2023 Ford Escape facelift revealed, Australian plans unclear

The facelifted 2023 Ford Escape medium SUV has been revealed in the United States – but Ford Australia has “no news” about local plans.

With local examples of the Escape family SUV – a rival for the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 – produced in Spain, expect more details for Australia when the updated version is revealed for Europe, where the vehicle wears Kuga badging.

American versions of the Escape are made in Kentucky, USA.

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“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,” said a spokesperson for Ford Australia.

Headlining the update is a revised front end, with design elements taken from the facelifted Focus hatch and next-generation Transit Custom, including sharper LED headlights and a larger grille now housing the Ford badge (rather than above the grille).

A front light strip is available on flagship variants, while other changes include a new LED tail-light signature, a reshaped front bumper, and new alloy wheel designs.

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Inside, the updated Escape adopts a much larger 13.2-inch landscape touchscreen – up from the current 8-inch unit – running Ford’s latest Sync 4 infotainment system, with support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, over-the-air software updates, cloud-based satellite navigation, and the Amazon Alexa voice assistant.

Several buttons have also been repositioned, with touch-based climate controls, lower audio controls, and a more-prominent engine start/stop switch.

As before, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charger, 360-degree camera system and quilted leather are available on select grades.

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An ST-Line variant is new for the North American version, gaining black exterior trims, a revised rear spoiler, and body-coloured wheel cladding and lower bumpers.

The sportier ST-Line grade has been available in Australia since the Escape launched in 2020 – and on the previous-generation model – with further design changes, such as a unique front bumper and side skirts.

As expected, the new Escape picks up the brand’s latest active safety features, including junction-turning assist for the autonomous emergency braking system, and steering intervention for the blind-spot alert system to avoid a potential collision.

The engine line-up remains identical to pre-facelift versions, with two turbocharged petrol mills – a 135kW/258Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol and 186kW/380Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder – and two electrified powertrains: a 149kW 2.5-litre regular hybrid and 165kW plug-in hybrid.

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Only the higher-end 2.0-litre petrol and 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid are offered in Australia, with Ford Australia opting to go without the entry-level three-cylinder petrol.

The 2023 Ford Escape will arrive in US showrooms early next year, priced from $27,500 (AU$43,100) – equating to a price rise of around AU$500 compared with the previous model.

Australian details are expected to be announced when the European-market version is unveiled in the coming months.