2026 Escape Trim Comparisons

One franchise, three brands, one lot

Lakeland Automall isn't a single-brand Ford store — it's Ford, Hyundai, and Genesis operating side by side at 1430 West Memorial Boulevard, close to I-4, which matters more than it sounds for someone shopping the compact SUV segment broadly. A buyer cross-shopping the Escape against a Tucson or comparing financing across brands can do it in one visit instead of driving between dealer groups. That structure, plus in-house financing for every credit tier and a body shop and parts department on the same property, is the backbone of how this dealer group has operated in Polk County for years.

None of that changes what the Escape itself is: a five-seat compact SUV with real cargo room, a settled highway ride for the Lakeland-to-Tampa commute, and — for the first time in the model's history — a plug-in hybrid alongside the usual gas and hybrid choices. 2026 is the send-off year, and Ford's decision to end the nameplate to make room for new electric models at its Louisville plant means current inventory is genuinely finite rather than marketing-department scarcity.

Picking a powertrain first, a trim second

Every Escape trim locks to a specific engine, so the powertrain decision narrows the trim list before you even start comparing content. The 1.5L EcoBoost (180 hp) powers Active and ST-Line only, EPA-rated 27 city/34 highway front-wheel drive or 26/32 with all-wheel drive — the efficiency-first choice. The 2.0L EcoBoost (250 hp) is the standard engine on ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite, rated 23/31 with standard AWD but with meaningfully more towing capacity, up to 3,500 lbs with the tow package versus 2,000 on the smaller engine.

The 2.5L hybrid, available (not standard) across ST-Line, ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite, is where the math gets interesting: for 2026 it's AWD-only, rated 42 city/36 highway/39 combined, and on ST-Line Select and ST-Line Elite specifically it's the cheaper way into the trim, not the pricier one — most shoppers assume the opposite. The Plug-In Hybrid is its own standalone trim, front-wheel drive only, 210 total system horsepower, 37 miles of EPA-rated electric range, and 101 MPGe combined. Plug it in overnight and a lot of local errands never touch the gas tank at all.

Six trims, one honest shortlist

What Lakeland Automall's Escape customers say

The Escape shows up by name in Lakeland Automall's Google reviews more than almost any other model on the lot, and repeat buyers are a recurring theme. Robert S. described his most recent purchase this way: "I was receiving the type of first class service that comes naturally to [Lakeland Automall]. If you are looking for that customer service experience that seems to be fading away," he wrote, closing out a purchase that followed an earlier Escape-family buy years before. Alice W., on her third vehicle from the dealer group after switching from a different Ford store in Plant City, put loyalty in blunt terms: "You have a forever customer with me and my husband."

Across the Escape-tagged reviews on Lakeland Automall's Google Business Profile, the pattern holds: 39 of 41 are five-star, averaging 4.9 out of 5.

Owning one out of Lakeland

A compact SUV doing daily miles between Lakeland, Winter Haven, and the Tampa-Orlando corridor deals with more sun and more sudden rain than most climates throw at a car. The Escape service & repair guide covers what Central Florida's heat and storm pattern mean for maintenance timing, plus Lakeland Automall's in-house body shop and parts department for anything beyond routine service. What these trims actually cost after Florida tax, and how the powertrain choice changes the math, is broken down in the pricing guide.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Ford discontinuing the Escape?

Ford is retooling the Louisville, Kentucky plant that builds the Escape and the related Lincoln Corsair to produce new electric vehicles, including an announced electric pickup and additional EV SUVs. Escape production wound down at the end of 2025, and 2026 is the last model year the nameplate will see — there is no 2027 Escape planned.

What will replace the Ford Escape?

Ford has not named a direct successor nameplate. Buyers wanting a similarly sized Ford SUV once Escape inventory sells through will be pointed toward the Bronco Sport or the larger Explorer, both of which remain in active production.

Is the 2026 Escape a good car to buy?

On the fundamentals, yes — the fourth-generation Escape has been refined for several years, the safety suite (Co-Pilot360 with blind-spot monitoring) is standard across every trim, and the hybrid and plug-in hybrid options give buyers real efficiency choices a lot of compact SUVs still don't offer. The discontinuation is about Ford's product-line strategy, not a quality signal on this specific vehicle.

Does the Escape come standard with all-wheel drive?

Not on every trim. AWD is available (not standard) on Active and ST-Line, and standard on ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite regardless of which engine you choose there. The Plug-In Hybrid is the one exception across the whole lineup — it's front-wheel drive only, with no AWD option at all.

How much does a 2026 Ford Escape cost at Lakeland Automall?

MSRP starts at $30,350 for Active and runs up to $38,935 for a 2.0L EcoBoost ST-Line Elite, all before the $1,495 destination charge, taxes, and fees. The pricing & leasing guide breaks out every trim-and-engine combination along with what Florida and Polk County add on top.

See the lineup in person

All six 2026 Escape trims are represented in Lakeland Automall's new inventory, alongside the dealer group's Hyundai and Genesis stock if you'd rather compare brands before deciding. Given this is the model's final year, checking current stock sooner rather than later is a reasonable approach.