2023 Ford Escape PHEV

SUV · 2.5L Plug-In Hybrid I4 · FWD

79/100

AutoVault's overall score, weighted for what a suv is actually for — performance, technology, comfort, reliability, safety and value.

Specifications

Engine	2.5L Plug-In Hybrid I4
Horsepower	209 hp
Torque	155 lb-ft
0–60 mph	6.8 sec
Top speed	112 mph
Drivetrain	FWD
Seats	5
Combined MPG	27 mpg (25 city / 30 hwy)
Range	427 miles
MSRP	$30,575
Body style	SUV

The verdict

What's good

Drives ~37 miles on electricity alone
Charges from a standard wall outlet
Smooth, quiet around-town motoring
Flexible, family-friendly cargo area

What's not

Cabin plastics feel low-rent
No all-wheel drive offered
Plug-in version costs a premium
Modest towing capability

The engine

2.5L Plug-In Hybrid I4

A quiet, unhurried powertrain tuned for efficiency over drama: it slips along on electricity for short trips, then the Atkinson-cycle four wakes smoothly via an electronic CVT with no gearshifts to interrupt the calm.

The gasoline half is Ford's 2.5-liter iVCT four, a Duratec-lineage unit originally co-developed with Mazda and re-tuned to the more efficient Atkinson cycle for hybrid duty in the Escape.

The Atkinson cycle deliberately holds the intake valve open into the compression stroke, trading some low-end punch for a longer effective expansion that wrings more energy from each drop of fuel.
Unlike a regular hybrid, the PHEV's larger pack can be plugged in to deliver roughly 37 miles of electric-only driving before the engine is needed.
There is no conventional gearbox at all; an electronic continuously variable transmission blends engine and motor torque seamlessly.

See the rest in AutoVault

The six sub-scores behind the 79 — performance, tech, comfort, reliability, safety and value
Market value today and year-by-year value history
Studio photography — exterior, rear and interior
Side-by-side comparison with up to four cars

Open in AutoVault