Used Ford Escape Buying Guide

With the fourth generation having some experience, they were able to make this generation lighter, while still being longer, and more spacious than the third generation. Being 200 pounds lighter, this new build has 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space, making it a great option for a family vehicle.

There’s a number of powertrains to pick from when looking at a fourth generation Escape. Two are gas engines, with the other two as hybrid variants.

For the gas engines, there’s the 1.5L I3 engine, this one makes 181 horsepower and comes in both FWD and AWD configurations. The other engine is an optional one, and produces even more power. This was the 2.0L I4, making 250 horsepower. The most efficient engine from these two is the 1.5L. It has an EPA rated 30 MPG combined.

For the hybrid models, the standard hybrid was released first, with the PHEV being released in 2021. The regular hybrid is powered by a 2.5L I4 engine that is paired to a 1.1 kWh battery pack. This gets you 41 MPG combined.

With the plug-in hybrid being released later, it is a bit more refined. Coming with a 14.4 kWh battery pack, this variant can get 41 MPG combined when using only gas, but when using a mixture of both gas, and electricity, you can get 102 MPGe. Having a total range of 530 miles.

When this generation first hit the market, it came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen display for the SE, SE Sport, SEL, and Titanium trims. But in 2023, higher-end trims now come with a 13.2-inch infotainment screen. This year also renamed the trim levels, now known as the Base, Active, and Platinum trims. Being that the SEL trim was discontinued, the ST-Line trim took its place.

This generation came in 4 trims, the S, SE, SEL, and Titanium. While the S, SE, and Titanium trims were mainstays for the length of this generation, the SEL was discontinued in 2013, and reintroduced in 2018.

Unlike the most recent generation, this one didn’t come with a hybrid option, instead it was strictly gas. The engines you can look for are the 2.5L I4 that can make 168 horsepower, being that this is the weakest engine in the bunch, it was reserved for the S trim.

For the other trim levels, there’s two engines to look for. There are the 2.0L, and 1.6L. The stronger of the two being the 2.0L 237 horsepower engine, with the 1.6L producing 173 horsepower. While the 1.6L is weaker, it is more efficient at 26 MPG combined.

With the 2017 facelift, some new features were added to the line. Coming with new seals for the windows, and the hood, this makes the ride quieter than before. Ford also added some fast charging USB ports to the line, as well as a phone app that lets you unlock, and start your vehicle from your phone.

If you want the safest vehicle possible, then you can look for a model that is equipped with enhanced parking assist, lane-keeping, forward collision warning, and even adaptive cruise control.