Your Guide to the 2023 Ford Escape’s Trims

The Ford Escape is a stylish and capable SUV that can get you and all of your cargo where you need to go safely and help you make a splash when you arrive. The Escape is also easy to configure, with different powertrain options to choose from and several trim levels that range from basic and affordable to luxurious to above and beyond. As your Ford Escape dealer, we here at Kate Faupel Ford can help you find just the right model for your driving habits, budget, and style. In this guide, we’re going to take a look at all of the 2023 Escape’s trim levels so that you can figure out which one is the best match for you.

The Base

The Base is the most affordable trim level, making it a great choice for shoppers on a budget. While it may not have all of the high-tech bells and whistles that you’ll find on the Platinum, you’ll still be getting a lot of desirable features. When it comes to power, you can either stick with the standard 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that delivers 180 horsepower or upgrade to a 2.0-liter engine that brings that number up to 250 horsepower. When properly equipped, the Escape Base can tow up to 2,000 lbs, so you can easily bring a trailer along on a road trip or camping weekend or drive your boat down to the Ohio river for a day out on the water.

Inside, you’ll find a modern cabin full of features designed to make life more convenient. The standard infotainment system comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, so it’s easy to connect your smartphone to the system and control your favorite apps directly through the vehicle’s interface; you don’t even need to go hunting for a cable to plug it in. Voice activation comes standard, too, so you can control everything without taking your eyes off the road to look at the touch screen or search for the right button or dial. Controls built into the steering wheel also help you use all of the onboard tech without lifting a finger.

The back row of seating can provide plenty of space for passengers, even taller adults, with 40.7 inches of legroom. On the other hand, if you’ve got little kids with short legs on board and need more room for groceries in the back, you can simply slide the seats forward to strike the right balance. The seats can also fold completely flat to give you up to 65.4 cubic feet of cargo space, and they have a 60/40 split, making the rear cargo area a highly configurable space that can change to suit your shifting needs from trip to trip.

Whether the Escape is acting as your family car, your trusty transport for long road trips, or your daily commuter vehicle, you’ll be glad to know that Ford’s high-tech safety features come standard. The Escape Base comes loaded with Ford’s Co-Pilot360 driver-assist technologies, which help to keep you focused and fully aware of your surroundings while on the road. These features include pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, blind spot information system with rear cross-traffic braking, evasive steering assist, lane keeping system, and automatic high beam headlamps.

The Active

The Ford Escape Active has all of the great features on the Base, plus some extras that will make you even more comfortable. If you and your partner don’t always agree on what temperature to set the thermostat to, then you’ll appreciate that the Active comes with dual-zone temperature control, allowing the driver and passenger to individually manage their climate control settings or set them to automatic to let the Escape’s system keep the cabin at an ideal temperature. The Active also comes with a rotary gear shift dial, which is smaller than the standard gear shift, making room for extra cup holders and USB ports, plus more storage space in the center console. You can also opt for the available power liftgate to open up access to the rear cargo area at the push of a button, which can come in handy when your hands are full.

The ST-Line

If you’re looking to up your style game, then look no further than the ST-Line trim. This sporty option features exclusive badging, a unique grille design, and a spoiler to help the exterior stand out in a crowd. In the cabin, you’ll find a racing-inspired flat-bottom steering wheel and an ebony interior with bold red accent stitching.

The ST-Line Select

The ST-Line Select comes standard with the more powerful 2.0L engine rather than the 1.5L, so you’ll be packing some extra power under the hood. You’ll also be extra toasty in the winter, thanks to heated front-row seats. An available ten-way power-adjustable driver’s seat brings that comfort to the next level, letting you get your position just right with power lumbar support and power recline.

The ST-Line Elite

The highest-level ST-Line trim increases the size of the touchscreen from eight inches to 13.2 inches, making it easier for you to see vital information at a glance so that you don’t have to take your eyes off the road for too long. This larger screen also allows the Elite to come standard with a high-tech 360-degree camera feature. Using cameras on the front, sides, and rear, this feature can give you a look all the way around your vehicle, including a bird’s-eye view, and it can even use a split view to show you multiple angles at once. This can come in handy when parking in tight spaces.

The Platinum

The Platinum trim doesn’t come with the ST Line’s unique styling features like its exclusive grille design and red stitching, but it does come standard with many of the great features we’ve already mentioned, like heated seats, a large 13.2-inch touchscreen with 360-degree camera, the 2.0L engine, a ten-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a power liftgate. Beyond that, it also comes with a universal garage door opener, 19-inch machine-face aluminum wheels with dark tarnished painted pockets, and lovely faux-leather seating surfaces, with the option to upgrade to genuine leather-trim with quilting design and mini-perforation.

The Plug-In Hybrid

The Escape Plug-In Hybrid stands out from the other trims mainly due to its powertrain. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is paired with two electric motors. Combined, they provide up to 210 horsepower, giving the PHEV a towing capacity of 1,500 lbs when properly equipped. As you might expect, this is the most fuel-efficient option, and because it’s a plug-in hybrid, there may be small trips where you don’t use any gasoline at all. The Escape Plug-In Hybrid can travel an EPA-estimated range of 37 miles using just the power of its electric battery, so if you have an 18-mile commute, then you could basically use it like an electric vehicle that happens to have a gasoline backup system, charging up cheaply at home instead of feeling any pain at the pump.

What Comes Next

Now you have a better idea of what the Escape trim levels are and what each one has to offer. If you know that a particular model of the Escape will be perfect for you, then it’s time to come down to Kate Faupel Ford and seal the deal. If you still have questions, that’s perfectly fine. Many people can’t make a final decision on a car until they get behind the wheel for a test drive, talk to a knowledgeable salesperson, or simply have some time to think about it. Wherever you are in the process, we can meet you where you’re at and help you end up with a vehicle that will serve you well for years to come. So reach out today and see what we can do for you.

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