Ford Australia has announced specs and pricing for the all-new Escape SUV range ahead of a local arrival in the third quarter of 2020.
Priced from $35,990 plus on-road costs, the new Escape is built on Ford’s new C2 platform and will be available for the first time with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain.
The benefits of the new architecture include a 10 per cent increase in torsional rigidity and a 90kg weight reduction when compared to the predecessor.
Dimensionally, the Escape is 89mm longer, 44mm wider and 20mm shorter with an extra 20mm added to the wheelbase. The result of this growth is an extra 43mm of shoulder room, 57mm more hip room and 13mm of addition headroom for those up front. Rear passengers get 20mm more shoulder room and 36mm more hip room.
The 2020 Ford Escape line-up brings a choice of two powertrains, with a mix of front-wheel and all-wheel drive models. Ford will offer Escape, ST-Line, ST-Line PHEV and Vignale trim levels.
Apart from the PHEV, all Escape variants use a 2.0-litre 183kW/387Nm EcoBoost petrol engine matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Ford claims combined fuel economy is 8.6L/100km for both FWD and AWD models.
The Escape PHEV (from $52,940 plus on-roads) uses a 2.5-litre Atkinson Cycle petrol engine paired with an electric motor and 14.4kWh battery pack to drive the front wheels. In total, the system produces 167kW of power and offers an electric driving range of up to 50km.
Owners can recharge the PHEV’s battery using a standard household powerpoint or a wallbox for a faster result. The battery can also be replenished on the move using regenerative charging technology that captures kinetic energy normally lost during braking.
Every new Escape gets the FordPass Connect embedded modem as standard. FordPass brings an array of convenient remote vehicle functionality and connected services, such as remote vehicle lock and unlock.
Ford’s Emergency Assist is also included as standard, the tech is programmed to call ‘000’ in an emergency when a smartphone is connected. This can help reduce the response time of emergency services in the event of an incident.
Scroll below for a full break down of each grade’s equipment highlights.
2020 Ford Escape pricing (excludes on-road costs):
Escape FWD 2.0 EcoBoost - $35,990
Escape ST-Line FWD 2.0 EcoBoost - $37,990
Escape ST-Line AWD 2.0 EcoBoost - $40,990
Escape Vignale FWD 2.0L EcoBoost - $46,590
Escape Vignale AWD 2.0L EcoBoost - $49,590
Escape ST-Line PHEV FWD - $52,940
2020 Ford Escape equipment highlights:
Escape
Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection
Evasive Steering Assist
Forward Collision Warning
Dynamic Brake Support
Traffic Sign Recognition
Blind Spot Detection (BLIS)
Lane Departure Warning
Lane Keep Assist
Driver Impairment Monitor
Tyre Pressure Monitor
Emergency Assistance
LED headlights
18-inch alloy wheels
Cruise Control with adjustable speed limiter
FordPass Connect embedded modem with FordPass App compatibility
Push-button start
Wireless smartphone charging
DAB+ radio
SYNC 3 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Voice-command in-built sat-nav with Australian accent recognition and Traffic Management System
8.0-inch full-colour touchscreen
Rear-view camera
Front and rear parking sensors
Power windows with global opening and closing via key fob
Escape ST-Line adds
Sport themed skirts and grille
Lowered suspension
Black roof rails
Dark cabin headlining
12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
Flat-bottom steering wheel with red stitching
Escape ST-Line PHEV adds
Partial leather interior trim
10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
10-speaker premium audio system
Escape Vignale adds
Advanced keyless entry
Heated leather-wrap steering wheel
Leather accented seating
10-way power-adjustable front passenger’s chair
Heated front seating
Heated rear seating (left and right passenger seats)
Panoramic sunroof
Head-up display
Hands-free power tailgate
180-degree rear-view camera
Advanced Automated Park Assist
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