2023 Ford Escape Consumer Reviews
MSRP Starting at
$28,000
Save as much as $2,231
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Escape, so we've included reviews for other years of the Escape since its last redesign.
Solid vehicle that gets better over time
Rob, 04/23/2022
2022 Ford Escape SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)
102 of 103 people found this review helpful
I've had this vehicle for a while now and I'll be honest, when I first got it...I thought that that the 8-speed transmission was a little strange and the vehicle had uneven performance. Some days it would perform flawlessly and other days the transmission would gear hunt, shift hard, throw in an odd shift or shift too slowly. I even looked it up and thought it was a DCT transmission, because that's what it initially felt like. It turns out that this car has legitimate break in period of about 2,000 miles. The gears have to be worn in, the computer has to learn driving behaviors and things will tend to smooth out over time. The SUV is absurdly fast for what it is, smooth and handles like a dream. I have no issues passing anyone or getting up to speed quickly. Honestly, it doesn't even feel like a crossover, it feels more car like when compared to the previous generation Escape. If you closed your eyes, you'd think you were driving an Audi or a 4cyl Macan or something. The interior is basic in a good way and user friendly with technology that is easy to use. It doesn't feel like a confusing Star Wars spaceship cockpit like a lot of these modern vehicles. Many reviews criticize this vehicle for having a strange transmission behavior or saying it's not fun to drive....WRONG. Do NOT judge this vehicle new within it's first 1,700 miles. It is a transmission that needs to be driven and worn in. The vehicle is FUN to drive and I often find excuses to take it out on the road just to have fun driving it. I've tested this car against the new RAV4 and there is no comparison, the Escape is hands down the better, faster and more composed vehicle. I would only shop and compare this vehicle against the Mazda CX-5 and they are practically the same vehicle. Both are "driver's" cars. I highly recommend this car.
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Remarkable mileage!
John S, 04/29/2022
updated 07/06/2022
2022 Ford Escape Titanium Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid EVT)
56 of 57 people found this review helpful
Just purchased 2022 Ford Escape Hybrid AWD. Excellent driving feel and hugs the road. Nicely built with no flaws I can find. The mileage after 150 mixed roads miles is a remarkable 42 mpg. The gas gauge barely budged at 1/8 tank used 400 plus mile range remaining. This an SUV not a Prius! The hybrid power train uses the electric mode frequently with flawless engagement of the gas engine as needed. My only complaint is the excess of interior hard plastic. Seats are great and otherwise the interior is excellent and this creates a negative distraction. It looks ok but feels cheap. Unacceptable in a Titanium model and Ford should fix this asap. An update after 3 months. Continues to be a great car. Drives nicely and was great on a long trip because the seats are excellent. Our mileage in mixed driving in our rural are is an incredible 45 miles per gallon using eco mode frequently. My wife and I love this car!
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Overall, a nice surprise of an SUV!
NoahBee, 07/01/2022
2022 Ford Escape SEL Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid EVT)
40 of 41 people found this review helpful
My wife and I were looking for our first SUV during one of the most frustrating times to buy a vehicle. Eventually, we were able to test drive a CX-5, CR-V, and a RAV4 Hybrid. We were pretty set on the RAV4 Hybrid and didn’t even think about an Escape. However, one caught our eye on the road and we decided to look into it. My wife’s family has had a lot of trouble with Escapes in the past so it wasn’t in consideration from the beginning. However, an SEL Hybrid happened to be in stock nearby so we decided to give it a test drive. In the last 2 months of owning the vehicle, there is a lot to like here. First of all, the driving experience is superior to the RAV4 Hybrid especially. The RAV handles more like a truck/big SUV, whereas the Escape Hybrid feels more athletic with a smoother ride. The fuel economy is also excellent. We’ve been averaging around 40 MPG which is great during high gas prices. In terms of features, our favorite is the CoPilot add on that has adaptive cruise and lane centering, which basically drives the car for you and it is excellent. The steering wheel makes tiny adjustments and isn’t too jarring. The infotainment system is also the best in my opinion as it works smoothly and the layout is pleasing. The exterior design of the car is also quite nice. It looks cleaner and more minimalistic than the RAV and nearly has a Porsche Cayenne look to it. Having said all these positives, it is certainly not perfect. My biggest pet peeve is the interior quality. When you’re spending around $35K on a vehicle, you want it to feel nice. Unfortunately, the Escape uses a lot of hard plastics and easily scratched materials that make it feel more like a rental car — which makes sense as the Escape is a common fleet vehicle. While you’re ultimately looking for reliability and dependability in a vehicle, interior quality is secondary but still important. Luckily, the leatherette seats are quite comfortable and the back seats actually slide forward for additional cargo space. Overall, the Escape is a surprisingly good little SUV. It has a great feature set and a nice driving experience with relatively athletic handling. I expect the Hybrid drivetrain to be pretty reliable as it’s still based on Toyota tech. On top of it all, Fords financing is excellent and offers 0% financing, and with a few rebates, we got it below MSRP. My biggest complaint is the interior quality and the over-reliance on plastics. Overall, if you can get past that, the Escape is a great alternative to the competition that stands out when you look at the price tag.
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Idk…
Alex T, 04/22/2022
2022 Ford Escape SEL Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid EVT)
48 of 51 people found this review helpful
Had the car a week and a half so far. Pretty SUV. Love the sunroof. Been averaging 36 mpg. The fake leather material loves jeans, I got it in the sandstone color and have already had to use leather wipes to get the blue stain off. Has 3 different rattling noises. One is the B&O subwoofer in the trunk. Can’t listen to music at any volume, whether the bass is turned all the way down or all the way up. (Upon further research and reading forums, apparently this is a normal thing for escapes with the B&O sound system that doesn’t have an actual fix 😒) There’s some tapping noise that happens at all speeds, happens every time I drive without fail. There’s some weird clunking when I go over bumps. Door rattles. Passenger door has a hard time closing. The touchscreen is slow to respond. System is slow to connect to CarPlay. Waited 4.5 months for it to come in and I’m pretty disappointed. Taking it to the dealership next week and we’ll see if they can fix anything. If not, there’s no way I’ll be keeping this. I feel like if it’s already got all these issues fresh out of the factory, what else is gonna be wrong with it after 6 months, a year, 3 years, etc….?
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Ford Escape
Henry Tereshinski, 03/08/2022
2022 Ford Escape SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)
24 of 28 people found this review helpful
Completely satisfied. Very comfortable, roomy and smooth ride