FoMoCo’s compact crossover SUV got refreshed last November in time for the Los Angeles Auto Show. A lot of time has passed since then, but now it’s my pleasure to announce that production has finally started in Louisville.
The Louisville Assembly Plant on Fern Valley Road in Kentucky is one of the oldest car-making plants owned by the Ford Motor Company. This is where the Blue Oval manufactured more than half of all Edsel cars. But this is 2016 and times have changed.
At the present moment, Louisville’s only concern is to build the Ford Escape crossover and its Lincoln-branded brother - the MKC. For the 2017 model year, the second best-selling Ford nameplate in the United States ups the ante in terms of technology and safety. Ford designers haven’t fiddled too much with the way this thing looks. Instead, the company focused its efforts on the details that make life behind the wheel a little easier.
As the first Ford model in the United States to offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the 2017 Escape appeals to the younger audience more than the 2016 model year did. SYNC 3 infotainment and remote start via FordPass should also prove popular with the youngsters. Drivers will be more interested in the newly available EcoBoost four-cylinder engines with auto start & stop. Other than the tried-and-true naturally aspirated 2.5-liter mill, the 2017 Ford Escape is available with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost with 180 HP and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque.
The range-topping engine choice is a 2.0-liter EcoBoost with 245 ponies and 275 lb-ft (374 Nm). All engines are mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission as standard. If you’re in the market for an Escape, you’ll have to wait until May for the 2017 model year to go on sale. Pricing hasn't been announced at the time of writing, but do expect the suggested retail price to start at just over $23,000 sans destination.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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