Ford Escape Generations: Through the Years

This compact SUV has been part of the Ford family for over two decades. Now, you can take an in-depth look at all the Ford Escape generations!

Explore the Evolution of the Escape

2002 Ford Escape – fordheritagevault.com | Shop Ford Escape on Carsforsale.com

While some crossovers offer off-roading abilities, the Ford Escape has always been a car-based SUV. Ford leaned into that aspect, selling customers on its carlike qualities. Though the Ford Escape started as its own vehicle, it was released and developed with Mazda. That’s why there are more than a few similarities with the Mazada Tribute. The unibody SUV looked sporty, rugged, and functional. It was a nice mix of ability, comfort, and style, without being too large or too pricey. Since then, the Ford Escape has evolved inside and out. It even helped usher in the hybrid trend way back in 2005. Take a look at every turn this SUV has made so far!

1st Generation Ford Escape (2001-2007)

2001 Ford Escape - fordheritagevault.com

The very first 2001 Ford Escape came with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Paired with a four-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual transmission, it made 130 horsepower and 135 lb-ft of torque.
Another engine option was a 3.0-liter Duratec V6 that made 200 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque. This version of the 2001 Escape could tow up to 3,500 lbs.
The 2001 Ford Escape, available in the XLS and XLT trims, came with features like air conditioning, a CD player, and power windows and locks. XLT trims could be upgraded with 16-inch wheels, too.
The compact 2001 Ford Escape could fit five passengers, two in the front and three in the back.
Several first-generation For Escapes were styled with a two-tone color scheme.

A dual-media tape cassette deck and CD stereo was added to the 2002 Ford Escape XLS.
More luxury was added to the 2003 Ford Escape in the form of the Limited edition. It came with a Mach audio system, a six-disc CD changer, polished aluminum wheels, heated front seats, heated sideview mirrors, and an auto dimming rearview mirror.
The XLS, when equipped 4WD, a four-cylinder engine, and a manual transmission, was dropped from the 2003 lineup.
There weren’t many changes made to the 2004 Ford Escape, but the Limited dropped a little in price to make it more affordable.
A more powerful four-cylinder engine was installed for the 2005 Ford Escape. A new 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine made 153 horsepower and 152 lb-ft of torque. It mated with a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission.

2005 Ford Escape Hybrid - netcarshow.com

The V6 was still available, and it had a few minor tweaks, too. Most of those changes were small, but they improved the throttle response.
The biggest changes, made for safety reasons, weren’t visual. Ford offered an optional Safety Canopy rollover protection system. Ford also modified the Escape to absorb front impacts.
A XLT Sport model joined the 2005 Ford Escape lineup. Ford offered car buyers a 2005 Escape Hybrid, too. The hybrid was first shown at the 2001 Los Angeles Auto Show.
2005 Ford Escape Hybrids were able to achieve a range of 30 to 35 MPG. The Escape Hybrid operated in electric mode at low speeds or and low-demand situations.
Components of the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid model were covered under a 10 year or 150,000-mile warranty.
There weren’t any big changes for the 2006 Ford Escape or 2007 Ford Escape other than some new exterior color changes and appearance packages. Ford did increase its powertrain warranty to five years or 60,000 miles on 2007 Ford Escape models.
The second-generation Ford Escape was previewed at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show.

2nd Generation Ford Escape (2008-2012)

The Ford Escape was restyled for the 2008 model year. A chrome grille, a more muscular exterior, and new sheet metal were all used to update the 2008 Escape. The result was a Ford Escape that looked more similar to the Explorer and F-150, larger headlights and all.
All models were given 16-inch wheels and the interiors were updated with better quality materials. The chassis and powertrain weren’t changed in the 2008 Escape, though. That worked in their favor financially. Jointly developed with Mazda, the development costs of the 2008 Escape remained low because there weren’t any major changes to the body of the SUV.
Ford’s lineup for the 2008 Escape consisted of three trims: the XLS, XLT, and Limited. The XLT Sport was dropped for the 2008 model year.
Evolving with the times and new music formats, Ford added Sync MP3 to the 2009 Ford Escape audio system.

2009 Ford Escape 3.0L V6 - carsforsale.com

A new 2.5-liter inline-4 increased the 2009 Ford Escape to 170 horsepower and 171 lb-ft of torque. Tweaks to the 3.0-liter V6 bumped it up to 240 horsepower and 223 lb-ft of torque.
The 2009 Ford Escape was the first one available with a six-speed automatic transmission.
When properly equipped, the 2009 Ford Escape could tow up to 3,500 lbs.
A self-parking option became available with the 2010 Ford Escape. This feature, named “Auto Park,” used automatic parallel-parking technology.

MyKey was additional, optional technology used in the 2010 Ford Escape. This allowed parents, or guardians, to limit the speed and audio volume of their teenage drivers.
2011 Ford Escape models implemented MyKey as a standard feature on all trim levels.
No real changes were made to the 2012 Ford Escape. The starting price for a 2012 Ford Escape was just over $31,000.

3rd Generation Ford Escape (2013-2019)

No longer made jointly with Mazda, the 2013 Ford Escape brought big changes with it. A dramatic shift in appearance brought with it a new front fascia, angled headlights, and an aerodynamically-enhanced front bumper.
Trim levels were revised as well. There were now four options: the S, SE, SEL, and the top-of-the-line Titanium.
The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (which now made 186 horsepower and 167 lb-ft of torque) was standard on the S. SE and SEL trims came with a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-4 and made 178 horsepower with 184 lb-ft of torque. Finally, the Titanium was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 that brought 240 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque.
One option that was missing from this lineup was the Ford Escape Hybrid. It didn’t return for the third generation of the SUV.
2013 Ford Escapes could still be outfitted with FWD or AWD.

The interior seats were made of leather in the Titanium trim. The cockpit looked almost a bit too futuristic with a lot of curved edges, inset gauges, and vertical vents along the dash.
In Europe, the 2013 Ford Escape was known as the Kuga.
A backup camera was made standard on 2014 Ford Escape models. At this point the Ford Escape was competing with the likes of the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV4, and the Chevrolet Equinox.
A Sync 3 media system, which included quicker response times and pinch-and-swipe functions on the center console touchscreen, became available on 2016 Ford Escape models.

The Ford Escape exterior was slightly restyled for the 2017 model year., mostly around the headlights and front fascia.
A SEL trim was added to the 2018 Ford Escape. Another change was that the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine was only available on the Titanium trim.
Like we mentioned in our full 2019 Ford Escape review, a new Sport Appearance package became available. It included 19-inch black-painted wheels, blacked-out trim, and sportier two-toned seats.
There were no other big updates for the 2019 Ford Escape, but Ford’s Sync 3 multimedia system did become standard on SE trims.

4th Generation Ford Escape (2020-Now)

A new Ford Escape for a new generation of the SUV. The 2020 Ford Escape was fully redesigned. This Escape was lower, wider, and longer than previous models.
Inside of the 2020 Ford Escape was a new, larger eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 12.3-inch digital gauge display was used on higher trims, like the Titanium.
We listed all the features of each trim level in our in-depth 2020 Ford Escape review.
Engine choices included the standard turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine, making 181 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque, and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that makes 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque.

After being dropped for the entirety of the third generation of the Ford Escape, the Ford Escape Hybrid returned on the SE Sport Hybrid and Titanium Hybrid trim levels. The 2.5-liter hybrid engine makes 200 horsepower.
Not only was a hybrid version of the Escape available again, a plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV) was also available. The 2020 Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid, using a 14.4 kilowatt hour battery pack, gets 102 miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent (MPGe) combined. It has an electric-only range of up to 37 miles.
The hybrid powertrain became available on the SEL trim starting with the 2021 Ford Escape.
Traffic sign recognition is a feature that was added to 2021 models with adaptive cruise control, too. We listed all the changes in our review of the 2021 Ford Escape.
If you wanted to directly compare an older model to a 2021 Ford Escape, then be sure to look at our New vs Used: Ford Escape analysis.
There weren’t any notable changes on the 2022 Ford Escape. The lineup consisted of the S, SE, SE Hybrid, SEL, SEL Hybrid, Titanium Hybrid, and the Titanium.

2023 Ford Escape – ford.com | Shop Ford Escape on Carsforsale.com

Though it wasn’t a complete refresh, you’ll notice a few changes on the 2023 Ford Escape. First, the Ford emblem is moved to the center of the grille. Chrome horizontally runs across the top of the grille, too. A honeycomb-like pattern is also added beneath the front fascia.
If you’re looking under the hood, you won’t find anything new. The 2023 Ford Escape comes with the same engine options as before, but the hybrid choices are still there.
If you look at a brochure for the 2023 Ford Escape, you will notice a few new names. The trim levels have all been revised. Now, trims consist of the Base, Active, PHEV, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, ST-Line Elite, and the Platinum.
Each trim level consists of different features, so there the 2023 Ford Escape certainly offers buyers a chance to customize as they’d like. Satellite radio, heated front seats, a wireless charging pad, a 13.2-inch touchscreen, leather upholstery, a head-up display, and a panoramic sunroof are some of the available features can select from.
Ford updated the multimedia system in the 2023 Ford Escape with Sync 4, which includes wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Sync 4 system accepts over-the-air updates, automatically reconfiguring as needed so owners don’t have to stay up-to-date with the latest releases.