You should try asking Google Will there be a 2026 Ford Escape? You currently get a bizarre AI overview ahead of any other results. “Yes, there will be a 2026 Ford Escape, and it’s expected to include a refreshed design and potentially a new Raptor trim, indicating a focus on off-road capabilities.” What’s Google’s source? The Ford Authority website’s annual April Fools’ article.

One of the most whimsical days on the internet tends to be April 1st. Many big websites post false articles. They all admit by the end of the day that it was just an April Fools’ joke. One year, Google created an entire Com.Google website that showed mirrored search results. Another year Hulu pretended to launch “Hu” with eight-second edits of popular TV shows. Burger King once pretended to roll out a Whopper flavored toothpaste while Coca Cola Helium promised a  “squeaky high-pitched effect on the drinker’s voice.”

The truth about the Ford Escape Raptor

Ford Authority is not officially affiliated with Ford Motor Company. It is a private website that specializes in news on all things Ford. Not to be left out of the April Fools’ fun, Ford Authority wrote up the “2026 Ford Escape Raptor.”

The article starts off with an entirely believable description of Ford resurrecting the Escape with a Raptor-level off-road trim. (Set to be cancelled before the 2026 model year). Supposedly it will include a 360-horsepower 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. It’s also supposed to have 10.3 inches of ground clearance, and the twin-clutch all-wheel drive system from the Bronco Sport.

The article gets a bit off the rails when it describes the “Ford Escape Raptor SUV Experience School For Really Cool, Non-Boring People.” Finally, it quotes “CEO Tim Barley” (as opposed to real CEO Jim Farley). “I used to be afraid of how much I hated the Ford Escape…Then I realized we could just make a more interesting utility vehicle. After all, I want Ford to be the Porsche Macan of off-road. Now I won’t have to slash the tires of every new Escape I see in our employee parking lot!”

The article ends explaining, “If one hasn’t figured it out by now, the new Ford Escape Raptor is just part of our annual April Fools’ Day content, and will never see the light of day.” Other content included a Ford Mustang Raptor to make Ford “the Porsche of off-road vehicles.”

AI can’t take an April Fools’ joke

Well it seems Google’s “Gemini” AI program didn’t figure out the joke. Now, when you search 2026 Ford Escape, the search engine’s “AI overview” not only states that the Escape Raptor is a possibility, it seems convinced the cancelled regular Escape isn’t going anywhere.

Most of us expect such flawed results inside designated chats with AIs, such as the Chat GPT app. But Google’s decided to put AI results at the top of its search results, the April Fools’ misunderstanding could lead to a lot of confusion. And it might serve as an important reminder about the limitations of AI.

Maybe between Ford Authority’s joke and Google’s mistake, Ford dealers will start to get calls about that Escape Raptor. If they get enough calls and make the thing, it might be the first car based on AI’s inability to take a joke.