We rolled them up to the starting line of our Mason Dixon test track eager to see what this PHEV has in store.
EV-power usually means good things for acceleration, but it’s important to keep in mind you’re only dealing with a little over 200-horsepower here, so launching was a little more muted than we’ve experienced in many PHEVs, but quick throttle response and steady power delivery made for an acceptable 7.8-second trip to 60.
CVT means engine revs kept mostly steady throughout the ¼-mile, but engine noise was not offensive at all. We hit 91 miles-per-hour in 15.9 seconds at the end of the quarter.
The pace was also moderate in our handling course. The PHEV’s hard tires lacked the grip to really keep up with what this chassis is capable of. The front end wanted to slide as soon as we added too much speed. Still, steering feel was quite good and body roll minimal.
Braking performance was overall quite good; even with a fair amount of nosedive, stops were straight and consistent, averaging 110-feet from 60 miles-per-hour.
Now, those looking for a little more visual excitement will be interested in the new ST-Line now available on the Escape for ’23. It features lots of sporty black trim, 19-inch Ebony aluminum wheels, a unique rear spoiler, and updated lighting.
Ford has completely restructured the Escape lineup, doing away with the boring-sounding SEs and SELs and replacing them with exciting names like Active, ST-Line, and Platinum. The base model is now called Base, and starting at $29,495, while the PHEV is now a standalone model priced at $41,995.
Many people may have forgotten, but the Ford Escape was actually the first gasoline-electric hybrid SUV sold here in America. That head start allowed them to stay ahead of rivals for quite some time. But more competitors have joined the race recently, some of which offer all-wheel-drive in their plug-ins, are faster, and have greater EV range. Still, taken as a whole, there is certainly much to like about this revamped tech-savvy 2023 Ford Escape PHEV. And, for Ford fans that aren’t quite ready to go the full battery electric route, it’s a terrific option.