• New 2017 model year Ford Escape to reach showrooms in the spring with innovative and environmentally friendly Auto Start/Stop technology standard on two new EcoBoost^® engines – the 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter twin-scroll; Auto Start/Stop shuts off the engine during common stops, eliminating unnecessary fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions

• Ford’s newest SUV offers advanced driver-assist technologies such as Enhanced Active Park Assist, a lane-keeping system, and adaptive cruise control with collision warning and brake support; a first for Ford, SYNC^® Connect allows drivers to use a smartphone app to start their Escape, lock doors and check fuel level from anywhere

• 2017 model builds on nameplate success: in 2015, Escape set an all-time sales record with 306,492 units sold; 2016 Escape was tied for Highest Ranked Compact SUV in Initial Quality in the most recent J.D. Power & Associates Initial Quality Study

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 11, 2016 – The Ford Escape – the vehicle that helped popularize one of the largest automotive segments – is being significantly updated for model year 2017 with more of what Escape customers said they wanted – the latest driver-assist technologies, connectivity and two new fun-to-drive and efficient EcoBoost^® engines.

Escape is currently one of the best-selling vehicles in its class. In 2015, a record 306,492 Escapes were sold in the U.S., making it Ford’s number two nameplate behind F-Series, the best-selling vehicle line in the U.S. for 34 straight years.

The new Escape, scheduled to launch in the spring, features available SYNC^® Connect mobile access and driver-assist technologies such as adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, a lane-keeping system, and Enhanced Active Park Assist – all packed in a vehicle that’s been redesigned from the inside out.

Escape is the first Ford vehicle to make Auto Start/Stop technology standard with either of two new-to-Escape EcoBoost engines – a 1.5-liter EcoBoost and a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged EcoBoost. Auto Start/Stop technology shuts off the engine during common stops, so the vehicle burns no gas and emits zero tailpipe emissions.

“To improve an already-great vehicle, it was important that we listened to our customers,” said Milton Wong, Ford Escape chief engineer. “Escape owners drove these changes by telling us how we could make one of the best-selling vehicles in the segment even better.”

Changes to the interior began with a new push-button electronic parking brake, which replaces the large, traditional hand-actuated parking brake. This change dramatically enhanced the front-row experience for the driver.

The gear shifter was repositioned rearward to give improved access to climate controls on the center stack. In addition, a media bin was added at bottom of the stack, offering access to a USB port and a covered power outlet. The redesign also features improved cup holders, two new storage bins and a larger center armrest.

The new Escape features an all-new steering wheel with easy-to-work buttons for audio and climate system controls, and a new “swing-bin” glove box gives provides easier access to stored items.

“Virtually every surface a customer will touch is new, in design or material,” said Chris Mazur, Escape program manager. “In some cases, it’s the minor changes that have the greatest impact on driver or passenger comfort.”

On the exterior of the vehicle, design changes to the front and rear give the new Escape a more confident, rugged persona. The redesigned hood and raised trapezoidal upper set a wider stance – evoking a more prominent feel for the front of the new Escape.

More of the smart technologies that drivers want

Escape will be available with two new-to-Escape powertrains – a 1.5-liter EcoBoost and a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged EcoBoost – and both will include Auto Start/Stop technology as standard equipment. Base models are powered by a 2.5-liter i-VCT four-cylinder engine.

The Ford Auto Start/Stop system senses when a vehicle is sitting idle and shuts off the engine to conserve fuel. When shut off, an engine burns no fuel and emits zero harmful emissions.

“Auto Start/Stop is the equivalent of turning off the lights when you leave a room, or turning off a water faucet when you’re done washing dishes,” said Wong. “It’s a high-tech approach to more efficient driving.”

Since its introduction for the 2001 model year, Ford Escape has been a leader in offering advanced driver-assist technologies. The 2017 Escape carries on that leadership. In addition to other favorite features such as a hands-free liftgate and SYNC 3 driver-connectivity system, the new Escape features these available technologies:

• Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Warning and Brake Support: Sensors detect when Escape is approaching a slow-moving vehicle and adjusts cruise control accordingly

• SYNC Connect: Lets owners use a smartphone app to start, lock, unlock and locate their vehicle

• Enhanced Active Park Assist: Provides automatic steering assistance to park the vehicle in a parallel or perpendicular parking spot, and pull out from tight parallel parking spots

• Lane-Keeping System: The system includes lane-keeping assist, which alerts drivers when they drift unintentionally from their lane, and lane-keep aid, which provides steering assistance to guide an unintentionally drifting vehicle back in its lane

• Driver Alert System: Using data from the lane-keeping system, Driver Alert detects signs of fatigued driving and provides a warning on the instrument cluster