Ford Kuga Owners Club > Kuga News > New Ford Escape, the spiritual successor to the Kuga?
We may have not yet reached 2012, but 2013 is the date that Ford Escape fans should put in their diary. For it’s the date when the updated compact SUV will join the full range of Ford models available from Evans Halshaw.
Launched in 2000 and available worldwide from 2001, the Escape – or Maverick, as it was known in Europe – made its mark as a crossover-type vehicle, with all the best features of a top level SUV. With its chunky styling and its innovative technology, the Escape became a brand favourite.
In the early years of its 12-year history, the Escape stayed ahead of the pack in terms of efficiency, with the release of a hybrid version in 2004 – the first hybrid SUV in production. But, as time as has progressed, there’s two major things it falls down on.
With its sharp, angular bulk styling, the model has a reputation for its impressive stature, but harks back to the SUV and off-road design of the late 1990s, appearing dated when compared to other vehicles of its class.
Also, while the hybrid engine was at the forefront of development in 2004, advances in conventional fuel technology have seen it fall behind in terms of efficiency.
So with the 2013 Escape, Ford is attempting to once again put the SUV in a competitive position. To do this, it is borrowing from another past and future favourites: the European Kuga and the Vertrek concept model.
The Escape will come with a choice of three engines, although none of these will offer the hybrid option, or the traditional 3l V6.
Instead, there will be two EcoBoost four-cylinder alternatives: a 1.6l turbocharged 180bhp engine (which is expected to outperform the current hybrid’s efficiency) and a 2l turbocharged 247bhp selection.
The car will come with a 2.5l four-cylinder engine as standard – which is an updated version of the current basic option. While this is unusual for any vehicle, it shows the movement towards putting a premium on efficiency over power.
And never fear – those desperate for a hybrid compact crossover will get their wish with the updated Ford C-Max.
As well as giving the crossover compact a makeover under the bonnet, the Escape’s new look will embrace a more contemporary aesthetic.
Gone are the boxy bumpers and jutting angles. Instead, a smoother, sleeker appearance will bring the SUV in line with one of Ford’s other compact crossover triumphs – the Kuga.
Introduced in Europe in 2008, the Kuga also offers a 2.5l engine and incorporates the brand’s top technological efforts with a beautiful body design that is slick and attractive. Whereas the current Escape yells ‘practical’, the Kuga takes more influence from luxury vehicles.
However, even with its size and opulence, the Kuga has excellent green credentials, with competitive efficiency in its fuel consumption and
The Vertrek concept car, which was displayed at the Detroit auto show earlier this year, gives a sneak peak of what the 2013 Escape will look like: impressive, bold and in tune with modern car design.