As Ford Authority reported back in May, the Ford Escape will indeed live on for the 2026 model year, following rumors that it would be discontinued at the conclusion of the current, 2025 model year. It’s unclear if Ford will continue producing and selling the Escape beyond that point (along with the Lincoln Corsair), nor if the crossover will continue to be built and sold through the entire duration of the 2026 model year, but it’s notable, nonetheless. In any event, at least one source is claiming that the 2026 Ford Escape will be treated to a mid-cycle refresh – Google’s Gemini AI.
“The 2026 Escape is expected to feature a mid-cycle refresh, potentially including updates to the exterior, interior, and performance,” Gemini AI claims. “It will be a continuation of the current generation with potential mid-cycle updates.” Those updates reportedly include “a more aggressive grille, sharp LED headlights, and a floating roofline,” a “stylish and spacious cabin with potential upgrades in materials and technology,” the “possible availability of hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, alongside the standard gasoline engines,” and tech upgrades.
Trouble is, much of this information was farmed from a YouTube video of questionable origin, and there’s no actual confirmation that the 2026 Ford Escape will be getting a refresh – nor any credible sources claiming it, either. We’ve certainly seen this before with Gemini AI, as it previously believed that our own April Fool’s story about a Ford Escape Raptor was in fact true, when it obviously wasn’t.
While certain trims of the 2026 Ford Escape will be getting the hybrid powertrain as standard, it’s highly unlikely that the crossover will be getting any sort of mid-cycle refresh. After all, recent comments from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union representing workers at the Louisville Assembly plant noted that the plant was set to close for a major retooling this December, after which it’s slated to build a new all-electric model.
Comments
For Ford’s sake hope this is true. GM learned the hard way that there’s not much upside to turning a 200000 unit a year plant into one making 40000.
Ford will spend no money on a model they are only going to make for a few months in the end of this year. 2026 will be the end. Big mistake.
AI: Artificial Imbicilence.
2026 will be the end. Big mistake, but that’s what they do. At least for me it seems that way. Just like so many great vehicles, Edge, Fusion, MKZ, once they perfect a vehicle they stop producing it, but I’m not in charge and I don’t wish to be. I’ll leave these big decisions up to Jim.
He seems to know what he’s doing.
You sound like me. I have a very nice Edge and they quit making them. I also have a very nice Escape Titainium and now they are going to quit making them. Also I love the keyless entry keypad and now Ford is making it a dealer add-on.
The dealer add-on keyless entry keypad is that ugly black oval plastic piece that they want to glue under the driver’s side door handle. This is a stupid return to the early 2000’s when Ford offered an identical dealer-installed option for most of its vehicles. This just isn’t the same as the beautifully integrated keypad that hides in the door pillar and lights up when you touch it. This type of de-contenting of nice features is killing Ford sales.