There is nothing majorly wrong with Escape styling. It is not very exciting but boring sells in this segment... compact CUV is the equivalent of midsize sedan from before times - people want reliable transport that are good value.
The thing with Escape is that basically the competitors got better, and some of them can just sell based on reputation for reliability and value along... Escape nameplate doesn't have that kind of equity, which is why Farley is going to kill it.
I'm not saying I agree with the decision BTW, I'm just offering my observation and explain what might be going on at Ford. Farley seemed to have concluded he can get more mileage from next gen Bronco Sport than trying to revive Escape.
Wouldn't surprise me if the CE1 replacement is call Explorer Sport instead of Escape - assuming Farley actually has a plan to replace the big Explorer (he doesn't right now). Remember, the MEB Explorer EV sold in Europe was originally going to be a worldwide model with the US version going to Oakville under Hackett... so Explorer Sport name likely was going to be used for the US market for that car. Farley pulled the plug on MEB in the US once he became CEO.
Again we are talking primarily Expy-or so I thought. Plus my eyes tell me as I watch news clips. Is the Expy pursuit rated? I didn't think so.
Also I think while the Explorer is for sure the "new" Crown Vic, instead of turning the Expy into something it wasn't designed for, I would see more gains if more attention was paid to 150, with a 6.8. KISS applies IMO.
And when I say that, it is not a negative on the Coyote- I'm a happy owner. I just think that the simplicity of a push rod V-8 gives fleets a comfort level over 32 valves😎
Part of less interest in having a car is the cost. Sure, the purchase cost is high, but the other costs are rising faster, and include insurance, taxes, registration, maintenance, and fuel.
Ford didn't change that on the refreshed Escape
Engine start button is still angled that way on refreshed Escape with the 8" screen:
With the 13.2" screen, engine start button is located in the lower part of the dash, just as on the pre-refresh Escape:
Don't forget daycare. In most young heterosexual families, married or not, both are wage earners by choice, necessitating daycare for one or more children. Even if one or both can work from home, it is non productive to have preschool age children at home all day. Licensed daycare runs $2-400 per week for one child and less for each additional child in my area. That's an Explorer payment. One place in a toney suburb where one of my daughter's family lives, is $2600/mo. no discounts, but the tykes can learn Spanish.
I finally drove my Mom's 2020 Escape-I was cracking up because it was about 90-95% identical (IMO) to my wife's 2024 Bronco Sport in feel and interior materials. The ride was slightly softer (longer wheelbase) but otherwise there really wasn't much different between them.
The thing that annoyed the living crap out of me was the piss poor placement of the engine start button, it was placed on the side of the center console at nearly 90 angle to the driver...I saw Ford relocated it to the lower part of the dash on the refresh.