Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more common in everyday life, and for some, determining what’s real and what’s AI-generated content can be tricky. Using AI to reimagine discontinued vehicles as modern concepts may seem harmless enough, but there’s a downside: it can easily mislead, giving false hope to some internet users. Case in point: the rumored 2026 Ford Escort. Sorry to say, this one isn’t based in any semblance of reality.
Punching “2026 Ford Escort” into Google returns quite a few results, but none of them are real. Even Google’s built-in AI assistant, Gemini, has fallen for this AI slop, reporting it as fact right at the top of the search results. Gemini states that “the 2026 Escort is expected to retain the iconic silhouette of the original MK1 Escort with a boxy yet sporty design” and that buyers can “expect modern features like LED lighting” (what modern vehicle doesn’t have that) a turbocharged EcoBoost engine.
Gemini also reports that “early reports” on the 2026 Ford Escort suggest limited production numbers, “potentially making the 2026 Escort a collector’s item.” This creates a false sense of urgency among unsuspecting Ford enthusiasts. At best, they get their hopes up. At worse, they’re scammed into putting a “deposit” down on a vehicle that doesn’t exist and never will.
In short, don’t trust that “AI overview” that Google and other search engines prioritize above the actual search results. You might find false information regarding things like the nonexistent Ford Escape refresh, or find that Elon Musk is acquiring Ford (he’s not). Gemini was fooled by Ford Authority‘s April Fool’s joke, too – when we rendered a make-believe 2026 Ford Escape Raptor, the AI overview presented it as fact.
While the AI-generated 2026 Ford Escort is completely fake, there are some modernized renditions of the MK1 model out there. UK-based Boreham Motorworks offers a few custom Escort continuation models, which are as close to a 2026 model we’re ever going to get.
Comment
If Ford was planning another atrocity like the Mach-e or the Capri, better that the Escort finally didn´t happen.