As Ford Authority reported this past May, the Ford Escape will continue to be sold into the 2026 model year, shooting down prior rumors that production of the crossover would end after the conclusion of the current 2025 model year. Most still expect the Escape to be discontinued at some point, however, which could possibly occur after a shortened 2026 model year. Now, Ford Authority has learned that the 2026 Ford Escape won’t be sold in all 50 U.S. states either, a revelation that comes amid some stricter emissions standards in certain parts of the country.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the 2026 Ford Escape lineup will only be available with the non-California emissions system, which means that it can’t be sold new or registered in six U.S. states – California, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Oregon, and Washington. Thus, those that live in those states and wish to purchase a new Ford Escape will only be able to do so through the current 2025 model year, and not into the forthcoming one.
Regardless, that might not amount to much given the fact that most expect the 2026 Ford Escape to represent the end of the line for that model entirely. This past January, a report surfaced that indicated Ford Escape production at the Louisville Assembly plant was slated to end by the conclusion of 2025, after which The Blue Oval was said to be shifting its focus to the Ford Bronco Sport as its compact crossover of choice. That report was followed by comments from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union representing workers at Louisville noting that the plant was set to close for retooling this December.
As Ford Authority reported earlier this month, the Louisville plant will indeed undergo that major retooling in preparation for the production of a new all-electric model, as the automaker has already submitted plans to the city outlining specific details pertaining to that action. That remodeling includes the addition of an electric vehicle charging station spanning 12,000 square feet, which is set to feature a canopy providing cover for 16 charging units and a substation.
Comments
Death by a thousand cuts……
There are actually 17 states, plus DC, that require vehicles to be CARB complaint. If it is true that the 2026 Escape will not be available with California emissions systems, that means that there will be a whole lot more than 6 states in which they cannot be offered.
Sounds like the 2026 model year is just being rolled out to use up whatever parts they have left and then the Escape will be done.
Ford is making a huge mistake not making a serious effort to compete in the largest segment outside of pickup trucks. Yes, the Bronco Sport is neat, a rare short-tall vehicle, ideal for dense urban and suburban roadways. But come on Ford, you could have jazzed up the Escape exterior and fixed the hybrid problems and sold quite a few more. A shame.
Completely agree! I don’t understand why they are concerned about CARB and those regulations. Trump and the federal government are nixing their ability to set standards different than the rest of the country.
Right, Al, and the segment Ford invented. Rather than address any issues they have, Farley seems to have the attitude – “fire the people who build and design them, let the model fall into low sales and poor reliability, then we can kill it off”.
The Escape consistently outsells the Bronco Sport. So of course Ford will ax the Escape.
Well that makes sense, in a Ford sort of way!
What are the odds of Ford making it past 2030? I’m guessing 50/50. BY next year they will have 0 product I have any interest in owning.
I think it would be foolish for Ford to turn Louisville into an all electric plant considering the tax credits are being phased out, Ford can hardly sell the EVs they have, and there is Blue Oval City white elephant with no product assigned. I think what is likely to happen is Louisville will get the Mach E from Mexico and perhaps the Bronco Sport.
When is Ford going to change the grill of the Mustang Mach-E. Ford has a beautiful car and spoils it with a dishpan looking front end. I am a Linclon owner and was thinking of switching to the Mustang, but the grill turned me off.
Joe
InEwing
you mean the escape Mach-E?
Proud to live in one of the states on the list.
Trump is doing away with the California waiver so it will soon be null and void in the 17 states.
MAGA
Are you proud to live in one of the most “moved out” states because of failed leftist buffoon policies?
The last thing Ford needs to do is to.convert the Louisville Plant to an electric vehicle plant. I think they should produce the 2026 Escape until July 2026 and then switch over to Maverick profuction!
The Bronco Sport is all that will remain for the small affordable utility customers, which is a very fuel inefficient alternative that will continue to be sold because it does satisfy CARB requirements with newly detuned engines. Ford is moving toward a primarily pickup and off-roading lineups and away from volume segments and family crossovers.
And the list market share will follow.
20 years ago or so someone at Ford corporate floated the idea of Ford being a truck-only company and abandoning cars altogether. Seems that was actually something they implemented. It will result in Ford having to merge with someone to survive. And that will be Farley’s legacy – the destruction of a fine automobile company.
Unfortunately the failed legacy falls higher in the organization. Since Junior took over as chairman of the board about 25 years ago, it’s been all downhill. With the exception of Alan Mulally, all of Ford’s CEOs have been the low hanging fruit.
Hopefully the PHEV system gets put into the Bronco Sport and Maverick… what a shame.
Ford needs to worry about having an affordable vehicle and it’s lineup to bring people in that are younger.
Obviously, the escape didn’t have an update planned. I hope they have one for Europe. It sells really well there.
They need to lower the price of the bronco sport and get a hybrid powertrain in there and make it in larger numbers in the United States. Maybe the flat rock plant?
The small SUV segment is huge in numbers. Ford needs to be in that segment with a very competitive entry. They need to put some resources in an update of the bronco sport to make it competitive on every level and make sure the quality is top notch.
I need a vehicle for everyday use. I don’t need 30 inch tires and an aluminum skid plate, or detachable doors. I need comfort, reliability, and am willing to pay for upgraded features to make driving enjoyable. I don’t want a stripper and I don’t want an off-road dinosaur.
So what is Ford’s product plan for people like me? Someone whose first new car in 1964 was a Ford and who has been a loyal customer for over 60 years? I can’t say it because this is a family site.
Well Said. Almost exactly what I was going to write.
I don’t want a boxy Ford Bronco to replace our Escape.
I’m with you there on being a loyal Ford owner, but I’m sure Toyota will take my money with a product I want.
I have a ’22 Escape Titanium Hybrid. Was planning to upgrade in either ’26 or ’27 because I liked a lot of the new features which are in my ’25 Maverick Lariat. The year I would have made the move was when I had saved up enough. Was going to probably be one of the two years I listed above. If the Escape will no longer be available, I’l be switching brands. Took a quick look at the Bronco and it lacked certain features i wanted and no hybrid. Looks are kinda okay but don’t want boxy. It’ll be see ya Ford.
Keep your Escape and just F(ix) O(r) R(epair) D(aily).
I’ve never owned a Ford that I’ve had to fix everyday or often and I have owned 10 of them in 45 years, Ford Taurus, Escape, F-150.
i’ve never had a ford that went bankrupt………. or took my tax dollars to bail them out…… BUT chevy did and so did dodge-fiat (2x bankrupt)
I always likes F(….d) o(ver) r(epaired) d(odge)
Oops wrong response.
Prefer F(….d) o(ver)r(epaired)d(odge)
I’m with you there. I’ve been a loyal Ford owner since 1981. We have a 22 Escape which my wife drives. I have owned five F-150 since then, including my 04 which has 398,000 Mi on it and still running and my latest a 23 which is a great truck. I have no desire for a boxy Ford Bronco. So I’m sure Toyota will offer a product I want and fit our needs. By the way, our 22 Escape has been a very reliable car and no issues.
The EPA is revising these totally nik piking Epa rules of prevous, i think it will sell the Escape in all states….its engines are as clean as F 150 and Explorer
I’m a bit confused by the references in the article about Escape and Bronco being “crossovers”. Neither is a crossover in the traditional sense. Both are small SUVs, being squared off carrying capacity like their larger cousins, rather than “sedans with sloped carrying capacity”. (Actually can’t think of a Ford crossover at this moment, while others have a number of them.)
We currently own a Ford Escape and it’s a great little car. It’s a shame Ford is giving up on this segment and trying to force these electrics on their customers. I have owned nothing but Fords, but that’s going to change next time around for the crossover SUV.
I’m sure Toyota will take our money because that’s where I’ll be going after this for our next crossover.
Californian here really enjoying my Escape Sport after three Edges. If true, this is sad, but in line with Ford’s weird ways but there are plenty of options in the category. The Bronco Sport not being one of them.
Ford is really messin up I have a 2024 Ford escape St line with a 1.5 L dragon B engine. It’s the one with a timing chain and a chain driven oil pump.. it’s been very reliable and such a wonderful smooth driving small SUV it’s my daily driver it’s also the one with the rapid red metallic..
One of my favorite features is the integrated navigation system and the remote start.
In my opinion it’s a real shame Ford will not listen to its customers and the Ford escape out sales the bronco sport.. they still sell the Ford escape and Europe and call it a Kuga . It sells extremely well they’re also it seems like ford does not care about its customers because they will end up discriminating against Americans and continue to sell the escape in Europe as the Kuga .. they really should fix the escape and not push EVS down our throat when we don’t want them. For example they could take the suggestion of the Ford authority on their April fools prank and make something like a Ford escape raptor and turn it into the Porsche Cayenne of off-roading.. think of how long the Subaru outback and the Toyota RAV4 have been made they’ve got it down to a science and not try to change everything. Ford needs to work out the kinks of the engine and everything by making a vehicle for a really long time and get it to where it’s almost perfect. If they want to go axing some vehicle then then they should axe the broncosport. Because discriminating against Americans and by taking the Ford escape away from us .they are just forcing us to go somewhere else to have a escape style vehicle made by Toyota Subaru or Honda like the RAV4 outback and CRV. This really bothers me. As soon as I get my new escape paid off I’m going to buy a Subaru outback because of what Ford has done. They also need to give the auto start stop a memory so that you can deselect this function and keep it completely off so it remembers your choice rather than having to push the stupid button every time you start up the vehicle..
There’s some great Ford vehicle sold in other parts of the world that would be viable in this country among them the Taurus/Mondeo, Everest, Kuga, Territory. Someone should explain to Mr. Farley that it is possible in this day and age to duplicate those vehicles for manufacture in the United States
Dropping the Escape is a huge mistake. They dropped the Edge and now this. What are they going to replace them with? Talk about lost market share. Remember when they thought they were smart and dropped the Ranger when that ruled the segment only to give it on a platter to Toyota. They will never get it back.