• 2016 Ford Escape adds the new SYNC® 3 communications and entertainment system to its already popular offerings
• Chrome appearance package becomes available on SE trim level
• New colors for 2016 include Shadow Black and Electric Spice

The 2016 Ford Escape is offering buyers their first taste of the company’s new SYNC® 3 communications and entertainment system – bringing cutting-edge technology to Ford’s popular compact SUV.

Vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 give drivers a new interface that utilizes capacitive touch screen technology similar to tablets and smartphones. The new One Box Search feature, with the available navigation system, allows users to look up points of interest or enter addresses in much the same way they use an Internet search engine.

Two new colors arrive for the 2016 Escape – Shadow Black and Electric Spice. Additionally, the SE series gets an available chrome appearance package that includes elegant accents like chrome door handles, liftgate appliqué, side-mirror skullcaps, roof rails, rear license plate appliqué and chrome trim on the front fascia grilles; it also includes 19-inch wheels and leather-accented seats.

Available for the first time for the SE series Escape is a leather comfort package, which adds heated leather seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated power sideview mirrors, and one-touch front and rear windows.

Technology and power
Escape maintains its popular powertrain lineup, with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost® four-cylinder engine standard for the SE series. Customers can also select a 2.0-liter EcoBoost or 2.5-liter i-VCT I-4.

Available intelligent all-wheel drive uses software and sensors to analyze data from 25 external signals including wheel speed, accelerator pedal position and steering wheel angle – gauging road conditions and driver input. It performs this task 20 times faster than the blink of an eye.

The system uses the sensor inputs to help the driver turn the vehicle – adding and subtracting torque as needed via an electromagnetic clutch to deliver confident handling and traction performance in a variety of conditions.

Escape’s Curve Control technology can assist the driver by automatically slowing the vehicle when it’s cornering too fast.* Torque Vectoring Control helps by applying brake force to the front inside wheel – allowing for more engine torque to be applied to the outside wheel for better handling and traction.*

Additionally, Escape offers several key technologies to make driving easier and safer. These include:

• Active park assist can detect an available parallel parking space and automatically steer the vehicle into it. Drivers help by controlling the gas and brake pedals*
• Blind Spot Information System with cross-traffic alert displays an alert in the side mirror when a vehicle is detected entering a blind spot. Cross-traffic alert warns if traffic is detected approaching from the sides*
• MyKey® programmable vehicle key can limit speed and radio volume, and can provide safety belt reminders to ensure drivers are buckled up*

Ford Escape is manufactured at Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2014, Ford sold more than 300,000 Escapes in the U.S. market – an all-time record for the nameplate.  

*Driver-assist features are supplemental and do not replace the driver’s attention, judgment and need to control the vehicle.