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2023 Ford Escape Nominated For 2024 SUV Of The Year

Following its debut back in October 2022, the 2023 Ford Escape launch got off to a bit of a rough start due to an issue with the crossover’s instrument cluster. Once that was sorted out, the refreshed model was quick to catch on with consumers and critics alike, with the 2023 Ford Escape most recently being added to Consumer Reportslist of recommended vehicles. Now, the 2023 Ford Escape has been nominated for 2024 SUV of the Year by MotorTrend, which could keep that winning streak going even longer.

2023 Ford Escape

The Escape is facing a pretty extensive list of competition for this particular prize, however, a list that consists of a field of 40 new or significantly revised SUVs and crossovers. From there, that group were whittled down to 10 yet-to-be-revealed finalists, which were submitted to real-world testing in an attempt to find the ultimate prize winner. MotorTrend awards its SUV of the Year based on six criteria – safety, engineering excellence, advancement in design, value, efficiency, and performance of intended function.

There was certainly a lot to like about the 2023 Ford Escape when MT spent some time with the recently-refreshed model, as the rag praised its tech features, dual interior screens, optional head-up display, its electrified powertrains, and revised exterior appearance. It wasn’t quite as a big a fan of the Escape’s somewhat dated platform that provides a rougher ride, its somewhat dated interior, and the lack of an all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid option, however.

“It’s easy to see where the money went in the Escape upgrade plan,” MotorTrend wrote. “Its screens and tech are a major leap forward, and the tougher-looking exterior styling is a welcome change from its old lifted-hatchback look. That appears to be where the budget ran out, though, leaving things like chassis and general interior upgrades on the wrong side of the ledger. The meaningful improvements will be good for the brand and the customer, but there’s just too much work to do before the Escape can be considered a true award contender.”

We’ll have more on the 2023 Escape soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Escape news and 24/7 Ford news coverage.

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.

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Comments

  1. Since when does a mid-grade mid cycle refresh get nominated for this? Makes no sense.

    Reply
    1. A refresh is almost a new vehicle design. Read past issues of Motor Trend and you will see many cases. So it makes sense.

      Reply
  2. Isn’t the Escape being retired after 2025? It seems to me that sales of the Escape have flatlined in favor of the Bronco Sport…and it’s easy to see why. People love the rugged boxy design of the Bronco Sport just as they did with the first and second generation of the Escape. Ford made a big mistake putting the Escape on this boring European platform when they should have just marketed the Bronco Sport as the new Escape. I’m sure it would have sold just as well as the Bronco Sport.

    Reply
    1. If Ford does this they will be VERY foolish. I myself will have this as my next vehicle.

      Reply
    2. Bronco Sport has never outsold the Escape. It’s too small. 8 inches shorter, which really puts the BS in the class below (the Escape is the shortest of the compacts to begin with). I do agree that the platform should have been different for the Escape to begin with. This “Ford One” thing has failed so many times in the past, you’d think…

      Reply
  3. We love our 2023 Escape. So much more driver friendly than our 2020 Explorer.
    Bronco Sport is just too trucky for us, I hope Escape lives on.
    Great fuel mileage too!

    Reply
  4. So many weird things here for this extra-lame lame duck, but I suppose it all boils down to:

    When it won’t sell, by yourself and award

    What’s it nominated for? Best small ford SUV that’s not the bronco sport?

    Reply
    1. MT is scrounging this year, apparently, and nominated a bunch of refreshed SUVs. Don’t have a clue why. It does sell but not as well as the top ones. If Ford had gotten supplies up for the ’23s (issue with blank displays and now the strike prevented that), maybe it would have sold a lot better this year. Always something at Ford.

      Reply
  5. Ford – let’s drop the Edge. And we’ll make the Escape look like a mini Edge, then drop that too in 2 years time.
    Quite amazing that it won purely based on big screens inside and better looks outside but that’s it… not much competition I guess.

    Reply
    1. It didn’t win. It was nominated. We don’t know who won yet, but it’s not the Escape. Missed the Finalist cut with MT saying that not enough had changed.

      Reply
  6. These things havent been desirable since the 2nd gen in 2012. Looks like a big Focus hatchback. The Bronco Sport isn’t as appealing as it should be. No wonder sales arent on fire.

    Reply

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