Ford’s plan to drop both hatchbacks and sedans from its lineup is an ambitious one. With that plan in mind, it’s important that the 2020 Ford Escape attract both car and SUV owners. One key area that would help this effort tremendously is reliability.

So how reliable is the new Ford Escape?

A redesigned compact SUV

The Ford Escape was redesigned for 2020. Its new appearance is striking with a sleeker, appealing appearance that’s more like a car. There’s a lot of interior space in this new Escape and the performance is pretty athletic. There are four available powertrains include two hybrids. 

It sounds like Escape could be the draw Ford is looking for in the popular compact SUV class. But there are a few bugs. The interior looks good but there’s a lot of black plastic used in there considering the cost of the vehicle. The cabin looks dated. The more affordable models don’t have basic luxuries or some features consumers want today.

With its nimble handling and steering, the new Ford Escape feels like a car. There’s a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with the Titanium trim level but it doesn’t do well with fuel efficiency. The tech interface offers both Apple and Android integration with advanced voice control.

The 2020 Ford Escapes offer common driver-assist aids like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring standard.

How reliable is the Ford Escape?

According to J.D. Power, reliability is one of the first considerations for consumers looking for their next vehicle. Predicted reliability ratings can help you determine the quality of a given vehicle. It can help determine how likely the vehicle is to require expensive repairs in the future and how likely consumers are to be happy with it.

Consumer Reports gave the 2020 Ford Escape a predicted reliability rating of 2 out of 5 and an overall score of 62. J.D. Power gave it a 4.5 out of 5 on predicted reliability.

While the redesigned Escape offers a 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder engine standard that offers peppy performance and gets about 26 mpg, Consumer Reports found there’s an irritating vibration in the motor at lower speeds. J.D. Power made a similar observation by saying it the CVT had a distinct drone under hard acceleration.

The hybrid Escape and the optional 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine have more power and better fuel economy. The brake pedal is incredibly sensitive according to their tests. While there’s plenty of room in the back with the seats in the rearmost position, the front seats are flat.

According to Car and Driver, the plug-in hybrid version carries a 14.4-kWh battery pack that gets up to 30 miles of driving on electricity. 

The Ford Escapes comes with a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty. The powertrain warranty is a five-year/60,000-mile coverage. The hybrid version has a warranty covering 8 years or 100,000 miles.

Final thoughts

When it comes to predictable reliability, there are some weak spots but it appears to be average.

The redesign of Ford Escape for 2020 brought about many changes and it has a lot of what SUV fans want. There a lot of room inside and it’s a comfy ride. It has a sporty appearance, the latest technology, and a lot of variety. It stands a chance of becoming a top player in the compact crossover SUV segment.

It gets respectable fuel ratings and it’s incredibly fun to drive. While it’s not currently at the top of any reviewers’ compact SUV rankings, the redesigned Escape is new yet. Once consumers and critics get a closer look they might decide it’s worth a closer look. 

While it’s facing a lot of competition, the new Ford Escape is a solid effort and one that might appeal to car and SUV fans alike.