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The Ford Escape mid-size SUV has been updated in the US with a new look and upgraded technology – but specifications and arrival timing details have not been confirmed for Australia.
The facelifted 2023 Ford Escape family SUV has been revealed for the US market – but Ford Australia says it has "no news" on similar updates for the model sold in local showrooms.
Arriving four years into the current Escape's life cycle, the facelifted model treats Ford's Toyota RAV4 rival to revised styling, larger screens and new technology from its latest models, including the updated Focus hatchback.
But despite America's Escape being all but identical to Australia and Europe's version, Ford Australia remains tight-lipped on when the facelifted SUV will come to local showrooms.
“We have no news to share about Escape at this point in time. We’re very happy with our Escape line-up, including the recent introduction of the Escape PHEV as Ford Australia’s first electrified vehicle,” a Ford Australia spokesperson said in a statement to Drive.
One distinction between local and overseas Escapes is where they're built; American models are made in Kentucky, USA, while Australian and European models are sourced from Spain. Details of Australian models may be confirmed once the updated European model is eventually revealed.
The facelifted US Escape's styling draws cues from the updated Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks – as well as Chinese-market Fords – including a new front end with a reshaped grille now home to the Ford badge [rather than above the grille, as before].
Flagship models in the US add an LED light strip connecting the headlights. Other exterior changes include slimmer LED headlights, new LED tail-light signatures, restyled lower front bumper, and new wheel designs.
Available for the first time in the US is a sport-themed ST-Line variant, with black exterior accents, revised rear spoiler, and body-coloured lower bumpers and wheel arches.
An Escape ST-Line has been available in Australia since launch, shared with European models – but this adds a full exterior body kit with unique bumpers and side skirts, rather than simply black trim. It's unclear if this will remain the case for the updated model locally.
Inside, the enlarged 13.2-inch touchscreen from the 2022 Focus is available in high-grade Escapes, running Ford's latest Sync 4 software with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, over-the-air updates, satellite navigation, and an Alexa voice assistant.
A 12.3-inch widescreen digital instrument cluster carries over ahead of the driver, along with a wireless smartphone charger and a 360-degree camera.
Upholstery options range from black cloth in base models, to quilted leather with red contrast stitching in the flagship US-market ST-Line Elite [with option boxes ticked].
Safety upgrades include the ability for the blind-spot monitoring system to apply steering to avoid a collision with obstacles it detects.
US buyers can continue to choose from four power options: two turbocharged petrol engines, one petrol-electric hybrid, and a plug-in hybrid. Only the higher-end 2.0-litre turbo petrol and 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid options are offered in Australia.
Outputs range from 135kW/258Nm in entry-level 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder petrol models, to 149kW for the 2.5-litre hybrid, 165kW for the plug-in hybrid, and 186kW/380Nm for the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder.
The 2023 Ford Escape is due in US showrooms early next year, priced from $US27,500 [$AU43,400] before on-road costs – about $AU500 more than the model it replaces.
Australian and European launch details are yet to be confirmed.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
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