The Great Escape
The newest incarnation of the ever-evolving Ford Escape Titanium is out now. Metropol writer Ben Selby spent a week with the latest from the Ford family.
For the Ford Escape, one thing has remained constant through its many iterations: its ability to shake up and surprise one of the most competitive new car segments, the mid-sized SUV. However, can it still cut the mustard? Thanks to Ford New Zealand, I spent a week with the Escape Titanium FHEV 2WD to find out.
Styling wise, the Escape has lost its rounded floating headlights of the previous generation for some sharper looking LED Matrix headlamps with daytime running lights. There is also a revised grill and the whole car looks that little bit more aggressive than before. The rear looks like what came before yet overall, it still boasts modern, eye-pleasing lines.
The range is split three ways with the entry level Titanium FHEV (Full Hybrid Electric Vehicle) featured here accompanied by the mid-range ST-Line Hybrid and flagship ST-Line X PHEV AWD. While the latter has plug-in hybrid capability, my base self-charging Titanium Hybrid was still mighty impressive.
The Titanium FHEV gets a 2.5L four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a 1.1kWh battery pack sending drive to the front wheels via an automatic transmission. Power is rated at 132kW and combined fuel consumption sits at 4.8L/100km.
The hybrid and petrol combination really work well together. There is a strong delivery of torque, and it never seems to run out of puff throughout the rev range. Another benefit is the hefty 900km of driving range which comes from battery and petrol engine working in unison. I also found myself averaging 5.4L/100km which was rather nice to see.
Switch over to sport mode and you can make some spirited progress – I was perfectly happy to dial it back to a sedate cruise in Normal or Eco mode and enjoy some frugal motorway miles.
Inside, it’s a touch of the familiar with a crisp edge. I especially like the 13.2-inch touch screen infotainment system with Ford’s latest SYNC4 connectivity technology. Ford say this new system is twice as powerful as the previous generation and features 5G connectivity and cloud-connected navigation which gives the driver a constant heads up for any annoying traffic congestion on route.
Wireless charging, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a very clear and concise 360-degree rear view camera all come as standard, as does a raft of safety and convenience features such as blind spot monitoring, lane departure aid with warning and a revamped adaptive cruise control system that now allows the car to slow itself for corners and intersections.
While there are still some hard plastics around the cabin, the new Escape claws back points by serving up a set of incredibly comfortable seats, which happen to be quite supportive too.
I really enjoyed my time with the new Ford Escape FHEV. These subtle tweaks have turned good car into a great one. Choosing from the range of mid-sized SUV segment just got harder.
FACT FILE
2025 Ford Escape Titanium FHEV 2WD
Price: $59,990 + ORC
Engine: 2.5L Four Cylinder Petrol
Battery Pack: 1.1kWh
Max Power: 132kW
Combined Fuel Consumption: 4.8L/100km
CO2 Emissions: 110g/km
Drive Type: Front Wheel Drive
Kerb Weight: 1678kg
Boot Space: 517L
Wheels: 18-inch alloy
