Using a Rotary Blade Coupling, the rear wheels could be sent up to 100% of the power in fractions of a second.

This system allowed the front wheels to receive 100% of the torque until a slip was detected. The four wheel drive system was a newer version of Ford's 'Control Trac' 4x4 system, dubbed the Control Trac II 4WD in the Escape. If slipping is detected at the front, more power will be sent to the rear wheels in a fraction of a second. The AWD system normally sends most of the power from the engine to the front wheels. Although not meant for serious off-roading, a full-time all-wheel-drive (AWD) system supplied by Dana was optional, which included a locking center differential activated by a switch on the dashboard. Ford and Mazda decided to offer a car-like, unibody design with a fully independent suspension and rack and pinion steering similar to the RAV4 and CR-V in the Escape. Solid rear axles were commonly used on the full-sized truck-based SUVs and Jeep Cherokee due to their ability to carry heavy loads at the expense of a comfortable ride and good handling. Other car makers, Jeep, Toyota and Honda had been offering smaller unibody designs, the Jeep Cherokee (XJ), RAV4 and CR-V respectively. This followed a long history of Mazda-derived Fords, starting with the Ford Courier in the 1970s.Īt the time, larger sport-utility vehicles tended to use pickup truck-based, body-on-frame designs. At first, the twinned models were assembled by Ford in the US for North American consumption, with Mazda in Japan supplying cars for other markets. Powertrains were supplied by Mazda with respect to the base inline-four engine, with Ford providing the optional V6. Although the Escape and Tribute shared the same underpinnings constructed from the Ford CD2 platform (based on Mazda GF underpinnings), the only panels common to the two vehicles were the roof and floor pressings. It was jointly developed with Mazda, in which Ford owned a controlling interest, and was released simultaneously with the Mazda Tribute. The first generation of Ford Escape was released in 2000 for the 2001 model year. Philippines: Santa Rosa, Laguna ( Ford Philippines) Germany: Saarlouis ( Saarlouis Body & Assembly) Hybrid and plug-in hybrid options are available for the fourth-generation model.įord Maverick (Europe and China, 2001–2008) It continues to the fourth-generation in which the North American Escape is identical to the Kuga with a minor cosmetic redesign. For the third-generation, Ford unified the model with the Europe-designed Ford Kuga as per the 'One Ford' plan of having only one vehicle per segment internationally. A hybrid option was again available.įord released the third generation model in 2012 for the 2013 model year. Since 2013, the model has been paralleled with the Kuga sold outside North America, making them essentially identical. Unlike the collaborative approach taken with the previous model, this time the design and engineering was carried out by Ford. In other markets, the first generation models were either replaced by updated first generation versions, or replaced by the Mazda CX-7 (2006) and Ford Kuga (2008). Second generations of the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner, and Mazda Tribute were released in 2007 for the 2008 model year, but mostly restricted to North America. The first generation was jointly developed with Mazda which also created the Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner as the twin model. The Ford Escape is a compact crossover SUV sold by Ford since 2000 over four generations.

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