Exploring the 2020 Ford Escape’s four powertrain options

First introduced in 2005, the sporty Ford Escape spent years as one of Ford Motor Company’s top-selling vehicles before gas prices and changing tastes led to the nameplate being retired in 2012. We were understandably excited when Ford announced the Escape would be coming back for 2020, and intrigued when we heard that it would have not one, not two but FOUR exclusive powertrain options, including two hybrid powertrains for those buyers who want the ultimate in eco-friendly fuel economy.

If you’re looking to buy a 2020 Ford Escape in Bentonville, McLarty Daniel Ford can help you get there. But which of the four powertrain options should you choose? It all depends on what you want from your vehicle, but some information is in order. So read on for McLarty Daniel Ford’s handy guide to the four available powertrain choices available on the 2020 Ford Escape. And when you’re ready, stop in for a test drive, or check out our selection online right now!

POWERTRAIN #1: 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbo three-cylinder

While we’re all familiar with eight, six or four-cylinder engines, three-cylinder powerplants are still something of a rarity in the U.S., though Ford has employed small 1-liter three-cylinder engines in the Focus, Fiesta and EcoSport models in recent years. While you might think three is the magic number for lackluster performance, Ford’s use of modern turbocharging is squeezing big power from small packages these days, that that includes the 1.5-liter three-cylinder that comes standard in the 2020 Escape. How big? Try 180 horsepower and 177 lb.-ft. of torque, which handily tops the output of many four-cylinder competitors while delivering world-class fuel economy. We promise you won’t miss that extra cylinder.

POWERTRAIN #2: 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder

If you simply MUST have that one extra cylinder in your 2020 Ford Escape, Ford has an available solution: the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine. While two little liters may not seem like all that much, Ford again pulls a rabbit out of their hat with the 2.0-liter four, building on their success with getting a passel of power from smaller engines through cutting-edge turbocharging tech. As such, the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four available in the 2020 Ford Escape churns out a spirited 250 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque, besting what other makers are able to do with V6 engines while maintaining the fuel-sipping economy buyers demand. Now only does that deliver push-you-back-in-the-seat acceleration in the light and nimble 2020 Escape, you also get up to 3,500 pounds of towing grunt when properly equipped with the available Class II trailer tow package.

POWERTRAIN #3: Gas/Electric Hybrid

If you’re really serious about helping out the planet and getting us toward a more sustainable future, the 2020 Escape is your best friend, thanks to the available gas/electric hybrid powertrain that’s a real fuel miser. The heart of this thrifty powertrain option is an advanced 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder that operates on the efficient Atkinson cycle, backed by an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. More of a generator than an conventional car motor, the engine delivers power to a liquid-cooled, lithium ion battery pack about the size of a briefcase that is situated below the rear floor to save interior cargo and passenger room. That battery pack feeds juice to a pair of electric motor that drives the wheels, for the equivalent of almost 200 horsepower and gobs of torque.

POWERTRAIN #4: Plug-in Hybrid

For the ultimate in fuel economy, you have to start talking about plug-in hybrids, which utilize either at-home charging ports or commercial charging stations, and can operate solely on electric power with the gasoline engine completely turned off. The 2020 Escape features a plug-in hybrid version. Like the gas/electric hybrid version, the system is built around a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle inline four-cylinder, but it also features a Level 1/2 AC charging port, allowing you to charge the battery either at home or on the go (if there’s an available charging station nearby), and features a larger battery pack than the gas/electric Escape. The electric-only range of the 2020 Escape with the plug-in hybrid system is around 30 miles, with the system automatically switching to gas/electric power if the charge is depleted while you’re driving. According to Ford, a full recharge using a 110-volt Class 1 charger is 10 hours, while a 240-volt Class 2 charger is only 3.5 hours.

Ford is all about giving you options, and so are we here at McLarty Daniel Ford of Bentonville! Stop in today to check out the all-new 2020 Ford Escape, or shop our full selection online right now at our website.

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