2026 Final model year · Huntley, IL
The 2026 Ford Escape.The last one.
Ford ended Escape production in December 2025. There will be no 2027 Escape.
- 180–250 hp
- Four powertrain choices
- Up to 39 MPG
- Hybrid, combined (EPA-est.)
- 37 mi
- Plug-in hybrid electric range
From $30,350 plus $1,495 destination · Ford’s MSRPs
- Final model yearProduction ended December 2025
- Hybrid is AWDAll-wheel drive standard on every 2026 hybrid
- Up to 42 MPG city2.5L hybrid (EPA-est.)
- 8 yr / 100,000 miHybrid component warranty
2026 is the last Escape Ford builds — and that changes less than you might think.
Ford ended Escape production at its Louisville plant in December 2025 so the factory could be retooled for electric vehicles. There will be no 2027 Escape. Here is the honest version of what that does and does not affect.
Service and parts carry on
Ford supports parts for its vehicles long after a model ends — the Escape sold in the millions over 25 years, so the parts supply is deep. Our service department works on Escapes every week and will keep doing so.
Your warranty is unaffected
A 2026 Escape carries the same coverage as any new Ford: 3 years or 36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 5 years or 60,000 miles on the powertrain, and 8 years or 100,000 miles on hybrid components. Discontinuing a model does not change what you bought.
Stock is finite, and that is the whole story
No more are being built, so what is on the lot is what there is. That is a real reason to look sooner rather than later — not a sales tactic, just arithmetic.
What comes next
If you want something Escape-sized and new, the Bronco Sport is the closest thing in the current lineup. Ford is reported to be planning an electric Escape for around 2029, though the company has not confirmed it.
What changed between the 2025 and 2026 Escape
Very little on the surface, and one change underneath that matters more here than almost anywhere else in the country.
| Ford Escape | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Trim lineup | Active, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, ST-Line Elite, Platinum, Plug-in Hybrid | Unchanged — same six |
| 2.5L hybrid drivetrain | Front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive | All-wheel drive only |
| Emissions certification | 50-state (California-compliant) | Federal — not sold in CARB states |
| Vapor Blue Metallic paint | No-cost color | Extra-cost color |
| Engines offered | 1.5L EcoBoost, 2.0L EcoBoost, 2.5L hybrid, plug-in hybrid | Unchanged |
| Production status | In production | Final model year — ended Dec 2025 |
Every 2026 Escape Hybrid has all-wheel drive
In 2025 you could buy the 2.5L hybrid with front-wheel drive, and on the ST-Line and Platinum that was how it came. For 2026 Ford dropped that configuration: the hybrid is now all-wheel drive across the board. In a market where the hybrid was often the front-drive choice and the all-wheel-drive choice cost you fuel economy, the 2026 car simply gives you both — 42 MPG city and AWD in the same vehicle. That is a bigger deal in McHenry and Kane County than it is in most of the country. If your winter involves an unplowed subdivision road at 6am and then forty miles of I-90, the 2026 hybrid is the one Escape that stops asking you to choose between traction and fuel bills. The other 2026 change — the switch to Federal emissions certification — means the car is no longer sold in California-compliant states. Illinois is not one of them, so it has no effect on anything you buy here.
Four powertrains, and which suits which driver
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2.5L HybridThe efficient one
New this year: Ford dropped the front-drive hybrid, so every 2026 Escape Hybrid has all-wheel drive. The best choice for a Randall Road or I-90 commute, because hybrids do their best work in exactly the stop-start traffic that punishes a gas engine.
- Power192 hp combined
- DriveAll-wheel drive standard
- EPA MPG city/hwy42/36
- Towing1,500 lb, Class II package
-
1.5L EcoBoostThe sensible default
A three-cylinder turbo that gets on with the job. The sensible choice if your annual mileage is modest and you would rather not pay for a hybrid you cannot amortize.
- Power180 hp · 199 lb-ft
- DriveFront- or all-wheel drive
- EPA MPG city/hwy27/34 FWD · 26/32 AWD
- Towing2,000 lb, dealer-installed hitch
-
2.0L EcoBoostThe one that tows
All-wheel drive only. Worth the fuel it costs you if you tow — 3,500 lb is nearly double what the 1.5L manages, and enough for a small boat or a pair of jet skis to the Chain O’Lakes.
- Power250 hp · 280 lb-ft
- DriveAll-wheel drive only
- EPA MPG city/hwy23/31
- Towing3,500 lb, Class II package
-
2.5L Plug-in HybridThe one you plug in
It runs on electricity until the battery is done, then carries on as an ordinary hybrid, so it never asks you to shorten a trip. Front-wheel drive only. More on what the electric range covers around here below.
- Power210 hp combined
- DriveFront-wheel drive only
- EPA MPG city/hwy42/37 on gas · 101 MPGe
- Towing1,500 lb, Class II package
EPA-estimated ratings. Actual mileage, electric range, and MPGe vary with driving habits, weather, load, charge level, and vehicle condition. Towing at the figures shown requires the Class II Trailer Tow Package except on the 1.5L, where the hitch is a dealer-installed accessory — ask us to confirm the equipment on the specific vehicle.
37 miles of electric range covers most of the driving people here actually do
Huntley to Elgin and back is inside it. So is Huntley to Crystal Lake, or Algonquin, or the school run and the store twice over. Charge it overnight on a normal outlet and a lot of weeks you would not buy gas at all — then it behaves like an ordinary hybrid at 40 MPG combined the moment you point it at Chicago.
Screens, seats, and the things you touch every day
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Screens8-inch touchscreen standard, 13.2-inch on the upper trims
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. ST-Line Elite, Platinum, and the Plug-in Hybrid get the 13.2-inch touchscreen with built-in navigation — it is also available on Active, ST-Line, and ST-Line Select as part of a tech package — plus a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver.
-
Space37.5 cu ft behind the rear seats
Fold them and it is 65.4 — or 34.4 and 60.8 if you choose a hybrid, where the battery takes some of the floor. The rear bench slides, so you can trade legroom for cargo space depending on whether you are carrying people or things that week.
-
Comfort
Heated seats and wheel from ST-Line Select up
Remote start comes with them, which in an Illinois February is less a luxury than a reason to get out of bed. The Panoramic Vista Roof and its power shade are optional on every trim, the base Active included.
- 42MPG city, 2.5L hybrid (EPA-est.)
- 37Miles of electric range, plug-in hybrid
- 65.4Cu ft of cargo, rear seats folded
What comes on which trim
The lineup is not quite a ladder. ST-Line Select is where most of the equipment arrives: heated seats, a heated wheel, remote start, the power liftgate, and all-wheel drive all turn standard there, and the hybrid becomes the standard engine. ST-Line, despite costing more than Active, is the sport trim rather than the equipment trim — the B&O stereo, wireless charging, and the bigger driver display can all be added to a cheaper Active and cannot be had on the ST-Line at all. And Platinum over ST-Line Elite is mostly a change of look, chrome in place of black, rather than more equipment.
Standard and available equipment as published by Ford, checked Aug. 24, 2026. Ford revises trim content during the model year, and a single vehicle may not carry every option shown as available — ask us to confirm on the one you are looking at.
Every 2026 Escape trim, lowest price first
-
Escape Active
1.5L EcoBoost · FWD or AWD
- FWD · AWD
- $30,350 · $31,750
Key features
- 180 hp 1.5L EcoBoost
- 17-inch wheels
- 8-inch touchscreen
- Blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping
-
Escape ST-Line
1.5L EcoBoost · FWD or AWD
- FWD · AWD
- $31,195 · $32,595
Key features
- Sport styling and 18-inch wheels
- Flat-bottom steering wheel
- Roof rails
- All-wheel drive available
-
Escape ST-Line Select
2.5L hybrid, 2.0L EcoBoost available · AWD
- AWD
- $33,890
Key features
- 192 hp 2.5L hybrid, 42 MPG city
- Heated seats and steering wheel
- Remote start and power liftgate
- LED foglights
-
Escape Plug-in Hybrid
2.5L plug-in hybrid · FWD
- FWD
- $35,400
Key features
- 37 miles electric range
- 101 MPGe · 210 hp combined
- 13.2-inch touchscreen with navigation
- Adaptive cruise control
-
Escape Platinum
2.5L hybrid, 2.0L EcoBoost available · AWD
- AWD
- $36,215
Key features
- ActiveX synthetic leather seats
- Chrome grille and window trim
- LED light bar headlights
- Memory driver seat and mirrors
-
Escape ST-Line Elite
2.5L hybrid, 2.0L EcoBoost available · AWD
- AWD
- $37,210
Key features
- 19-inch wheels, LED light bar headlights
- 13.2-inch touchscreen with navigation
- 12.3-inch digital cluster
- Adaptive cruise, wireless charging
Photography is Ford’s own and may show a trim other than the one named, or optional equipment. Starting MSRPs shown are Ford’s published base prices and exclude the $1,495 destination and delivery charge — Ford’s own figure, read from its destination and delivery page on 1 September 2026 — so the Escape Active is $30,350 base MSRP, or $31,845 including destination — as well as tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional equipment. They are not the price of any particular vehicle; what a car actually costs is on its listing.
Six colors, and that is the whole list
A short palette even by final-year standards. Oxford White — the white on most of the rest of the Ford range — is not offered on the 2026 Escape at all.
Pick a color
Shown on a 2026 Escape Platinum with optional equipment. Swatches are taken from Ford’s own renders, so screens will vary slightly from the paint.
Exterior colors as published by Ford on its 2026 Escape pages, read Sept. 4, 2026. Ford does not publish the surcharge for its extra-cost colors, so we have not invented one — ask us for the figure on a specific vehicle. Availability changes during the model year and not every color reaches every trim.
2026 Ford Escape · full specifications
| Specification | 2026 Ford Escape |
|---|---|
| Powertrain | |
| Standard engine | 1.5L EcoBoost turbo three-cylinder, 180 hp / 199 lb-ft |
| Available engine | 2.0L EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder, 250 hp / 280 lb-ft (AWD only) |
| Hybrid | 2.5L full hybrid, 192 hp combined (all-wheel drive only for 2026) |
| Plug-in hybrid | 2.5L plug-in hybrid, 210 hp combined, 37-mile electric range (FWD only) |
| Transmission | Eight-speed automatic (gas) · eCVT (hybrid and plug-in hybrid) |
| Fuel economy (EPA-estimated) | |
| 1.5L EcoBoost FWD | 27 city / 34 highway / 30 combined |
| 1.5L EcoBoost AWD | 26 city / 32 highway / 28 combined |
| 2.0L EcoBoost AWD | 23 city / 31 highway / 26 combined |
| 2.5L hybrid AWD | 42 city / 36 highway / 39 combined |
| Plug-in hybrid | 101 MPGe · 40 combined once the battery is depleted |
| Dimensions and capacity | |
| Length | 180.1 in |
| Width | 74.1 in (85.6 in including mirrors) |
| Height | 66.0 in EcoBoost · 66.1 in hybrid and plug-in hybrid |
| Wheelbase | 106.7 in |
| Curb weight | From 3,273 lb (1.5L FWD) to 3,880 lb (plug-in hybrid) |
| Cargo behind rear seats | 37.5 cu ft EcoBoost · 34.4 cu ft hybrid and plug-in hybrid |
| Cargo, rear seats folded | 65.4 cu ft EcoBoost · 60.8 cu ft hybrid and plug-in hybrid |
| Maximum towing | 2,000 lb (1.5L, dealer-installed hitch) · 3,500 lb (2.0L) · 1,500 lb (hybrid and plug-in hybrid) — Class II tow package required |
| Warranty | |
| Bumper-to-bumper | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Powertrain | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Hybrid components | 8 years / 100,000 miles |
| Corrosion | 5 years / unlimited miles |
| Roadside assistance | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Figures are Ford and EPA published data cross-checked against independent sources. Specification varies by trim and options — we will confirm the numbers on any individual vehicle before you commit to it.
What a compact SUV has to do in McHenry and Kane County
Most Escapes sold here do the same job: a commute down I-90 or the Randall Road corridor, a school run, and a winter that arrives without asking. That shapes which version is worth buying. The hybrid’s all-wheel drive is the headline, because it removes the compromise people used to make. Ground clearance and approach angles matter far less here than the ability to pull away from an intersection on packed snow and still see 39 MPG on the way home. If you tow to the Chain O’Lakes in summer the 2.0L is the one to look at. If your driving is mostly local and short, the plug-in hybrid’s 37 miles will cover more of your week than you would expect.
- All-wheel drive available on every powertrain except the plug-in hybrid
- Huntley, Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Crystal Lake, Carpentersville
- Elgin, Woodstock, McHenry, Hampshire, and Gilberts
Where the Escape is not the best choice
Choose something else if cabin quality is your first priority — reviewers point to inconsistent panel gaps and cheap-feeling interior door handles, and rate a Honda CR-V or Mazda CX-5 above it — if you want a compact SUV that is fun on a back road, because the same reviewers mark down both the body roll through corners and an eight-speed automatic that can shift slowly and jerkily, or if maximum cargo space decides it — the Escape holds 65.4 cu ft with the seats folded as an EcoBoost and 60.8 as a hybrid, against 70.4 for a Toyota RAV4 and 76.5 for a Honda CR-V. Choose the Escape if you want a choice of four powertrains rather than one, a hybrid that returns 42 MPG city and has all-wheel drive, a 2.0L that will tow 3,500 lb, a rear bench that slides to trade legroom for cargo, and a starting price below most of the cars just named. For the way most people around Huntley use one, that second list is the one that matters — but you should know the first list exists.
What comes as standard, and how it scored
Crash rating
NHTSA 5-star overall, 2024 Escape
Five stars in the frontal and side-impact tests, four in the rollover test. NHTSA has not published ratings for the 2025 or 2026 Escape, so this is the most recent rating the agency has issued for this generation — not a 2026 score.
Standard equipment
Ford Co-Pilot360
Automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, lane keeping, and a rear camera on every trim including Active.
Available equipment
Adaptive cruise with stop-and-go
Standard on ST-Line Elite, Platinum, and the Plug-in Hybrid, with lane centering, evasive steering assist, intersection assist, and rear parking sensors. A 360-degree camera and front parking sensors are options even on those trims — ask us to confirm them on the specific vehicle.
What buying here is like
Questions people ask about the 2026 Escape
Is the Ford Escape being discontinued?
Yes. 2026 is the final model year. Ford ended Escape production at its Louisville Assembly plant in December 2025 so the factory could be retooled to build electric vehicles, and there will be no 2027 Escape. What is on dealer lots now is the last of them.
Why did Ford discontinue the Escape?
It was a manufacturing decision rather than a verdict on the car. Ford is investing around $2 billion to convert the Louisville plant to electric-vehicle production, and the Escape’s assembly line was what occupied it. The Escape sold well for 25 years.
Will Ford still support my Escape after it is discontinued?
Yes. Ford supplies parts for its vehicles long after production ends, and with millions of Escapes on the road the parts supply is deep. Your warranty is unchanged — 3 years or 36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 5 years or 60,000 on the powertrain, and 8 years or 100,000 miles on hybrid components. Our service department in Huntley works on Escapes every week.
Is there going to be an electric Ford Escape?
It is reported that Ford plans to bring the Escape name back as an electric vehicle around 2029, built on the company’s Universal EV platform. Ford has not confirmed that, so treat it as a credible report rather than a promise.
How much is a 2026 Ford Escape?
The 2026 Escape Active starts at $30,350 base MSRP, which is $31,845 once Ford’s $1,495 destination charge is added, and the range tops out with ST-Line Elite at $37,210 ($38,705 with destination). Those are Ford’s starting figures and exclude tax, title, and license. What any particular vehicle costs is on its own listing — call us on (847) 669-6060 and we will give you the real number on a real car.
What engines does the 2026 Escape offer?
Four. A 180 hp 1.5L EcoBoost as standard, a 250 hp 2.0L EcoBoost with all-wheel drive, a 192 hp 2.5L full hybrid, and a 210 hp plug-in hybrid with 37 miles of electric range.
Does the 2026 Escape Hybrid come with all-wheel drive?
Every one of them. This is the main change from 2025, when the hybrid could be had with front-wheel drive. For 2026 the 2.5L hybrid is all-wheel drive only — so you get 42 MPG city and AWD in the same car, which used to be a trade-off.
How far does the Escape Plug-in Hybrid go on electricity?
37 miles on a full charge, EPA-estimated, then about 40 MPG combined as an ordinary hybrid. For a lot of drivers around Huntley, Algonquin, and Crystal Lake that covers the daily driving. It is front-wheel drive only.
How much can a Ford Escape tow?
Up to 3,500 lb with the 2.0L EcoBoost and the correct tow package, 2,000 lb with the 1.5L, and 1,500 lb as either a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. Ask us to confirm the equipment on any specific vehicle before you rely on the figure.
Is the Ford Escape a good SUV?
It is a sensible one, and it is not for everyone. Its strengths are powertrain choice — the Chevrolet Equinox, for instance, offers no hybrid at all — the hybrid’s fuel economy, the 2.0L’s 3,500 lb towing, the sliding rear bench, and competitive pricing. Its weaknesses, which the professional reviewers agree on, are body roll through corners, an eight-speed automatic that can shift slowly, and interior fit and finish they place below a Honda CR-V or Mazda CX-5. If those two things matter most to you, drive the alternatives too.
How long does a Ford Escape last?
That depends far more on maintenance than on the badge, so we would rather not quote a mileage. What Ford does guarantee is the part people most often ask about: the hybrid battery and hybrid components are covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles, and the powertrain for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Our service department can walk you through the maintenance schedule for whichever engine you are considering.
Are there any 2026 Ford Escapes left near Huntley?
There are, though the number only goes one way now. The inventory page shows what is physically on the lot at 13900 Automall Drive today — or call (847) 669-6060 and we will tell you over the phone.
Ask us something the page did not cover
Call (847) 669-6060 with the questions this page could not settle from Ford’s own documents — what the factory tow package costs on a 2.0L, and whether one is on the lot.
Come and drive the last one
We are on Automall Drive, just off Route 47 at I-90 — an easy run from Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Crystal Lake, Elgin, and Woodstock. No appointment needed to look.