The 2023 Escape lineup contains six trims: Base, Active, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite. The Base, Active, and ST-Line have a 181-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive (FWD); all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional. The higher trims have standard AWD and a turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine making 250 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard across the lineup, with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters accompanying the larger engine. A properly equipped 2023 Ford Escape with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost can tow up to 3,500 pounds.
With FWD, the Escape with the 1.5-liter engine is EPA-rated to return 28 mpg around town and 34 mpg on the open road; this will change to 26 city/31 highway with AWD. With the larger engine (and AWD) the official rating is 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway.
The Base gets LED headlights with auto on/off, single-zone climate control, an 8-inch color instrument cluster, a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, a tilt/telescopic steering column, fabric upholstery, a second-row sliding seat with a 60/40-split folding configuration, remote keyless entry, and 17-inch steel wheels with covers. The Active trim upgrades to dual-zone automatic climate control and adds a power liftgate, an eight-way power driver’s seat, rear privacy glass, proximity keyless entry, push-button start, a premium-wrapped steering wheel, and 17-inch aluminum wheels.
The ST-Line (along with the other ST-Line trims) stands apart thanks to its sporty exterior accents: a black-mesh grille, an exclusive rear skid plate, 18-inch painted aluminum wheels, a distinctive single-wing rear spoiler, and roof rack side rails. Inside, there’s a flat-bottomed track-style steering wheel and seats upholstered in a combination of fabric and vinyl. The ST-Line Select gets heated exterior mirrors, LED fog lamps, remote start, and a heated flat-bottomed steering wheel. The Platinum trim has LED headlights with a connecting horizontal lightbar, chrome exterior accents, a driver’s position memory system, heated front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a heated and wrapped steering wheel, a ten-way power driver’s seat, a six-way power front passenger’s seat, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and 19-inch wheels.
At the top of the Escape range is the ST-Line Elite. It combines those unique ST-Line exterior treatments with additional upscale equipment. With the features of the ST-Line Select as its basis, the ST-Line Elite adds some features of the Platinum, such as LED headlights with a connecting horizontal lightbar, rain-sensing windshield wipers, the driver’s memory system, a ten-way power driver’s seat, a six-way power front passenger seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
Ford Co-Pilot360 is standard on every 2023 Escape. This collection of advanced driver aids bundles forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, dynamic brake support, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping alert and assist, and a driver alert monitor. Adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, rear parking sensors, and a surround-view monitor are added to the Platinum and ST-Line Elite and available for all of the other trims except for the Base. The surround-view monitor is not available with the ST-Line. A semi-automatic parking assist system is optional for the Platinum and ST-Line Elite.
Ford’s SYNC 4 with an 8-inch touchscreen is the standard infotainment setup for the 2023 Escape. Its main features are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker audio system, USB ports, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. FordPass Connect services. SiriusXM satellite radio comes with the Active and higher trims. Wireless device charging is standard on the Platinum and ST-Line Elite and optional on the Active and ST-Line.
The infotainment system can be upgraded with navigation and a 13.2-inch touchscreen on the Active, ST-Line, and ST-Line Select. These extras are standard on the Platinum and ST-Line Elite. A ten-speaker B&O sound system is optional on all trims but the Base.
