2025 Ford Escape

Is the 2025 Ford Escape a Good SUV?

"We like the Escape a lot with the optional turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which is incidentally a much cheaper addition here than it is in the related Bronco Sport. We'd skip the base three-cylinder engine, but in general the Escape is a competent little SUV that probably deserves more credit than it gets."—Ranked #11 out of 15 Compact SUVs

Which 2025 Ford Escape Should I Buy?

MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 Ford Escape that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.

1. 2025 Ford Escape 1.5T Front-Wheel Drive

• Base Price: $27,995
• MPG Combined: 30
• Drive Type: Front-wheel drive
• Engine: 1.5-liter inline-3
• Aspiration: Turbocharged
• Transmission: 8-speed automatic
• Horsepower: 180 
• Torque: 199 lb⁠-⁠ft
• Weight: 3,283 lbs
• Length: 180.1 in
• Towing Capacity: 2,000 lbs

We can't recommend the base Escape. The three-cylinder engine is underwhelming, and a starting price of almost $30k for that engine with front-wheel drive seems a few grand too dear.

2. 2025 Ford Escape 1.5T All-Wheel Drive

• Base Price: $29,395
• MPG Combined: 28
• Drive Type: All-wheel drive
• Engine: 1.5-liter inline-3
• Aspiration: Turbocharged
• Transmission: 8-speed automatic
• Horsepower: 180 
• Torque: 199 lb⁠-⁠ft
• Weight: 3,419 lbs
• Length: 181.2 in
• Towing Capacity: 2,000 lbs

Pairing all-wheel drive with the three-cylinder engine means more weight for that little engine to contend with, which is the last thing it needs. Fuel economy isn't super impressive, either.

3. 2025 Ford Escape 2.0T

• Base Price: $32,230
• MPG Combined: 26
• Drive Type: All-wheel drive
• Engine: 2.0-liter inline-4
• Aspiration: Turbocharged
• Transmission: 8-speed automatic
• Horsepower: 250 
• Torque: 280 lb⁠-⁠ft
• 0-60: 5.8 sec
• Weight: 3,543 lbs
• Length: 181.2 in
• Towing Capacity: 3,500 lbs

The four-cylinder 2.0T — standard on the ST-Line Select trim ($33,540) — wins easily within the Escape model lineup. Why? It's only a few grand more than the base three-cylinder 1.5T (and not even two grand more than the 1.5T AWD), yet its acceleration is on an entirely different level. It also gives you standard all-wheel drive that still leaves room for decent fuel economy, and it unlocks by far the most maximum towing capacity of any Escape. It's just that simple: Skip the three and go straight to the four.

4. 2025 Ford Escape Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive

• Base Price: $32,490
• MPG Combined: 39
• Drive Type: Front-wheel drive
• Engine: 2.5-liter inline-4
• Aspiration: Naturally aspirated
• Transmission: CVT
• Horsepower: 192 
• Torque: N/A
• Weight: 3,519 lbs
• Length: 180.1 in
• Towing Capacity: 1,500 lbs

The Escape Hybrid certainly takes the Escape's fuel economy to new heights, but unless that's your primary goal, we'd advise checking out the 2.0T variant instead. You get far better acceleration with the 2.0T along with standard all-wheel drive, and it starts at about the same price as the front-wheel-drive Hybrid.

5. 2025 Ford Escape Hybrid All-Wheel Drive

• Base Price: $34,190
• MPG Combined: 39
• Drive Type: All-wheel drive
• Engine: 2.5-liter inline-4
• Aspiration: Naturally aspirated
• Transmission: CVT
• Horsepower: 192 
• Torque: N/A
• Weight: 3,686 lbs
• Length: 181.2 in
• Towing Capacity: 1,500 lbs

Adding AWD doesn't affect the fuel economy of the Escape Hybrid, per the EPA, so it's an easy choice if you live in a region that throws tough winters at you.

6. 2025 Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $38,400
• MPG Combined: 40
• EV Range: 37 mi
• Drive Type: Front-wheel drive
• Engine: 2.5-liter inline-4
• Aspiration: Naturally aspirated
• Transmission: CVT
• Horsepower: 210 
• Torque: N/A
• 0-60: 7.7 sec
• Weight: 3,904 lbs
• Length: 180.1 in
• Towing Capacity: 1,500 lbs

The Escape Plug-In Hybrid offers a useful (by PHEV standards) 37 miles of electric range, but otherwise there's not much to see here. Acceleration is unimpressive, which is due in part to the fact that the PHEV gear adds hundreds of pounds. You can only get the PHEV with front-wheel drive, whereas the regular hybrid has optional all-wheel drive. Oh yeah, and the PHEV is easily the most expensive Escape variant. We just can't, er, escape the conclusion that the 2.0T is head and shoulders above the rest of the Escapes in terms of value and all-around talent.