2021 Ford Escape Reviews, Pricing & Specs

This fourth-generation model straddles the line between SUV and hatchback. Its curved snout and sleek roofline make the current-generation Escape look more like an engorged Focus at first glance, but it still has the tall ride height of a proper SUV. That gives the Escape a less truck-like look than the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, or Toyota RAV4, but a more generic design than the latest Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage.

For 2021, the Escape gets new appearance packages for three of its four trim levels. These include an SE Sport Appearance Package, SEL Stealth AWD Package, and Titanium Elite Package. Upgrades include 19-inch alloy wheels for the SE Sport and SEL Stealth, ActiveX upholstery with Miko Suede seat inserts for the SEL Stealth, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather trim for the Titanium Elite.

The interior doesn’t have the same cohesive theme as the exterior. Odd design choices, like an angular instrument cluster, don’t really fit with the exterior. We’ve also found interior materials to be decidedly low-rent. Even the top Escape Titanium model doesn’t get standard leather upholstery (although it does get ambient lighting), and you have to upgrade to the SEL trim level for dual-zone automatic climate control.

The Escape is available with two gasoline powertrains, as well as hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. The latter was originally announced for the 2020 model year, but is only becoming available now after multiple delays.

The base powertrain is a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine from Ford’s EcoBoost range, producing 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque. It’s coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission, with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). Buyers can also upgrade to the EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbo-four, which ups output to 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. This engine also gets an eight-speed automatic transmission, but is only available with AWD.

The Escape hybrid and plug-in hybrid both use a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist, with a total system output of 200 hp. However, the plug-in hybrid’s larger battery pack allows it to drive significant distances on electric power alone. The hybrid is available with FWD or AWD, but the plug-in hybrid is FWD only.

A three-cylinder engine might not seem adequate for an SUV, but in our experience it’s been more than adequate. We also liked the smooth transition between electric and gasoline propulsion in the last Escape hybrid we drove. However, chassis tuning of all 2020 Escape models left a lot to be desired. Sloppy suspension and steering made them feel like a chore to drive. Since Ford didn’t make any changes here, that’s likely to also be the case with 2021 models.

For 2021, 2.0-liter, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models can also be equipped with a Class 2 Trailer Tow Package. Maximum towing capacity is 3,500 pounds with 2.0-liter engine, but Ford doesn’t list figures for the hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains.

Despite its car-like styling, the Escape compares well against more traditionally-styled compact SUVs on interior space.

First-row and second-row headroom and legroom are near the top of the segment, and the Escape gets a standard sliding rear seat that can be moved fore and aft to expand legroom or cargo space, as needed. Sliding the bench seat all the way back yields 40.7 inches of rear legroom in non-hybrid models, second only to the 2022 Hyundai Tucson. The placement of the battery pack in hybrid and plug-in hybrid Escape models eats into some of that legroom, however.

With the rear seat up and in its default position, the gasoline Escape has 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space. Again, Escape hybrid and plug-in hybrid models have less space, at 30.7 cubic feet. Sliding the rear seat forward increases cargo space to 37.5 cubic feet for gasoline models and 34.4 cubic feet for hybrid/plug-in hybrid models. Folding the rear seat yields 65.4 cubic feet of cargo space in gasoline models and 60.8 cubic feet in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models.

Most competitors offer more cargo space. The Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester, for example, can swallow over 70 cubic feet of stuff with their rear seats folded.

The Escape uses Ford’s older Sync 3 infotainment system, rather than the latest Sync 4, and base Escape S models only get a 4.2-inch touchscreen. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot are standard, at least.

Upgrading from the Escape S to the Escape SE nets an 8-inch touchscreen with pinch-and-zoom capability and SiriusXM satellite radio (with a three-month free trial). The Escape Titanium trim level adds a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Sync 3 remains one of the easier infotainment systems to use, and we didn’t have any issues with it on previous Escape drives. However, Ford doesn’t offer as many standard tech features as competitors, and the Escape misses out on the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that are bundled with the new Sync 4 infotainment system.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the 2021 Escape a “Top Safety Pick” rating, including top “Good” scores in all crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The Escape also earned high marks for front-crash prevent tech, but only “Acceptable” and “Marginal” ratings for headlights (depending on trim level).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2021 Escape a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover crash tests.

Standard safety features under the Ford Co-Pilot360 banner include automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The optional Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package adds adaptive cruise control (with stop-and-go and lane centering), traffic-sign recognition, park assist, and Evasive Steering Assist, which adds more power assist to aid in emergency maneuvers.

The base 1.5-liter engine gets EPA-rated fuel economy of 30 mpg combined (28 mpg city, 34 mpg highway), which is a 1-mpg improvement over the 2020 model. With AWD, it returns 28 mpg combined (26 mpg city, 31 mpg highway). The AWD-only 2.0-liter powertrain is rated at 26 mpg combined (23 mpg city, 31 mpg highway).

The Escape hybrid increases gas mileage to 41 mpg combined (44 mpg city, 37 mpg highway) with FWD and 40 mpg combined (43 mpg city, 47 mpg highway) with AWD. The plug-in hybrid boasts 37 miles of electric range, with an efficiency rating of 105 MPGe combined in electric mode, plus 40 mpg in hybrid mode.

Ford offers a three-year, 60,000-mile, bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year, 60,000-mile, powertrain warranty. Most competitors offer similar coverage, but Hyundai and Kia offer longer warranty terms.

Pricing for the 2021 Ford Escape starts at $26,800 for a base Escape S FWD model (including a mandatory $1,245 destination charge). The gasoline Escape SE and Escape SEL start at $28,280 and $30,750, respectively, while the Escape Titanium sits atop the range at $37,300 MSRP. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains are available on all but the base S trim level, and come with a price premium.

That pricing makes the Escape a decent value, and the Ford crossover’s passenger space and array of powertrain options are pluses as well. However, being merely competitive isn’t enough when there are so many choices, which is definitely the case when it comes to compact crossovers. The Escape isn’t a bad car, but Ford doesn’t offer a compelling reason to choose it over rival models.