Ford Escape Remains On Track For Discontinuation By 2026: Report

[DeluxeStang]

1 hour ago, jpd80 said:

Also, a Mustang pickup/Ranchero version would help.

 

Let me add,

Ive not seen any indication that this is happening 

but could be built down FRAP line with small changes.

IDK man, we've discussed how Ford needs to be careful with expanding the mustang brand and not having too many models with mustang branding. I feel like a mustang truck would really bury the mustang brand for a lot of people, and would be a bit too far. 

 

That being said, I like the way you think. With Ford leaning so heavily into all these trucks models, and pretty much all of them looking like conventional trucks, it would be neat if the CE1 truck or some other future truck models looked nothing like traditional trucks, and had bolder, more expressive designs to differentiate them from the rest of Ford's lineup. 

[jpd80]

35 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

IDK man, we've discussed how Ford needs to be careful with expanding the mustang brand and not having too many models with mustang branding. I feel like a mustang truck would really bury the mustang brand for a lot of people, and would be a bit too far. 

 

That being said, I like the way you think. With Ford leaning so heavily into all these trucks models, and pretty much all of them looking like conventional trucks, it would be neat if the CE1 truck or some other future truck models looked nothing like traditional trucks, and had bolder, more expressive designs to differentiate them from the rest of Ford's lineup. 

Think less truck, more like later Aussie Falcon pickup.

They were pretty cool, coming with DOHC 4.0 I-6, Turbo I-6 or DOHC 5.4 or Miami (S/C Coyote)

 

 

Edited May 24, 2025 by jpd80

[DeluxeStang]

23 hours ago, jpd80 said:

Think less truck, more like later Aussie Falcon pickup.

They were pretty cool, coming with DOHC 4.0 I-6, Turbo I-6 or DOHC 5.4 or Miami (S/C Coyote)

 

 

There's certainly potential with this idea. I just believe if they do make it, it should be its own thing instead of part of the mustang brand. 

Edited May 24, 2025 by DeluxeStang

[AM222]

On 5/24/2025 at 6:18 AM, jpd80 said:

Also, a Mustang pickup/Ranchero version would help.

 

Let me add,

Ive not seen any indication that this is happening 

but could be built down FRAP line with small changes.

Ford should have just brought back the Falcon name. That has a history of being a sedan, wagon and pickup (Ute).

 

Edited May 26, 2025 by AM222

[AM222]

On 5/22/2025 at 2:32 AM, akirby said:

Except Ford did that first with Bronco Sport.  All it needs is a longer wheelbase and hybrid powertrains to compete directly with RAV4.

The advantage of Toyota is they made their mainstream model that will roll out in 180 markets more interesting. Ford opted to develop a bland-ish mainstream model and an interesting but smaller Bronco Sport that's sold in limited markets. 


I guess combining interesting with utility wins. The outgoing Rav4 (below) that outsold the C2 SUVs in the US.


Toyota is just making the RAV4 look unique again just like the early models. 
The RAV4 was definitely unique looking back in the 90s.

Edited May 26, 2025 by AM222

[AM222]

On 5/22/2025 at 1:55 AM, DeluxeStang said:

The new rav 4 is a prime example of how you can take a commodity boring product and redesign it to be more aspirational, kinda like what Toyota did with the latest Gen Prius as well. The rav 4 and Prius, 2 ugly and slow boring products. What did Toyota do?

 

Make them fun to drive and better looking. There's nothing stopping Ford from doing the same with the escape. 

I agree. 

I really don't get Ford; they had strong models and then let it slip. Toyota is doing what Ford should be doing,

I said this many times before, when Ford gets beaten in the market, they respond by quitting the segment. Maybe Ford should study the market and give people what they want instead of gaslighting people on what they should want.

[sullynd]

41 minutes ago, AM222 said:

The advantage of Toyota is they made their mainstream model that will roll out in 180 markets more interesting. They're not developing a secondary model like the Bronco Sport as a more interesting model that's sold in limited markets.

Ever seen a Toyota Venza?  It’s a secondary model like the Bronco Sport that’s a more interesting model that's sold in limited markets.

[AM222]

13 minutes ago, sullynd said:

Ever seen a Toyota Venza?  It’s a secondary model like the Bronco Sport that’s a more interesting model that's sold in limited markets.

Toyota has room to make spin-offs built on the same platform because their core models sell in much larger numbers and are offered globally. The Rav4's 2024 US sales numbers alone are higher than the Escape, Bronco Sport, and Maverick combined. The Venza aka Harrier in Japan/Asia is actually built on the Rav4 platform, same wheelbase.  The 2026 Rav4 is based on the same TNGA-K platform as the outgoing model, they just added reinforcements to make for better structural rigidity. 

Ford has many C2 models but non-are global models.

Edited May 26, 2025 by AM222

[rmc523]

On 5/26/2025 at 7:38 AM, sullynd said:

Ever seen a Toyota Venza?  It’s a secondary model like the Bronco Sport that’s a more interesting model that's sold in limited markets.

 

I believe Venza was replaced by the Crown Signia.

[bzcat]

Just came across this... Looks like Ford Taiwan is going to replace Kuga with Territory (Equator Sport) next year. Another nail in Escape's coffin. 

 

22 pre-production test builds registered by Ford Taiwan. Probably means they are going to test it before starting full scale production. Taiwan is one of the 4 worldwide Escape/Kuga production sites:

1. Louisville: extended?
2. Valencia: end in 2025
3. Taiwan: looks like it will end in 2025 and replace with Territory
4. China: ?

https://auto.ltn.com.tw/news/28566/2

Edited June 3, 2025 by bzcat

[Sherminator98]

1 hour ago, bzcat said:

Just came across this... Looks like Ford Taiwan is going to replace Kuga with Territory (Equator Sport) next year. Another nail in Escape's coffin. 

 

22 pre-production test builds registered by Ford Taiwan. Probably means they are going to test it before starting full scale production. Taiwan is one of the 4 worldwide Escape/Kuga production sites:

1. Louisville: extended?
2. Valencia: end in 2025
3. Taiwan: looks like it will end in 2025 and replace with Territory
4. China: ?

https://auto.ltn.com.tw/news/28566/2

 

I was doing some digging into the Territory and its wider then the current Escape-I wonder if its a SWB C2 platform shared with the Mondeo and Mondeo Sport? 

I'm also guessing Louisville isn't really an extension-just production will run a couple months longer before the retooling so people aren't laid off for 8-12 months. I'd expect the EVs to be coming out by the end of next year. 

[Trader 10]

14 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

I was doing some digging into the Territory and its wider then the current Escape-I wonder if its a SWB C2 platform shared with the Mondeo and Mondeo Sport? 

I'm also guessing Louisville isn't really an extension-just production will run a couple months longer before the retooling so people aren't laid off for 8-12 months. I'd expect the EVs to be coming out by the end of next year. 

Ford put out a press release last August that stated the medium sized EV pickup wouldn’t be released until 2027. 

[jpd80]

6 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

I was doing some digging into the Territory and its wider then the current Escape-I wonder if its a SWB C2 platform shared with the Mondeo and Mondeo Sport? 

I'm also guessing Louisville isn't really an extension-just production will run a couple months longer before the retooling so people aren't laid off for 8-12 months. I'd expect the EVs to be coming out by the end of next year. 

The Chinese Territory/Equator Sport is a SWB share with the Equator platform,

both vehicles developed by Ford China’s partner JMC but suspect its’s on the

modified bones of the previous CD4 platform (width is 76” like Edge).

irrespective that, it shows what is possible with enough thought, a vehicle the

length and width of Territory would be different enough  for product space

from Bronco Sport but I realise it’s impractical to uproot it as is.

 

Edited June 3, 2025 by jpd80

[rmc523]

13 hours ago, bzcat said:

Just came across this... Looks like Ford Taiwan is going to replace Kuga with Territory (Equator Sport) next year. Another nail in Escape's coffin. 

 

22 pre-production test builds registered by Ford Taiwan. Probably means they are going to test it before starting full scale production. Taiwan is one of the 4 worldwide Escape/Kuga production sites:

1. Louisville: extended?
2. Valencia: end in 2025
3. Taiwan: looks like it will end in 2025 and replace with Territory
4. China: ?

https://auto.ltn.com.tw/news/28566/2

 

What's also hilarious is that Ford undermines its own global profitability and economies of scale by dropping global models.

 

12 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

I was doing some digging into the Territory and its wider then the current Escape-I wonder if its a SWB C2 platform shared with the Mondeo and Mondeo Sport? 

I'm also guessing Louisville isn't really an extension-just production will run a couple months longer before the retooling so people aren't laid off for 8-12 months. I'd expect the EVs to be coming out by the end of next year. 

 

I'm thinking they're going to extend production for a short period (like you're saying) and they're going to pump out a bunch of them to build up enough inventory to last them through a transition period while the factory changes over.

[Sherminator98]

12 hours ago, Trader 10 said:

Ford put out a press release last August that stated the medium sized EV pickup wouldn’t be released until 2027. 

But they didn’t state CY or MY either. 
 

The rumor was that the Escape would end production the end of this year, but the latest info now saying it will get a 2026MY, which means that after September of this year it can be called a 2026MY. 
 

My guess is that the Escape will remain in production for maybe another year from

now and Louisville will shut down for retooling anywhere from March 2026 to June and spend the rest of the year retooling and maybe production restarting with the CE1 at the end of 2026 with a launch in January of 2027 or so of the new product. 
 

But then again I’m of the mindset of moving the CE1 to BOC and making C2 hybrids/EREVs at LAP instead. But we will see. 

[DeluxeStang]

1 minute ago, Sherminator98 said:

But then again I’m of the mindset of moving the CE1 to BOC and making C2 hybrids/EREVs at LAP instead. But we will see. 

It's funny that probably half of us on this site have said Ford should do this, because it feels like the most logical thing in the world, yet they probably won't. 

[Sherminator98]

6 hours ago, jpd80 said:

The Chinese Territory/Equator Sport is a SWB share with the Equator platform,

both vehicles developed by Ford China’s partner JMC but suspect its’s on the

modified bones of the previous CD4 platform (width is 76” like Edge).

irrespective that, it shows what is possible with enough thought, a vehicle the

length and width of Territory would be different enough  for product space

from Bronco Sport but I realise it’s impractical to uproot it as is.

 

I was looking at the specs of the Lincoln Nautilus and it’s roughly the same width as the Territory and Equator Sport. The Territory and Equator Sport have similar platform codes as the Nautilus also. 
 

Maybe we are looking at this the wrong way-the current Escape/Bronco Sport/Maverick are on the “narrow” C2 platform (72-74in wide) while the Territory/Equator Sport/Nautilus/Edge/Mondeo are the wide C2 variants that are 75-77 plus inches wide. 
 

So maybe there is more platform sharing 

 going on then first meets the eye. 

[bzcat]

The origin of various Jiangling Ford products is always a bit of mystery.

 

Track width or wheelbase is not a meaningful data point in the age of modular platform like C2... they can be changed for specific applications. 

 

The only thing we know is Equator Sport doesn't use the same drivetrain packages as C2... since drivetrain packaging and calibration is one of the most essential part of modular platform, it points to Equator and Equator Sport not being on C2 platform.

 

 

 

[Sherminator98]

1 hour ago, bzcat said:

Track width or wheelbase is not a meaningful data point in the age of modular platform like C2... they can be changed for specific applications. 

I was under the impression that (at least in the NA and EU markets) that widening a vehicle was more of an impact when it comes to collision standards then making it longer, thus why it wasn’t normally done. 
 

interior wise the territory and equator sport appear to be using the same center console that is found in the Mondeo/edge and the CN Bronco in the other thread. I know not much of a connection, but given how little difference there is between the Escape and Bronco Sport interior hardpoint wise, that might be another sign? 

[Trader 10]

4 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

But they didn’t state CY or MY either. 
 

The rumor was that the Escape would end production the end of this year, but the latest info now saying it will get a 2026MY, which means that after September of this year it can be called a 2026MY. 
 

My guess is that the Escape will remain in production for maybe another year from

now and Louisville will shut down for retooling anywhere from March 2026 to June and spend the rest of the year retooling and maybe production restarting with the CE1 at the end of 2026 with a launch in January of 2027 or so of the new product. 
 

But then again I’m of the mindset of moving the CE1 to BOC and making C2 hybrids/EREVs at LAP instead. But we will see. 

Here is an except from the press release. It definitely states 2026 for the EV van followed by CE1 in 2027. 

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 21, 2024 – Ford Motor Company is taking additional actions to deliver a profitable, capital-efficient and growing electric vehicle business and add even more propulsion choices for customers that generate lower CO2 emissions. 

The plan includes adjusting the company’s North America vehicle roadmap to offer a range of electrification options designed to speed customer adoption – including lower prices and longer ranges. In its fully electric portfolio, Ford will prioritize the introduction of a new digitally advanced commercial van in 2026, followed by two new advanced pickup trucks in 2027 and other future affordable vehicles. Ford also realigned its U.S. battery sourcing plan to reduce costs, maximize capacity utilization, and support current and future electric vehicle production. 

 

 

[rmc523]

1 hour ago, Trader 10 said:

Here is an except from the press release. It definitely states 2026 for the EV van followed by CE1 in 2027. 

 

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 21, 2024 – Ford Motor Company is taking additional actions to deliver a profitable, capital-efficient and growing electric vehicle business and add even more propulsion choices for customers that generate lower CO2 emissions. 

The plan includes adjusting the company’s North America vehicle roadmap to offer a range of electrification options designed to speed customer adoption – including lower prices and longer ranges. In its fully electric portfolio, Ford will prioritize the introduction of a new digitally advanced commercial van in 2026, followed by two new advanced pickup trucks in 2027 and other future affordable vehicles. Ford also realigned its U.S. battery sourcing plan to reduce costs, maximize capacity utilization, and support current and future electric vehicle production. 

 

1) It doesn't explicitly say calendar or model year.

2) Ford changes plans like most change underwear, so their press release from 9 months ago / last year doesn't mean much.

[Rick73]

17 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

 

1) It doesn't explicitly say calendar or model year.

2) Ford changes plans like most change underwear, so their press release from 9 months ago / last year doesn't mean much.

Based on Escape sales in May being higher than many other Fords, would it be that unjustified to reconsider plans?  I know the argument about profitability and also needing the space, but unless Ford knows for certain that whatever vehicle comes in its place will do better, maybe they are justified in tapping the brakes.  Being flexible and adapting to market conditions is a good thing IMO.

[akirby]

4 minutes ago, Rick73 said:

Based on Escape sales in May being higher than many other Fords, would it be that unjustified to reconsider plans?

You don’t change 10 year plans based on 2 months of sales driven by the perception of huge price reductions.

[scode1]

4 minutes ago, akirby said:

You don’t change 10 year plans based on 2 months of sales driven by the perception of huge price reductions.

 

They also can't sell the 2026 Escape in "Green States"  (CA, MA, NY, OR, VT, WA)

[ExplorerDude]

36 minutes ago, scode1 said:

 

They also can't sell the 2026 Escape in "Green States"  (CA, MA, NY, OR, VT, WA)

I’m hearing that MY2026 Escape production will begin in October and will only last for 3 months. I believe LAP will go down next year beginning in January 2026 for retooling for CE1.