FORD Australia has launched a brand new flagship to its Escape medium SUV vary – the ST-Line plug-in hybrid variant, which retails for $53,440 (plus on-road prices).
Priced $3350 above the petrol-powered Vignale AWD, the brand new PHEV variant, which is able to grow to be $1000 costlier on July 1, is the primary of not less than 5 electrified automobiles the Blue Oval plans to launch in Australia by the tip of 2024..
Powered by a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine with an electrical motor-generator, the Escape ST-Line PHEV affords mixed system energy of 167kW and might ship a mixed cycle gasoline financial system determine as little as 1.5 litres per 100km, Ford says.
The electrical motor is equipped by a 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery to supply an all-electric driving vary “in extra of 50km”.
Moreover, the ST-Line PHEV affords sensibly labelled drive modes (these will probably be acquainted to homeowners of plug-in hybrids): EV Auto, EV Now, EV Later and EV Cost.
The battery pack may additionally be charged through the passenger-side-mounted charging port and can also be replenished through regenerative charging. The Escape will robotically utilise the petrol engine as soon as its high-voltage battery is at its lowest state of cost.
Ford affords the Escape PHEV in two-wheel guise solely and with the identical options as present in petrol-powered ST-Line variants. The variant is obtainable in a alternative of eight paint colors: Frozen White, Blazer Blue, Agate Black, Blue Metallic, Magnetic, Photo voltaic Silver, White Platinum and Speedy Purple (status colors demand a $675 premium).
Choices embrace Ford’s ST-Line Pack ($1950), which provides a handsfree powered tailgate, entrance heated seats, LED headlights and head-up show, and Park Pack ($1500) with Enhanced Lively Park Help, entrance digicam and door edge guards.
The Escape PHEV is backed by Ford’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre manufacturing unit guarantee with the electrical motor and high-voltage parts – together with the battery – coated by an eight-year/160,000km assure.
Additional, Ford Australia will supply eligible Escape PHEV homeowners Ford Service Advantages together with a service mortgage automotive, nationwide roadside help and satnav updates.
Service intervals for the variant are set at 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first). Eligible homeowners pays a most of $299 per service for the primary 4 companies (as much as 4 years or 60,000km, whichever comes first).
VFACTS information reveals Ford Australia has bought simply 539 examples of the Escape up to now this 12 months – effectively behind the market-leading Toyota RAV4 with 13,862 unit gross sales.
The determine locations the Escape in twelfth place throughout the SUV Medium (Below $60k) phase behind the Mazda CX-5 (10,951), Mitsubishi Outlander (5730), Kia Sportage (5263), Subaru Forester (4019), Hyundai Tucson (2804), Nissan X-Path (2790), MG HS (2689), Honda CR-V (2478), Haval H6 (1497) and Reanult Koleos (1202).
Finishing the favored phase is the Volkswagen Tiguan (390), Skoda Karoq (256), Peugeot 3008 (216), SsangYong Korando (158), Jeep Cherokee (92), Peugeot 5008 (51) and Citroen C5 Aircross (29).
2022 Ford Escape pricing*:
Escape (a) $36,490
Escape ST-Line (a) $38,490
Escape ST-Line AWD (a) $41,490
Escape Vignale (a) $47,090
Escape Vignale AWD (a) $50,090
Escape ST-Line PHEV (a) $53,440 (new variant)
*Pricing excludes on-road prices.
