Drew Dowdell

Today, Ford unveiled the refreshed 2023 Ford Escape. The ’23 Escape offered evolutionary styling over the outgoing model and several safety and technology evolutions as well. Added to the lineup this year is a new ST-Line model, an appearance package that makes the standard Escape look sportier. Offered in base ST-Line, ST-Line Select, and ST-Line Elite, the ST-Line packages use the same 1.5-liter Ecoboost, 2.0-liter Ecoboost, and 2.5-liter hybrid engines found in the rest of the Escape lineup. Visually, the ST-line gets a black mesh grill, monochrome moldings, and a large single-wing rear spoiler. The ST-line Elite has an available “coast to coast” LED light bar that spans the distance between the headlights for a distinct look. Inside, the ST-Line comes solely in an ebony interior with red stitching on the doors, seats, armrest, and steering wheel. The other trim names have changed for 2023 as well. Gone are S, SE, SEL, and Titanium, respectively replaced by Base, Active, and Platinum. Base model Escapes come with an ebony interior, while higher trim customers can select ebony or space gray. The infotainment system has been upgraded with a 13.2-inch screen that has Alexa and cloud connectivity built in. The infotainment system is capable of over-the-air updates at times the customer schedules. Powertrains carry over largely unchanged from the previous model. The base engine is the 1.5-liter 3-cylinder Ecoboost producing 180 horsepower. The 2.0-liter Ecoboost producing 250 horsepower also remains. Both engines are paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Ford Escape was the first hybrid crossover, and it keeps its hybrid options with a 2.5-liter standard hybrid and a plug-in version with a larger battery capacity. In front-wheel drive configuration, the hybrid is expected to produce a combined 210 horsepower. All engine options can be had in front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Ford touts that no matter which powertrain a customer selects, they can enjoy over 400 miles of driving range, with the plug-in hybrid version stretching to nearly 550-miles. The Escape Plug-In Hybrid model features four EV modes that allow drivers to select the settings most suitable for their individual needs. In Auto EV mode, the vehicle decides whether to run on gas or electric power In EV Now mode, drivers can operate on all-electric driving In EV Later mode, drivers can switch to full gas-powered driving to conserve electric miles for later In EV Charge mode, drivers can continue to charge the battery while driving and generate electric-only miles to use later Ford Co-Pilot360 has been enhanced with a 360-degree camera system, Intersection Assist 2.0 to help avoid collisions with pedestrians during turning, an enhanced blind spot assist that will nudge the steering wheel in the event of an obstacle in the way. Additional available new technologies include Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go, Predictive Speed Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, Reverse Brake Assist, Evasive Steering Assist and Connected Built-In Navigation. The 2023 Ford Escape is built in Louisville, KY and will go on sale in early 2023. View full article

So I drove the EQS AMG and I'm pretty meh about it. Sure it's fast and it has pillows on the headrests, but a lot of the stuff you don't normally touch feels really down market. The steering wheel is downright confusing with a combination of buttons, touch controls, dials, and buttons inside of dials that do the same thing. The infotainment screen is way oversized and distracting as well as impossible to intuitively operate. Some controls are on the steering wheel, some are on the center console, some are in both locations but operate differently. Is it more comfortable than a Tesla? Yes.. but so is just about everything else on the market. It is fast? Also yes, but so is a Tesla. Is it good looking? No, it's a CLS that someone left out in the sun too long. Is it big like an S-Class? No, it's E-Class roominess inside along with having terrible rear visibility. The EQS and EQE both feel, from the inside, as they are one size class down from their ICE letter equivalent.

According to the itinerary of the event tomorrow, the EQB 350, EQE 500, and EQS AMG will all be there. Could be pre-production possibly.

This car is going to feel cavernous inside. The EQS doesn't feel that much bigger than a standard issue E-Class, though it does have more trunk space. Part of that is due to the bathtub feeling with the doors that go up to nearly shoulder height. I will likely be getting some EQS AMG drive time tomorrow.

Difference in definitions. Electric motors, batteries, and air suspension aren't new. But these are totally new designs for all of them... it's a full platform. It's exactly like when the Alfa-Romeo Guilia came out. Everything on that car except the transmission was a new design. New engine, new electronics, new body, new everything... except the ZF-HP8 transmission. And that's why it was a problem for FCA. But that same platform has been perfected since 2015 and now rides under the Grand Cherokee and it's largely fine. All manufacturers play fast and loose with the term "all-new". Is the Integra really all new? The platform is just a Civic, it just uses the CR-V/Civic engine and transmission, it uses a lot of off the shelf Acura components. What about the Bronco? The body was new, sure, but everything under the sheetmetal was lifted from the Ranger and F-150 and they still had issues. The Hummer really is "All new" ... like for real.

It's a bleeding edge product. Totally new platform with totally new tech. I'm okay with there being a bit of leeway regardless of if it is GM, Mercedes, Nissan, whoever. Anyone who bought one of these knew that they were signing up for a new release product. The people who made the video are in the business of making these videos... and frankly, I will be doing the same thing once my EValanche shows up. And if it breaks down, I'll make a video of it. But I know going into that purchase that the EValanche is new tech and problems could happen. That's why I'm keeping the gasser also.