Well, doesn't that sound familiar? At its lunchtime press conference, Ford's Mark Fields said the company's revamped Escape will lead the class in fuel economy. Mazda said that, too -- about the CX-5. And there's a good bet that it's all true -- among non-hybrids anyway.
Equipped with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine option, the 2013 Ford Escape will reportedly get "up to 5 mpg better highway fuel economy than the outgoing Escape." That would be 33 mpg -- exactly what the most efficient 2013 Mazda CX-5 is estimated to earn on the highway.
Although the 2013 Escape won't show up at your Ford dealer until sometime in May 2012, the ad campaign is already ramping up, and "social gaming" (stuff like Words with Friends) will be a big part of it. Wrapped up with that is an online reality-TV-type series similar to the Fiesta Movement -- the casting call for that has already begun at FordRoutes.com.
Now onto to less substantive matters, Ford expects to sell more than 200,000 of these second-generation Escapes -- which is about exactly as many fourth-gen CR-Vs as Honda hopes to move. But Ford will have no fewer than three engines to ply buyers with -- the aforementioned 1.6-liter (173 hp), the base 2.5-liter (168 hp... bigger is not better anymore) and the high-line 237-hp 2.0-liter EcoBoost. Don't wait up for a manual gearbox, but do follow the jump for more specs, photos and a stellar video of the new hands-free liftgate in action.
pc123456 says:
03:05 PM, 11/16/11
No hybrid version?
drhorrible says:
05:50 AM, 11/17/11
My question too, no hybrid or is that to come out later? On the surface I like the new styling but wait to see it in person.
transpower says:
06:55 AM, 11/17/11
It's ugly as hell, and there won't be a hybrid version! Sell your Ford stock now!
boobylortez says:
09:36 AM, 11/17/11
They cut the hybrid because they make the C-Max now. The 1.6 ecoboost will get better hwy mileage than the old escape hybrid anyway.
stovt001 says:
11:28 AM, 11/17/11
I hardly see how that can be considered ugly. I like it, but would still probably go for the CX-5. NA wins in my book.
The C-Max hybrid thing is so upsetting. I really wanted that to remain a properly sized minivan/people carrier.