What’s Next for the Escape?
The last Ford Escape to roll off the American assembly line was on December 17 of last year. While it’s still available for purchase in select states, no immediate plans for a successor have been officially made. In the meantime, those who’d like a subcompact Ford crossover will have to go for the Bronco Sport.
It’s an interesting alternative to the popular crossover, but its looks or rugged appeal won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. That said, the European version of the Escape, dubbed the Kuga over there, is still being produced in Spain at Ford’s Valencia facility.
Ford
China May Hold the Key
With that, the Escape is still alive and well, albeit with a different moniker in some parts of the world. In Europe, there are actual plans to build a new-generation Kuga, making the possibility of an all-new Escape closer to reality. There’s also a chance it could be offered as a hybrid, based on reports from European publications such as Auto Motor und Sport and Auto Express.
The model’s future may depend on Ford’s partner in Europe, Geely. The two companies signed a joint venture wherein both have agreed to produce vehicles in Valencia. It’s yet another way for China to spread its influence in the European auto industry, while Ford can benefit from Geely’s development pace and base some of its models on the Chinese automaker.
It Won’t be a Badge Job
Jim Baumbick, president of Ford of Europe, quashed any notion of the future Kuga/Escape merely being a rebadged Geely product. Speaking to Auto Express, the executive said, “Make no mistake, the Ford product will have a completely unique [body]. This is not a reskin. We don’t do boring cars. This is a uniquely engineered, truly unmistakably Ford product that will be differentiated from Geely’s and their target customers.”
Geely currently has a model called the EX5, and it looks to be the perfect candidate to serve as the basis of the redesigned Kuga and Escape. Its body is larger than the now-discontinued crossover, but not in a way that it pushes it out of the compact crossover class. More crucially, the EX5’s platform is built for both hybrid and electric powertrains, and that should allow Ford to take a multi-pathway approach for its future model.
Geely
It Can’t be EV-Only
There were rumors of the North American Escape coming back as a pure electric model. However, Ford’s EV efforts across the Atlantic have fallen below sales expectations. The Volkswagen-based Explorer (no relation to America’s favorite cop car) and Capri have shown that Ford can’t fully lean on EVs just yet. Ford still needs hybrids at the very least, especially the once-strong European division.
That brings us back again to the multi-powertrain Geely platform. Using this means Ford can easily cut down on development time and costs, two things the company needs to save on right now. It’s also been made clear that the entire world isn’t in a huge rush to go straight to EVs, and easing into electrification via hybrids has been the more cautious but effective method.
It’s still a bit of a wait before the redesigned Kuga and Escape make their respective world premieres. It won’t be due until 2029, provided all plans fall into place. However, its Chinese platform might hinder the model’s plans for an American comeback. Aside from prohibitive tariffs, Ford’s own CEO Jim Farley would like to keep Chinese cars away from U.S. soil. Either way, the brand needs a CR-V and RAV4 fighter – the sooner, the better.
