Auto123.com - Helping you drive happy

2022 Ford Escape PHEV Review: Hey, What About Me?

2022 Ford Escape PHEV | Photo: Auto123
Obtain the best financial rate for your car loan at Automobile En DirectSpeedy
Khatir Soltani
It’s not a world-beater or even a segment leader, but the pluggable Escape is comfortable and very fuel economical
2022 Ford Escape PHEV, profile
2022 Ford Escape PHEV, profile | Photo: Auto123

Auto123 reviews the 2022 Ford Escape PHEV.

Much as Ford wants to change this, for the moment, its Escape isn't necessarily first to come to many folks’ mind when thinking of a plug-in hybrid SUV. That’s to be expected, given that the regular-powered version, though certainly solid, is nowhere near the top of its class. The Dearborn-based manufacturer's compact SUV is outmatched by more accomplished and fun-to-drive competitors.

When we drove the pluggable variant during our week-long test drive, we didn't expect extraordinary performance. That's partly because it's only available in two-wheel drive and has a very limited range (electric), and also because we were in the middle of winter with temperatures well below freezing.

Browse cars for sale available near you

2022 Ford Escape PHEV, front
2022 Ford Escape PHEV, front | Photo: Auto123

What makes it stand out?
The five-seat Ford Escape compact SUV runs on a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor and a 14.4-kWh battery. Officially, this Escape is announced with a range of 61 km in all-electric mode. The combined output is 220 hp.

That 61 km is a reasonable enough figure - except that during our winter test, we noted a real-world electric range between recharges that was quite a bit lower, more in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 km between recharges.

The Escape PHEV’s direct rivals are still not that plentiful on the market, but they include Hyundai's Tucson PHEV and Toyota's RAV4 Prime, as well as the upcoming Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which is based on the new generation of that SUV.

Aside from the powertrain, this variant is identical to the rest of the Escape lineup and is only available in front-wheel drive mode. The interior is smaller than its competitors, but it's very comfortable and quiet.

2022 Ford Escape PHEV, charging port
2022 Ford Escape PHEV, charging port | Photo: Auto123

That official range of 61 km tells you that it is indeed possible to drive only in electric mode. However, if you're doing a stretch on the highway, it's very easy - and advisable - to select the option of saving the available charge for later by using the engine's power; then you toggle back to electric mode as soon as you're back on city streets.

Keep in mind – actually you won’t be able to avoid noticing - that there’s a big difference between the electric mode or the combination of electric motor and gearbox, especially in terms of noise. Because once the combustion engine is running, the noise level goes up, especially in winter, and things can get quickly less pleasant. The CVT doesn't help in this respect, and it doesn't improve driving pleasure either.

Fortunately for our ears, the charging process is quite quick, so much of your basic commutes can be done on electric power. We didn't have a Level 2 charging station at home and charged the vehicle using the 110V outlet, by which method to fully charge the vehicle took about 12 hours. Don't forget that it was winter. With a level 2 charger, we're talking about 3 hours for a full charge.

At those times when the battery was too discharged to allow for driving in electric mode, we recorded an average consumption between 3L to 4L/ 100 km per trip. At the end of our week of testing, we had covered 500 km, 341 of them in electric mode, and recorded an average consumption of 4.1L/100 km. Which, overall, is not bad at all, especially in winter - and it’s reason to rejoice given our current gasoline prices!

2022 Ford Escape PHEV, interior
2022 Ford Escape PHEV, interior | Photo: Auto123

Inside
What struck us right away was the comfort of the vehicle. The Escape drives very well, the seats are very comfortable and the suspension absorbs just about all the imperfections the road can throw at it. It has a little floating feel to it that is not very unpleasant given our weathered roads.

Interior storage spaces are numerous and well thought out. The sliding rear seat allows for versatility in the interior layout of the cargo area and rear occupant space. All Escape models (except the base model) come with a large touch screen. However, the system used is Sync 3 which is completely outdated. Fortunately, you can use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to get around that slight inconvenience.

We also couldn’t help noting the presence of hard plastic throughout the cabin and faux wood veneers that are a bit reminiscent of a Swedish furniture brand.

2022 Ford Escape PHEV, exterior
2022 Ford Escape PHEV, exterior | Photo: Auto123

Outside
We really liked the front end of the Ford Escape PHEV Titanium. We thought, and several people remarked, that it has a Porsche Macan look to it. Certainly, the front grille, which takes up the entire front of the vehicle, is worthy of note, as is the work done on the front lights.

Compared to its competitors in this segment, the Escape offers decent space for passengers and their luggage, but it still lags behind its rivals. The PHEV version offers 869 litres of maximum cargo space compared to 950 for the non-electrified versions. The Toyota RAV4 Prime and Hyundai Tucson PHEV have a capacity of 949 and 902 litres, respectively.

The advantage of the Escape is that you can slide its (60/40) second row back of forth and thus allocate the space devoted to rear passengers or luggage according to your needs.

2022 Ford Escape PHEV, three-quarters rear
2022 Ford Escape PHEV, three-quarters rear | Photo: Auto123

And the price?
The Ford Escape PHEV is only available in three variants. The SE version starts at $38,449, then the SEL at $41,249 and the Titanium sits at the top of the chart at $43,549. Our test model with options added came in at $47,199. That's expensive for sure, but what hurts the most is that it doesn't have a full incentive when compared to its rivals. Indeed, with a battery of only 14.4 kWh, it can only receive $6,500 in (in Quebec – that will vary by province) instead of the $13,000 for some competitors (again, in Quebec).

That's a shame, because overall the Escape PHEV is a very good vehicle; we expected average performance and at the end of our week of testing, that performance had exceeded our expectations, overall. It's a comfortable vehicle, it’s pleasant to drive and has enough space to accommodate small families.

Specifications sheet of 2022 Ford Escape 

2022 Ford Escape PHEV, multimedia screen, central console
2022 Ford Escape PHEV, multimedia screen, central console | Photo: Auto123

We like

The comfort
Fuel economy
The numerous driving assistance systems, provided you check all the boxes

We like less

The mediocre electric range
The weak on-board heating system
The noisy ride with the engine running
The CVT transmission

The competition

Hyundai Tucson PHEV
Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV
Kia Sorento PHEV
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (still to come)
Toyota RAV4 Prime

2022 Ford Escape PHEV, rear
2022 Ford Escape PHEV, rear | Photo: Auto123

Road Tests and Reviews

Consumers
82%
2022 Ford Escape
Review this Vehicle
Styling
Accessories
Space and Access
Comfort
Performance
Driving Dynamics
Safety
General Appreciation
Name
Email
Comment
Password
Forgot your password? Click here
Cancel
Photos:Auto123
2022 Ford Escape PHEV pictures
Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada