It’s a big day for Ford, with the automaker announcing a new electric platform that will first spawn a $30,000 electric crew cab midsized pickup truck. Arriving in 2027, this new truck will be American-made, built in Louisville, Kentucky. Hang on, isn’t that the same plant where the Ford Escape is built? Why, yes, and you can probably guess where this is going.
That’s right, because the plant has to tool up for electric truck production, Ford has stated that Escape and Lincoln Corsair production will exit production later this year. Per a Ford representative in a call with media this morning, “Production will stop for Escape and Corsair later this year when we start retooling the plant. We’re going to have enough inventory to sell Escape and Corsair well into 2026.” That gives context as to why certain Escape trims won’t be available in some states for 2026. If a model is ending production soon, why spend money re-homologating it? Still, this marks the end of 24 years and four generations of what can be considered America’s first real compact crossover, and that quietly feels like a big deal.
Ford has sold more than five million Escapes in America alone, and it’s easy to see why. The compact crossover is now officially the default form factor of cars, and the blue oval got in on the ground floor. In an era when the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V still featured rear-mounted spare tires, the first Escape burst onto the scene with a liftgate, the right sort of footprint for families’ needs, plus available V6 power. Since then, the formula has evolved slightly to include optional electrification and standard turbocharging, but the Escape’s been remarkably consistent over its run.
It’s also been a world car for the past two generations, sold around the globe under both the Escape and Kuga nameplates. It works just as well in Bloomingdale as it does in Bath or Berlin, and although the fourth-generation model did have some teething issues with assembly quality when it came out, those seemed to be largely sorted out a few years into the production run, right before production is set to end. Still, it’s not like Ford will be without a compact crossover after Escape supply runs out. After all, it does offer the Bronco Sport.
Right as the crossover market moved to favor squared-off silhouettes and a bit of ruggedization, Ford made a clever bet by using the Escape’s platform and some blocky design cues to leverage the brand equity of the Bronco nameplate. Guess what? It worked. Over the first half of 2025, Ford sold 72,438 Bronco Sports. That’s still not as many as the 82,589 Escapes sold during the same timeframe, but in today’s market, the two vehicles represent different propositions. The Escape is a fleet favorite of municipalities and companies that employ traveling sales reps, and its most expensive combustion-powered trim tops out at $38,400.
Meanwhile, the Bronco Sport tops out at $42,110 for its most expensive Badlands trim and isn’t nearly as discounted, as it’s more of a lifestyle vehicle targeted at consumers. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bronco Sport commanded higher margins than the Escape, which could justify simplification of compact crossover offerings. Plus, Escape sales are down by more than 50 percent since the peak in 2017, and that can be directly linked to the existence of the Bronco Sport.
At the same time, the Escape does have a certain appeal on its own, given that Ford offers it as a regular hybrid or a plug-in hybrid in addition to regular combustion models. For drivers looking to save at the pumps, a little electrification goes a long way. Still, if it catches your eye and you’re looking for something you can get a deal on, you might want to at least look at an Escape before the opportunity, well, escapes.
Top graphic image: Ford
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Interesting to see some of the extreme negativity about the Escape here. I put about 120,000 miles on two different ’05 models – ran up to 195,000 on the more recent 4cyl/FWD/manual I had, and never had issues of plastic dye rubbing off or poor fit of interior parts. Yeah, it was a cheap interior – it was a cheap car. The seats were comfortable enough and it handled like a crossover designed in 1999. They were a bit rattly – again, cheap – but just ran. I replaced the power steering pump and brake lines in the 4 cyl for a total of about $500 in unscheduled maintenance for a car I bought for less than $6000 in 2013 and sold this year for $3200. Not a bad cost/mile in my estimation.
It’s a shame they will never do a Piña Colada edition of the Escape.
Hiss. Boo. Derisive catcalls.
#iregretnothing
I haven’t driven the current generation, but I had 4 of the previous Escapes assigned to me as company cars in a prior role, put about 300,000 miles on them combined, and there is no love lost here. Hateful, hateful POSes – rock hard seats with no cushioning or support and shallow bottoms, cramped interiors, buzzy and gutless engines, mediocre fuel economy, and a ride that was somehow harsh and marshmellowy at the same time. Not sure how they managed that, but it would dive like crazy under braking, lean like it was going to tip over in corners, and bob up and down on uneven roads like a cork in a hurricane, but it would also crash and bang over potholes and expansion joints
And that’s setting aside all the problems the company’s wider fleet kept running into before 90,000 miles – failed alternators, seized turbos, failed transmissions, and paint that bubbled up and then peeled off in sheets. And every one of them had at least one weird fit issue in the interior, a piece of trim that was supposed to be flush overlapping instead, or a part that was supposed to overlap being tucked underneath instead, the A-pillar garnish molding meeting the dash seemed to be a particular issue, once you saw it, you couldn’t unsee it, like a misaligned wallpaper seam
I hope they are planning on doing a Bronco Sport hybrid, but something tells me with this administration they won’t bother.
After 5 more years of this administration they will be able to pull the catalytic converters and mufflers and run strait pipes.
My mother has owned THREE Escapes over the years. First one was a 2001, then a 2011 and later a 2018. The first two were both XLTs, but the second had a leather interior which Mom didn’t want, but at the time, Ford only built V6 XLTs with leather. Cloth XLTs apparently were only with the 4-cylinder. The 2018 is a base model with the non-turbo 2.5L and a cloth interior, because Mom didn’t want a turboed 4. She got it when the ’11 broke, and she decided to buy a new Escape instead of fixing the old one (her mind is like that…). Supposedly, she said it is mine when she stops driving late this year or next.
Escape and bronco sport a bit too similar. Most escape buyers probably won’t have issue going to bronco sport. Using Louisville for the new Bev platform makes alot of sense.
So are the Mazda CX-5 and CX-50, and the Honda Passport with the CR-V and Pilot, but these “off-road” focused crossovers appeal to a different set of folks and both seem to coexist quite well together.
The current Ford management has been fairly ruthless about overlap. And markets they feel they can push buyers into. So on that side it’s not surprising. There is chance they would have moved some production back to Mexico but with everything going on it must have been a no go.
Those who want the Escape probably will move to the CR-V, RAV-4, Tucson, or Sportage because they are more practical and efficient than the boxy Bronco Sport, especially since the competition all offer hybrid or plug in hybrid variants and more room plus a more car like ride vs the pseudo truckiness of the Bronco Sport.
The Escape still out sells the Bronco Sport even up to now.
Maybe there are always some people that hate square cars. But lots of fleets use escapes. They will probably go to maverick or bronco sport instead. If the fleet manager likes the brand and doesn’t have a reason to change they won’t. They probably had fusions and Taurus before for the same roles.
Perhaps for fleet agnostic customers who’s brand loyalty means more than the specific price or best bid, however apart from the base XL Maverick most Bronco Sports would cost significantly more than the cheapest Ford Escape 1.5L does particularly considering the Bronco Sport is only available as AWD vs the FWD Escape and Maverick.
And unless they increase the fleet incentives that’s harder for a fleet manager to swallow price wise.
So the market will speak, but is Ford listening?
That’s the game Ford has been playing a long time. It’s also a big reason alot of utilities went to ram for their trucks. On paper Hyundai should be selling tons to fleets but their biggest fleet buyers are the rental car companies. It doesn’t always make sense. Sometimes the fleet buyers have a good relationship with a dealer and they can get enough wiggle room to make it work.
Honestly the Bronco Sport is more in line with the looks of the first two generations of the Escape anyway. And either way, the name is associated with a getaway.
The Escape is dying because the Bronco Sport is basically the same thing.
Egg-shaped crossovers are very much out and dead right now. And I’m fine with that. Honestly, they all kind of look like ass for the most part (outside of Mazda). I’ve never really understood the point of taking hatchback and sedan styling elements and applying them to fat crossovers; the Escape of course just looks like Focus, but flabby.
If something is going to be utilitarian, it may as well be boxy.
The Escape looks better, and sells better.
I think they’d do better to bring it back as the Kuga.
And introduce a the Ford Puma as a new model a size down from it.
Give the people entry vehicles, and streamline their nameplates at the same time.
I’ve come to like the UK market Puma, and if we have to have all crossovers all the time, it’s my choice.
When in UK, our rental of choice is a Puma hybrid w/ 1.0 ecoboost. 45 mpg easy and spunky enough.
I just assume that any I’m So Rugged! doofusmobil with its .5 drag coefficient one might have to encounter commands higher margins than a .37 d/c crossover.
Those buyers ain’t the brightest lights on the tree.
Also, those pedestrians aren’t gonna kill themselves.
The one (only) redeeming feature of the Bronco sport is the upright tailgate/rear glass for better cargo and dog headroom.
The upper level trims of the Bronco Sport have quite a bit more ground clearance and the AWD system is also quite a bit more advanced than the Escape.
Also I appreciate that the Bronco Sport doesn’t have carpet on the floors.
It has more headroom for people too. 1.5 inches in the front and more than 2 inches in the rear.
This strikes me as a questionable decision. The Escape is a popular entry level product. It isn’t interesting or cool, but it sells in big numbers and makes a profit. It may sell mostly to people who aren’t car enthusiasts, but their money is just as green as ours.
I am skeptical the new pickup will offset the sales and profits lost by dumping the Escape (I am closer to incredulous than skeptical, really). A $30k EV pickup is either going to suck (i.e. it will have the range of a Nissan Leaf and minimal features) or is going to cost $50k. It is also being released at a time when interest in EVs is waning and, at least in the US, government support/mandates are being rolled back.
I like that Ford is trying to build products for the future and not the past, but I think they may regret this decision. If nothing else, many other manufactures are walking back EV plans in response to low consumer demand. Given EVs are struggling right now, is it really a good time for Ford to be doing this?
I think they would do well to reconsider an ecosport-sized-entry vehicle into their lineup.
Ford is raising the floor of their vehicle prices with removing of vehicles – simultaneously raising profit margins. Both are bad things for consumers.
From everything I’ve heard and read about the Ecosport, it was pretty awful. Which makes sense, it wasn’t even designed for the North American market. But I see those things everywhere, so that clearly didn’t deter buyers. If they could get people behind the wheel of an Ecosport, I don’t think it would be hard for them to fill that slot in their lineup again.
I live in Louisville, lots of people here buy Fords no matter what given the presence of two Ford factories. Maybe that’s why I see so many of them?
Had an Ecosport as a rental once. The 1.0 ecoboost version seemed underpowered and the fuel mileage is not really much better then the larger “faster” Escape.
Dumb, dumb, dumb idea Ford.
Seriously, they need to keep something in this size range in their portfolio. The BSport is much smaller inside than an Escape. Maybe they could bring the Escape back as a Trax competitor. Shaking my head at this foolish idea.
Which dimension are we talking about? I recently drove my mother-in-law’s new 2025 Escape and then went right to a Bronco Sport rental and found the Bronco Sport roomer – it especially feels roomier with the extra headroom.
I did like the sliding rear seat in the Escape that allows someone to choose between rear legroom and cargo space.
The Escape is dying because they are sitting on a dealer’s lot and is hard to sell. Ford can make a higher profit margin slapping a Bronco badge on it anyway.
Are Escapes really dying on dealer lots? Per The Internet, Ford sold 146k Escapes last year compared to 124k Bronco sports. The Escape may be a soulless transportation appliance, but it is still popular.
They seem to be impossible to sell around here. Bronco Sports are literally everywhere. And I think I see more last gen Escapes than I see current ones.
I’m going to imagine that Ford sells a whole lot of Escapes to fleets? That or maybe it sells far better in other regions than it does around here.
I see quite a few Escapes around here, but you have to specifically look for them since they are about as generic and unremarkable as a transportation appliance can get. It is easy to see an Escape without consciously being aware of it it, unlike the Bronco Sport.
Ford probably does sell quite a few of them to fleets, though. I occasionally look at used rental cars for sale, and the Escape is one of the most common vehicles I see.
Speaking fleet Fords, I noticed at our regional post office parking lot, they had at least half a dozen of the 2008-2010 white Ford Focuses still in use, the generation before the Powers&%t automatics killws their reputation.
well, I can say from that the one our sales guys are using the BSports do seem to die, just normally on the road, 2 transmissions, and an engine replaced inside of 60k miles. Now I know the sales guys are probably as much the issue here as anything else, but the 1.5 3 cylinder does not seem to be that solid, and it makes no sense that the 8 speed trans had so many issues. I would have understood if it has say the old Power Shift DCT or even some newer CVT, but come on.
According to CarEdge, they have a 133-day supply of Escapes, while the CR-V is at 20 and the RAV4 is 32. The Escape is also trending in the wrong direction, with that number growing.
Like with the Fusion and Focus, the raw sales numbers don’t really matter. Holding inventory is expensive and tends to result in discounts that hurt dealers and corporate profits. Trucks and expensive models are far, far more profitable than anything on the low end of the market. Even the Bronco Sport is going to be more profitable since it costs more to start, and the customers are much more likely to spend money on very profitable trim packages.
Yeah, maybe if your name is Avis, Alamo, or Hertz.
I know the quality isn’t particularly good, but I like the styling – as a car guy, I find it a crossover that’s perhaps as profile-wise close to a car that you can get from Ford these days.
Oh no, what will the fleet managers buy now?
Also: Oh no, what will be my next mandatory rental “upgrade” from the comfortable large sedan I reserved?
Hertz seems to be going to either Hyundai/Kia or Bronco Sport. Got a Bronco Sport for a recent 1400 mile road trip and it was excellent.
Nissan Rogues.
Many of the fleets need to buy “American”
Of course, but it’s hard to tell which “foreign” brand builds their cars here and vice versa. A buddy of mine whose employer buys lots of fleet cars (a state university system) told me that they went with Altimas on their most recent purchase (their previous fleet choice was the last of the Malibus).
Rest well, Escape. Though it is basically living on through the Bronco Sport and Maverick. Ford lost the plot by chasing refinement in a price segment where most buyers only care about saving money and sitting up a little higher. With the admittedly overpriced Bronco Sport cannibalizing sales one of them had to go, and obviously you don’t get rid of the one people will pay more for.
I had a 2nd gen for about 5 years. It was an up and down ownership experience, with a mix of surprisingly rugged performance let down by too many “good enough” Ford components. I gave up on it after 6 months of randomly going into limp mode that neither I or my regular mechanic could figure out. It deserves credit though for being a cheap and mostly reliable trucklet that handled snow and shitty roads like a champ while easily hauling whatever random crap I decided to cram into it. It was also easy to work on and parts were inexpensive and plentiful.
The Escape name dies, but the car lives on. The Bronco Sport is like a follow up to the 2008-2012 Escape and is styled and sized sinilarly—they made a car-ish Escape and a truckier Escape like the old one. The truckier one wins, which means the name dies.
The car one lives on, too—as whatever is around the corner. The name dies, though. Unless this is the Ford Evcape.
The car like one is getting replaced with the mach-e / whatever comes next for SUVs on the new Ford ev platform.
It’ll be a competitor to the equinox ev that will probably launch shortly after this new ev truck.
I’m sure when they drop the escape, they’ll end up offering the PHEV in the bronco sport, it only makes sense.
I don’t know that the underside of the Bronco Sport can accommodate the PHEV battery. If it will fit then they will either need to make it FWD only or eAWD. I think the more likely recipient of that extra capacity will be the Maverick. When it was introduced they did note that the design protected the space for the PHEV battery. Again to drive more than the front wheels it will need eAWD. Of course the Maverick HEV sold pretty well when it was only available in FWD which is another reason I expect it to show up there first.
Either one makes sense
The Focus/Escape platform is also the Maverick
The first gen was everywhere as a taxi in NYC, so I’m sure they are very robust.
They thought about having Jason drive one across the country, but The Hague said no.
I bet it would have gotten there though! 😉
We had the ecoboom 1.5T engine in our Escape back in 2020. Engine block replaced after 2 years thanks to coolant intrusion. Its a shame what happened to the Escape, the car was leader on the segment but size wise, it stayed on the smaller size and driving dynamics were good but people in that segment does not care about that.
The Escape is an also-ran at this point and I don’t think this is a terrible idea.
Drove an ’04 (or was it ’05) Escape as a company car. Useful form factor, not too bad to park in the city, but really cheap interior and a timebomb of a transmission. There are lots of better options today. Rest in Mediocrity.
We had an 02 Tribute, with the V6. Interior was horrible, but that was a great engine. The transmissions are fine if you actually do the maintenance. On the 2nd gen, there was a seal on the drivers side that would fail and leak trans fluid. I think that killed a lot of them, as most people won’t notice until too late.
On another note; our tribute sort of turned me off of a V-engine in a transverse configuration. I had to do the alternator, which on any other car is a max-1 hour job, on the Tribute you had to disassemble the front suspension and fish the alternator out the back of the engine. Madness.
The 2nd gen Escapes had bad axle seals. When they started leaking in my 2009 the Ford dealership told me the transmission was failing and would have to be replaced. I took it to an independent transmission shop that replaced the bad seals with an upgraded kit. It makes me wonder how many people got conned into buying new transmissions when all they really needed were new axle seals.
Oh I’m well aware! I addressed it in my other comment. I’m lucky I caught it when I did. The retrofit kit from Ford was a good investment. Sort of a pain, as the bushings are pretty tough to properly install, but once I did it, I’ve had about 30,000 leak free miles.
What really got me about it was that the dealership didn’t even try to figure it out. First they replaced the dipstick tube because that was another problem part. When it kept leaking they said that meant the transmission was overheating and per Ford had to be replaced. Did they check the temperature? Nope, Ford’s guidelines said that if a new dipstick doesn’t stop the leak then the only other fix is a new transmission.
It’s pretty incredible how shit dealerships are at their jobs, including on their own cars. When my Mom owned that same escape, the dealership did 4 wheel bearings on it, because it sounded like it needed them. Turns out, those particular tires sound EXACTLY like failing wheel bearings.
I just had to take my Volt in for warranty work (BECM failed, it’s a known issue that Chevrolet has extended special coverage for) and they tried to tell me that my car was not valid for the special coverage. I had to argue with the guy on the phone that I have special emissions coverage as my car was originally sold in California, and I live in a CARB compliant state, and the only reason I “wasn’t covered” was because I was covered under a different warranty.
I detailed cars for years, the first gen Escape in particular had one of the most horrible, cheap, staticky plastic interiors I ever came across. The black plastic parts would lose their dye when you tried cleaning them, leaving them look whitish and splotchy. Hell, you could rub them with a dry cloth and get dye transfer.
I know those cars are popular and well loved but I couldn’t ever get past that interior. My dad had one for a company car and had to get something different because the seats messed up his back.
The smaller Fords are always superb in driving. I had the 2nd-gen (for US) Ford Transit Connect passenger car and I flung that thing around like there’s no tomorrow. It’s particularly refreshing that you can drive it 11/10 and it’d still be below speed limit.
Good riddance. They haven’t been “good” since the 2nd gen left us in 2012. The 1st and 2nd gens were handsome, moooostly reliable straight foward vehicles, built on a good platform (mazda) that allowed for some pretty nice handling characteristics. I’ve currently got a 2011 2nd gen with the 2.5, and it’s been mechanically rock solid reliable. My work has a bunch of 3rd gens that are always blowing up or having really stupid shit go wrong with them, and all are under 100,000 miles.
For some reason I thought the first gen Escape was built on the same platform as the Focus but turns out I was wrong.
626!
I have tinnitus from a passenger airbag on the 626 🙁
Well that sucks!