The Ford Escape was introduced in 2001 as Ford’s entry into the two-row mid-size SUV segment. The original model was designed in conjunction with Mazda, and shared many components with the Mazda Tribute, as well as with the Mercury Mariner.
At the time it was introduced, the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid (shown below) was billed as the most fuel efficient SUV sold in the United States, with the front wheel drive version delivering 34 city and 30 highway miles per gallon, while the four wheel drive version hauled down 29 city and 27 highway. (The non-hybrid 2008-2012 Escape was offered with either a 2.4 liter four cylinder or a 3.0 liter six.) The Escape Hybrid was offered through the 2012 model year.
The Escape is all new for 2013, with a sleek new crossover design and a choice of three different engines.
The naturally aspirated 2.5-liter Duratec inline four is rated at 22 city / 31 highway. The 1.6-liter EcoBoost is rated at 23/33 in FWD and 22/30 in 4WD. The top-of-the-line 2.0-liter EcoBoost is rated at 22/33 in FWD and 12/28 in 4WD. We recently reviewed the 2013 Ford Escape Titanium AWD:
We spent a week test driving the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid and were amazed at how great the gas mileage was in the city and at lower speeds. Check out our Ford Escape Hybrid review:
Ford Escape Gas Mileage – 2001-2013
| Year | Manf. | Model | Engine | Disp. | Trans. | City | Hwy. | Comb. | Fuel |
| 2013 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto (S6) | 22 | 31 | 25 | Regular |
| 2013 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2 liter | Auto (S6) | 22 | 30 | 25 | Regular |
| 2013 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 1.6 liter | Auto (S6) | 23 | 33 | 26 | Regular |
| 2013 | Ford | Escape AWD | 4 cyl. | 2 liter | Auto (S6) | 21 | 28 | 24 | Regular |
| 2013 | Ford | Escape AWD | 4 cyl. | 1.6 liter | Auto (S6) | 22 | 30 | 25 | Regular |
| 2012 | Ford | Escape Hybrid FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto (CVT) | 34 | 31 | 32 | Regular |
| 2012 | Ford | Escape Hybrid AWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto (CVT) | 30 | 27 | 29 | Regular |
| 2012 | Ford | Escape FWD FFV | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 6-spd | 19 | 25 | 21 | FlexFuel |
| 2012 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto 6-spd | 21 | 28 | 23 | Regular |
| 2012 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Manual 5-spd | 23 | 28 | 25 | Regular |
| 2012 | Ford | Escape AWD FFV | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 6-spd | 18 | 23 | 20 | FlexFuel |
| 2012 | Ford | Escape AWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto 6-spd | 20 | 27 | 23 | Regular |
| 2011 | Ford | Escape Hybrid FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto (CVT) | 34 | 31 | 32 | Regular |
| 2011 | Ford | Escape Hybrid 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto (CVT) | 30 | 27 | 29 | Regular |
| 2011 | Ford | Escape FWD FFV | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 6-spd | 19 | 25 | 21 | FlexFuel |
| 2011 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Manual 5-spd | 23 | 28 | 25 | Regular |
| 2011 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto 6-spd | 21 | 28 | 23 | Regular |
| 2011 | Ford | Escape 4WD FFV | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 6-spd | 18 | 23 | 20 | FlexFuel |
| 2011 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto 6-spd | 20 | 26 | 22 | Regular |
| 2010 | Ford | Escape Hybrid FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto (CVT) | 34 | 31 | 32 | Regular |
| 2010 | Ford | Escape Hybrid 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto (CVT) | 30 | 27 | 29 | Regular |
| 2010 | Ford | Escape FWD FFV | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 6-spd | 19 | 25 | 21 | FlexFuel |
| 2010 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto 6-spd | 21 | 28 | 23 | Regular |
| 2010 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Manual 5-spd | 22 | 28 | 24 | Regular |
| 2010 | Ford | Escape 4WD FFV | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 6-spd | 18 | 23 | 20 | FlexFuel |
| 2010 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto 6-spd | 20 | 26 | 22 | Regular |
| 2009 | Ford | Escape Hybrid FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto (CVT) | 34 | 31 | 32 | Regular |
| 2009 | Ford | Escape Hybrid 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto (CVT) | 29 | 27 | 28 | Regular |
| 2009 | Ford | Escape FWD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 6-spd | 18 | 26 | 21 | Regular |
| 2009 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Manual 5-spd | 22 | 28 | 24 | Regular |
| 2009 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto 6-spd | 20 | 28 | 23 | Regular |
| 2009 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 6-spd | 17 | 24 | 20 | Regular |
| 2009 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.5 liter | Auto 6-spd | 19 | 25 | 21 | Regular |
| 2008 | Ford | Escape Hybrid FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto (CVT) | 34 | 30 | 32 | Regular |
| 2008 | Ford | Escape Hybrid 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto (CVT) | 29 | 27 | 28 | Regular |
| 2008 | Ford | Escape FWD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 18 | 24 | 20 | Regular |
| 2008 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 20 | 26 | 22 | Regular |
| 2008 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Manual 5-spd | 22 | 28 | 24 | Regular |
| 2008 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 17 | 22 | 19 | Regular |
| 2008 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 19 | 24 | 21 | Regular |
| 2007 | Ford | Escape Hybrid FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto (CVT) | 31 | 29 | 30 | Regular |
| 2007 | Ford | Escape Hybrid 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto (CVT) | 28 | 27 | 27 | Regular |
| 2007 | Ford | Escape FWD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 18 | 23 | 20 | Regular |
| 2007 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 20 | 24 | 21 | Regular |
| 2007 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Manual 5-spd | 21 | 27 | 23 | Regular |
| 2007 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 17 | 21 | 19 | Regular |
| 2007 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 18 | 23 | 20 | Regular |
| 2007 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Manual 5-spd | 20 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 2006 | Ford | Escape Hybrid FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto (CVT) | 30 | 28 | 29 | Regular |
| 2006 | Ford | Escape Hybrid 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto (CVT) | 28 | 26 | 27 | Regular |
| 2006 | Ford | Escape FWD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 18 | 23 | 20 | Regular |
| 2006 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 20 | 23 | 21 | Regular |
| 2006 | Ford | Escape FWD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Manual 5-spd | 21 | 27 | 23 | Regular |
| 2006 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 17 | 21 | 19 | Regular |
| 2006 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 18 | 22 | 20 | Regular |
| 2006 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Manual 5-spd | 19 | 24 | 21 | Regular |
| 2005 | Ford | Escape Hybrid 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto (CVT) | 28 | 26 | 27 | Regular |
| 2005 | Ford | Escape Hybrid 2WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto (CVT) | 30 | 28 | 29 | Regular |
| 2005 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 16 | 20 | 17 | Regular |
| 2005 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 17 | 20 | 18 | Regular |
| 2005 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Manual 5-spd | 19 | 24 | 21 | Regular |
| 2005 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 17 | 23 | 19 | Regular |
| 2005 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 19 | 23 | 21 | Regular |
| 2005 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 4 cyl. | 2.3 liter | Manual 5-spd | 21 | 27 | 24 | Regular |
| 2004 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 16 | 22 | 18 | Regular |
| 2004 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 17 | 23 | 19 | Regular |
| 2004 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 4 cyl. | 2 liter | Manual 5-spd | 20 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 2003 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 16 | 21 | 18 | Regular |
| 2003 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2 liter | Manual 5-spd | 19 | 23 | 21 | Regular |
| 2003 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 17 | 23 | 19 | Regular |
| 2003 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 4 cyl. | 2 liter | Manual 5-spd | 20 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 2002 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 16 | 22 | 18 | Regular |
| 2002 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2 liter | Manual 5-spd | 19 | 23 | 21 | Regular |
| 2002 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 17 | 23 | 19 | Regular |
| 2002 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 4 cyl. | 2 liter | Manual 5-spd | 20 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 2001 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 16 | 22 | 18 | Regular |
| 2001 | Ford | Escape 4WD | 4 cyl. | 2 liter | Manual 5-spd | 20 | 24 | 21 | Regular |
| 2001 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 6 cyl. | 3 liter | Auto 4-spd | 16 | 22 | 18 | Regular |
| 2001 | Ford | Escape 2WD | 4 cyl. | 2 liter | Manual 5-spd | 21 | 26 | 23 | Regular |
Basic Strategies for Fuel Economy Improvement in the Ford Escape
Mindful maintenance tactics for the Escape include all the usual suspects: switch to low-rolling-resistance tires, swap all fluids for synthetics, and adding an inexpensive OBDII driver feedback device (such as the AutoMeter EcoMeter or ScanGaugeE) if the vehicle is not equipped with an Instant MPG gauge from the factory.
Using an Instant MPG display will help you become a more fuel efficient driver by by letting you know how and when to lighten up your foot and use inertia to your best advantage.
Low rolling resistance tires choices for the Escape include:
- Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia
- Continental CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus
- Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max
- Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season
- General Grabber HTS
Generally speaking, SUVs offer significant potential for better gas mileage through aerodynamic improvements, but many of these choices hinge on personal aesthetics. For example: you might consider a set of lowering springs and the removal of roof racks and other bolt-ons that interrupt smooth airflow. But you might not be willing to forgo the ground clearance or ability to strap cargo onto the roof.
– by Daniel Gray