CHONGQING, April 10, 2018 – The new Ford Escort was unveiled today at Ford’s Go Further event in Chongqing. Built on Ford’s renowned global midsize car platform, the new Escort is designed specifically to cater for Chinese customers looking for great value, sophisticated design, interior roominess and superior safety in a midsize car.
First introduced in December 2014, the Ford Escort has been extremely well-received by Chinese consumers since its launch, with over 800,000 units sold. The Escort delivers a smart blend of form and function, and is a distinctive, attainable option that provides practicality for the family, with exceptional roominess, excellent fuel economy and superior safety and quality.
Building on the phenomenal success of the current Escort that combines Ford’s global strength and local expertise, Ford has listened to feedback from both existing and potential customers in developing and improving the new Escort. The result is a modern-looking family sedan that will exceed the expectations of young, progressive Chinese families, through its sleek styling, enhanced safety and added convenience and smart amenities.
“With the Escort, we are offering great value to our customers in the midsize car segment in China,” said Nigel Harris, president, Changan Ford Automobile Company. “The new Escort delivers smart looks and premium features that are bound to excite and delight today’s trendy Chinese families.”
The new Escort represents Ford’s strength in its midsize car portfolio that also includes the current Focus Hatchback and the all-new Focus..
A more premium feel inside and out
The new Escort is a stylish and modern offering for the Chinese customer featuring Ford’s Design DNA, blending a sophisticated and harmonious style that exudes a premium feel. This delivers an exclusive image that considerably lifts the vehicle within the segment, with an overall harmony that is “Daqi” – expressing a successful lifestyle.
The front end of the car boasts a well-balanced and sculptural look, with an emphasis on horizontal elements. The five-bar upper grille sits proudly between the headlamps, extending outboard to merge into the fenders, harmonizing with the full width lower grille.
The new High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamp design offers improved lighting performance, and a new C-shaped LED Daytime Running Light (DRL) that is balanced against a chrome outer bezel.
At the rear, the signature LED tail lamp design extends into the deck lid, giving the car a sense of refinement. Twin integrated reverse lamps and separation of the fog lamps into the rear fascia give the rear design a sense of symmetry and balance. The new multi-piece rear fascia along with available 17-inch wheels and a shark fin antenna further reinforces the premium sensation.
Inside, the new Escort introduces an Urban Grey and Domino black two-tone color scheme that gives the interior a fresh and contemporary feel, reflecting the emerging tastes of young Chinese families. A new instrument cluster along with high gloss finishes and satin aluminum accents lift the Escort’s cabin ambience to a completely new level.
Optimized powertrains
Under the hood, customers can choose from two new engine options with a fuel saving stop/start system: the multi-award-winning 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine available on the new Escort for the first time, and an all-new 1.5-liter Ti-VCT engine that is lighter and stronger delivering up to 16 percent greater fuel efficiency over the current model.
Both engines can be paired with either a 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission, or a new 6-speed manual transmission, offering smoother power delivery and better efficiency.
Enhanced safety
With its high-strength steel body frame and comprehensive range of safety features including an advanced 6-airbag restraint system, current Escort has garnered a full five-star safety rating in the C-NCAP crash test assessment program.
Ford’s relentless pursuit of vehicle safety means that the new Escort is constantly evolving and raising the bar for safety standards in its segment. Enhanced safety features on the new Escort include standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC), side curtain airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system to deliver outstanding protection for all occupants.
Comprehensive convenience and smart features
The new Escort is equipped with a host of new convenience and smart features to deliver even greater value to customers and offer them an effortless, safer and more rewarding driving experience.
New features on the Escort include power memory seats and power folding memory mirrors for greater convenience. These are complemented by a connectivity system with an 8-inch touchscreen, rear view camera, auto on/off headlamp, auto dimming rear view mirror, automatic rain sensing wipers, and keyless entry with push button start.
“We are delighted that our Chinese customers have embraced the Escort and made it such a huge success,” said He Chaobing, executive vice president of Changan Ford Automobile Company. “The new Escort underlines our commitment to continue listening to our valued customers in China and evolve to meet their expectations.”
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected services. Ford employs approximately 187,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
