For many, hybrid vehicles are the best vehicles for the current situation.  Pure EVs have their issues, particularly with charging point availability, as well as some other things like real world range, software upgrades, and some other things that are still being ironed out.  It’s cars like the new Ford Escape SUV, which is now available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), that can offer the new car buyer much improved fuel economy, particularly when travel patterns contain plenty of jaunts in the urban jungle. 

The great thing about a PHEV is that you can arrive home from the office or a shopping haul at the mall and not worry too much about finding a place to charge up the vehicle.  If the vehicle’s battery hasn’t been charged up fully for travel the next day, then you can plug it into the wall at home to ensure that your battery is good to go for the morning.  If you forget to charge it up, then not to worry because your petrol engine (the other side of the hybrid equation) will get you where you need to go instead.  And, as is often the case with a PHEV, the petrol (in some cases diesel) motor will work to top up the battery as conditions allow, thus moving you onto electric power alone as soon as possible.  If you can arrange your timetable, particularly if most of your daily travel is in town or in the city, then most, if not all, of your travel can be done on electric power alone. 

In general, 50 km of your travel can be on electric only when you’re driving the new PHEV version of Ford’s Escape SUV.  All the while, you’re having the back-up of the internal combustion engine should you require it.  So, all this nice-to-have ability will come with the purchase of a new 2024 Ford Escape PHEV SUV. 

The 2024 Ford Escape ST-Line PHEV boasts a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol motor for the petrol side of the hybrid equation.  This is good for 112 kW.  But combine the petrol and electric power together, and you have yourself an SUV with as much as 167 kW on tap.  This is a front-wheel-drive SUV, and it comes with a very smooth and quiet continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT for short).  At kerbside, the new Ford Escape PHEV SUV weighs in at 1843 kg, so it does have a nice ride quality that is backed up with comfortable seating.  You definitely experience a nice solid feel about the way the Escape goes about its work, and Ford has also rated it good for towing up to 1200 kg with a braked trailer.  Fuel consumption should be anywhere between 1.5 and 6.2 litres/100 km, all depending on your personal commutes, where you live, and your driving habits.  This is quite a remarkable effort, ensuring that it keeps good company with rivals from Mitsubishi (Outlander PHEV SUV) and Toyota (RAV4 Hybrid).

To drive about town, the Escape’s PHEV drivetrain delivers nice quick response at the lights, and when you’re seated high up in the driver’s seat, there’s great visibility about the vehicle.  The Escape’s driving circle has a diameter of 11.4 metres, so it’s easy to slot in and out of parking spaces in city/town environments.  Of course, with the parking assistance feature as standard, it’s pretty hard to ding other cars in the car park. 

Head out on the open road, and the 2024 Ford Escape PHEV SUV remains quiet and relaxed to drive.  But with a 0–100 km/h time of around 8 seconds, it is really quite a performer, delivering plenty of punch when you need it.  Ford’s Escape PHEV is definitely quicker than Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV SUV in this case.  The Escape PHEV also feels pretty dynamic for an SUV, and it tracks really well even when pushed quickly along a back road, which is something that driving enthusiasts who like a sporty ride should note. 

Active cruise control, lane keep assist, emergency braking, pedestrian detection, five-star safe in ANCAP tests, Isofix points for kiddie seats – they’re all there.  In terms of power outlets, there are two USB-A points, a 12V socket, and a wireless charging pad for the front seat occupants.  In the rear of the new Escape, you’ve got a single USB-A and a USB-C point to fight over.  Air conditioning, useful centre console storage, good storage in the doors, cup holders, and handy extra spaces up the front for the phone or wallet, etc.  Boot space is 556 litres behind the second row, and this can open up to 1478 litres with the rear seats folded flat.  The seats have a combination of suede-look and Sensico artificial leather material, and are very nice and comfortable.  Taller adults can easily fit into the back seats, and there is enough room for large child seats when you need the wee kiddies to come along with you.  So, yes, this is a great vehicle for taking family and friends out on an expedition.   

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is bright and clear.  There are a variety of modes to run through on this display, one of which can help you keep an eye on the hybrid operation of your powertrain.  An 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen display works well, though this is an area where some of its competitors might offer better units.  But this is really only an issue for those who like having the bigger, brighter, more complex, flashy tech.  There is still satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and digital radio, with an operating system that is very easy to navigate through, which is helped by boasting physical buttons and dials that always make life easier than other screens that are purely touch controlled, especially for the fat-fingered or the zombie-fingered like me (zombie finger: having such dry skin that touchscreens don’t always activate, meaning you have to tap multiple times to get what you want).  Ford’s new Escape also gets voice control.

IN the Escape ST-Line model, the PHEV SUV also has some rather nice features like a head-up display, a hands-free powered tailgate, LED headlights, heated front seats, and keyless entry.  A 10-speaker sound system is also part of the PHEV’s standard package.

Buy a new Ford Escape PHEV SUV for 2024, and you’ll also enjoy a five-year unlimited km warranty on the ICE and mechanicals, along with an eight-year 160,000 km warranty on the high voltage battery and electric motor (at the time of writing).  The 2024 Ford Escape PHEV SUV offers genuinely good fuel economy that will make a positive difference at the petrol pump.  The powertrain is smooth and refined, while the performance is excellent and the handling sparklingly refreshing for this medium-size SUV segment.

The new 2024 Ford Escape models include the:

• Ford Escape ST-Line SUV
• Ford Escape Vignale SUV
• Ford Escape ST-Line PHEV SUV

For any more information on the new Ford Escape PHEV SUV, for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181.  If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Ford dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours.  Private Fleet – car buying made easy!