2020 Ford Escape arrives in Australia with promotional pricing

Ford Australia has confirmed launch details and driveaway pricing for the new Escape SUV which will slot in above the compact Puma in the marque’s range, with prices starting from $36,490.

Those fair figures are courtesy of Ford’s promotional driveaway pricing in Australia. The attractive new Escape will begin arriving in Australian showrooms in November.

Ford’s new design direction is promising; although the Puma looked a little ungainly in the first images, we’ve grown to like the unique styling – especially in the flesh. The Escape looks set to succeed in a similar fashion, which will be important in an image-driven segment.

As with the smaller Puma, Ford is gearing up for virtual ‘desk’ drives of the new Escape to entice customers without having to visit the showroom. Customers who participate will benefit from $500 cash back if they go through with their purchase.

Andrew Birkic, President and CEO, Ford Australia and New Zealand, said of the new vehicle: “The all-new Escape is an exceptional SUV, and we can’t wait for its arrival in Australia. Escape brings advanced safety and Driver Assistance Technology”.

The Escape sits squarely in the Australian mid-size SUV segment, at 4,626mm long, 1,838mm wide and with a 2,710mm wheelbase its bigger than the outgoing Escape in every direction – by 89mm, 40mm and 20mm respectively.

Whether the new Escape will prove itself against the tough competition including the Toyota Rav4, Mazda CX-5 and Skoda Kodiaq remains to be seen – we’ll need to put together another comparison like this one to find out.

Still, the inclusion of a 2.5-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain will undoubtedly help. That combines an Atkinson-cycle 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with dual electric motors and a 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery for an EV-only range of above 50km in town.

For now, though, Ford is not offering introductory pricing on that desirable model which remains priced at $52,940 before on-road costs.

The introductory offer begins with the entry-level Escape powered by a beefy two-litre turbocharged engine with outputs of 183kW and 387Nm and an eight-speed torque converter automatic.

Other highlights for the $36,490 driveaway Escape include 18-inch alloy wheels, Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system with DAB, Navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with LED head and taillights standard. Safety tech generously includes AEB with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring and traffic sign recognition.

An extra $1,000 sees high-tech Matrix LED headlights and a head-up display fitted to the base Escape.

Moving up to the front-drive ST-line which Ford Australia has priced at $38,990 gets the same powertrain, though inside buyers will be greeted with a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, dark headlining, flat-bottom wheel and metal pedals. Outside, the ST-Line can be identified by lowered sports suspension, more aggressive exterior styling, athletic-looking 18-inch alloys and dark-finish roof rails.

For $41,990, Ford will fit all-wheel-drive to the Escape ST-Line for those who need that security. An extra $2,800 nets a tech pack which adds heated front seats and power tailgate to the specification.

The plug-in hybrid is only available in the sporty ST-Line trim with all-wheel-drive, while the feature-packed Vignale garnishes the Escape with leather-appointed seats, panoramic sunroof, and heated outboard rear seats, though neither benefits from promotional driveaway pricing.

Ford Australia will be offering the virtual ‘desk-drives’ of the new Escape through November and December, with cars due in dealerships by November.

2020 Ford Escape Pricing

Ford Escape FWD – $35,990 ($36,490 driveaway)
Ford Escape ST-Line FWD – $37,990 ($38,990 driveaway)
Ford Escape ST-Line AWD – $40,990 ($41,990 driveaway)
Ford Escape Vignale FWD – $46,590 ($51,153 driveaway)
Ford Escape Vignale AWD – $49,590 ($54,303 driveaway)
Ford Escape ST-Line PHEV – $52,940 ($57,823 driveaway)