A huge part of why the Ford Escape is so special has to do with its drivetrain options. Gone are the days of naturally aspirated V6's providing robust power at the cost of fuel economy. Escape owners will get to choose from one of three efficient powertrain options. A 1.5L turbocharged 3-cylinder engine makes 180 horsepower and paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Even though it's a tiny engine for the amount of power it makes, Ford has gone the extra mile and added a cylinder deactivation system, helping to further save gas. A 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine that makes 163 horsepower using a CVT transmission. The third engine choice is a 2L turbocharged 4-cylinder that produces 250 horsepower.

The front-wheel drive model has four trims: Active, ST-Line, Platinum, and PHEV, while the all-wheel drive model is available in: Active, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, ST-Line Elite, and Platinum.

The Active trim features LED headlights, 17-inch wheels, bucket front seats, automatic dual-zone climate control, satellite radio, 6-speaker sound system, 8-inch touchscreen, mobile hotspot, wireless device connectivity, and 4 USB ports.

The ST-Line includes roof rails, 18-inch wheels, sport bucket front seats, 8-inch gauge cluster, and sport steering wheel.

The Platinum adds power liftgate, heated side mirrors, LED front fog lights, 19-inch wheels, heated front seats, driver seat memory, 13.2-inch touchscreen, adaptive cruise control, wireless device charging, built-in virtual assistant, 12.3-inch gauge cluster, heated steering wheel, left turn assist for the forward collision mitigation system, front cross traffic mitigation, and traffic sign information system.

The PHEV shares many features with the Platinum trim but also includes a hybrid electric motor that increases the power from 163 to 210 horsepower. The PHEV also adds regenerative braking and an all-electric range of 37 miles. The Plug-in hybrid Escape has a charging time of 3.3 hours using a 240-Volt Level 2 Charger.

Standard safety features include seven airbags, active lane departure, blind spot warning, forward and rear collision mitigation, front pedestrian detection, and driver attention alert.