car, and the upscale Lincoln Corsair crossover.

    The star of that show from a sales perspective, however, is the Escape, which launched in tandem with the Mazda Tribute in 2001 and was part of the initial wave of crossover/utility vehicles that relied on unibody construction (for better car-like handling) while larger SUVs and pickup trucks used body-on-frame architectures.

    The current-generation Escape has been in the market for two years, which means it’s time for a refresh to keep customers interested in a midsize crossover segment that is packed like a clown car with 28 entries—in the US alone. This is America’s most popular vehicle sector, with sales topping 2 million units through September. That’s more volume than pickup trucks—of all sizes.

    The Escape does pretty well, but through the first nine months it trailed the Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and the best-selling Toyota RAV4. So the Escape product team set about to make incremental upgrades in this mid-cycle refresh.

    For model year 2023, the entire front end is new, from the base of the windshield forward. The LED headlamps are less rounded and more aggressively styled, and a distinctive light bar now stretches the full width, illuminating the front edge of the hood. The new grille opening is larger, more three-dimensional, and now holds the blue oval in the center, while on the ’22 model it rested on the hood above the grille.

    In broader terms, the front end of the ’22 Escape looked like a pleasant face, but the reskinned ’23 Escape has the furrowed brow and angry eyes of someone in a contentious business meeting. It works.

    2023 ford escape simplifies lineup, declutters interior in mid-cycle refresh

    Button for raising tailgate finds new location in 2023 Ford Escape.

    Tom Murphy

    At the rear, a handle on the ’22 model protruded from the lower liftgate for raising it, but the new model hides that button under the lip that extends above the license plate, making for a cleaner, streamlined liftgate design. The taillamps have also been restyled, and the rear spoiler is larger now.

    From the side, both model years look identical in terms of sheetmetal and overall form, but there are new 19-inch machine-faced Ebony painted wheels on the ’23 Escape ST-Line Elite upgrade package that gains prominence in the new model year.

    The ST-Line is part of a massive rejiggering of the Escape trim walk. In ’22, Ford offered the Escape in S, SE, SEL, and Titanium trim. Customers complained that “S” monikers were just letters that didn’t convey where they stood on the pricing sheet.

    So the ’23 Escape now begins at the Base trim, then steps up to Active trim, then the ST-Line (Select and Elite), and then Platinum and Plug-In Hybrid.

    2023 ford escape simplifies lineup, declutters interior in mid-cycle refresh

    2023 Ford Escape ST-Line Elite with new 13.2-inch center screen.

    Ford

    Ford expects the sporty ST-Line to make up 50% of Escape sales volume, partly due to a more attractive pricing model: An upgraded ST-Line model (with black rims, red stitching, and flat-bottom steering wheel) will cost an extra $995, while an appearance package added to an SE or SEL model in ’22 would have cost about $1500.

    All the hard climate-control buttons are digital and have been moved to the base of the new larger display screen.

    This attempt to eliminate confusion about trim levels fits into Ford’s marketing spiel of positioning the Escape as a calm space offering a respite from the outside world. Along those lines, the new instrument panel is much less cluttered now that all the hard climate-control buttons are digital and have been moved to the base of the new larger display screen positioned atop the instrument panel. The overall look is cleaner.

    In ’22, the main central screens were 4 inches diagonal in base models, with an 8-inch upgrade. For ’23, the 8-inch screen becomes standard, and an enormous 13.2-incher is standard on Platinum and PHEV models and is optional on ST-Line offerings.

    The infotainment behind those screens was driven by Ford’s Sync 3 platform in ’22, but the ’23 refresh moves up to Sync 4 with better graphics, split-screen capability, more customized views, and improved voice controls.

    Ebony will remain the most popular interior color for the Escape, but Space Gray represents a new interior shade, in place of Sandstone. Leather is available with top trims. And there are two new exterior paint colors: Cinnabar Red and Vapor Blue (pictured below).

    The powertrains carry over from last year to the ’23 Escape, with the most popular engine (about 50% of the mix) expected to remain the 180-hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost, followed by the 250-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost (expected to account for 25% of sales).

    2023 ford escape simplifies lineup, declutters interior in mid-cycle refresh

    Chief Program Engineer Mike Geaney discusses details at 2023 Ford Escape media briefing.

    Tom Murphy

    The remaining sales should be divided by the 210-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid (about 27%) and 2.5-liter four-cylinder plug-in hybrid (about 8% of sales), according to Ford. When fully charged, the PHEV can run for 37 miles in all-electric mode. The Escape comes from a front-wheel-drive architecture, but all-wheel drive is offered in most trim levels.

    Available driver-assistance technologies include stop-and-go cruise control, onboard navigation, rear cross-traffic braking, reverse brake assist, and Ford Co-Pilot360 technology with intersection assist and blindspot assist.

    The ’23 Escape is available to order now and will reach dealerships early next year. Ford will continue building the crossover at its plant in Louisville, Kentucky. Pricing information will be available closer to launch.

    Keyword: 2023 Ford Escape Simplifies Lineup, Declutters Interior in Mid-Cycle Refresh

    CAR'S NEWS RELATED

    Here's How The Ford Ranger Raptor's Fox Shocks Make It A Great Off-Roader

    There are multiple drive modes, and each one tweaks the dampers for different purpose.

    View more: Here's How The Ford Ranger Raptor's Fox Shocks Make It A Great Off-Roader

    Crawford moves to DAMS, Hadjar and Marti join Campos

    Isack Hadjar (FRA) Red Bull Junior Driver. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 17, Japanese Grand Prix, Thursday 21st September 2023. Suzuka, Japan. Jak Crawford will move to DAMS for the 2024 Formula 2 season while Red Bull juniors Isack Hadjar and Pepe Marti will compete for Campos. Crawford finished ...

    View more: Crawford moves to DAMS, Hadjar and Marti join Campos

    Ford Robbed Us Of The Old Four-Door Ranger Because It Wanted To Sell Explorers

    Photo: Ford By definition, a big truck like a Ford F-150 or Chevy Silverado struggles to be small. Even in its smallest, most trucky configuration — a two-door single cab — a full-size truck is relatively large and comes with a sizable bed for hauling cargo. But a small ...

    View more: Ford Robbed Us Of The Old Four-Door Ranger Because It Wanted To Sell Explorers

    Ford loses nearly 400 participants from its EV dealer program

    After asking its dealers to join it “on an epic journey of sustainable expansion,” Ford revealed over two-thirds of its dealers joined almost a year ago. However, close to 400 dealers have dropped out of the program since then. Ford asked its dealership network to become a part of ...

    View more: Ford loses nearly 400 participants from its EV dealer program

    Planned Three-Year Cruise Canceled At The Last Minute Because The Company Couldn't Afford To Buy A Ship

    Image: GreenOak (Shutterstock) A cruise that was set to sail around the world for three years has been abruptly canceled at the last minute. The reason? The company behind the cruise couldn’t afford to buy a ship in time, as CNN reports. Life at Sea Cruises, a division of ...

    View more: Planned Three-Year Cruise Canceled At The Last Minute Because The Company Couldn't Afford To Buy A Ship

    Volkswagen Is Developing Affordable EVs, But Only For China

    24 May 2023, Saxony, Zwickau: A model of the new-generation ID.3 is assembled at Volkswagen’s plant in Zwickau. Following the start of production in 2019, the vehicle has now received a facelift as part of the model mint. Image: Hendrik Schmidt/picture alliance (Getty Images) After Chinese automaker BYD dethroned ...

    View more: Volkswagen Is Developing Affordable EVs, But Only For China

    This 2024 Ford Mustang GT Only Survived 16 Miles Before Being Crashed

    There's heavy damage on the rear of the car, but the 5.0-liter V8 is listed as still running.

    View more: This 2024 Ford Mustang GT Only Survived 16 Miles Before Being Crashed

    Let This Lancia Stratos Replica Be Your Affordable Key To Rally Greatness

    This auction is a realistic way to have a street-legal rally icon parked in your driveway.

    View more: Let This Lancia Stratos Replica Be Your Affordable Key To Rally Greatness

    At $27,500, Is This 2008 Ford F450 Super Duty A Super Big Deal?

    Can you tow with a Ford Everest Wildtrak?

    1962 Ford Falcon | Old Car

    Ford patents inflatable bumpers for its large SUVs & pickups

    Ford Figo: Weird noise when the ignition is on worries me

    Ford Taurus, Dodge Caravan Live Again In 1995 Detroit Auto Show Retro Video

    Next-gen Ford Mustang – The competitors at R1.5 million

    At $9,000, Would This 1976 Ford Granada Ghia Put You Back In Black?

    2.0L Bi-Turbo or 3.0L V6 – The most popular engine for the Ford Ranger Wildtrak in South Africa

    Ford Mustang GT3 Looks Fast, Sounds Like Thunder In Track Test Video

    Road-Trip Review: 2023 Ford Everest 3.0 V6 4WD Platinum

    Here’s How An Affordable Chinese-Made EV Holds Up After 100,000 Miles

    OTHER CAR NEWS

    ; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
    Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel