Are you considering purchasing a new family vehicle? You may have originally thought a small family sedan would be best—and, for a first vehicle, that’s a good option. It could be a cozy, comfortable nest for your new baby. When the next kiddo comes along, a sedan is still flexible, but you’d begin to feel as if there might be another vehicle on the horizon. There isn’t a lot of room for more with a sedan, for another kid, a dog, suitcases, groceries, etc. Should you learn the great news that you’re going to be a parent again, it’s time to consider selling that family sedan. But what can replace your sweet little nest?
Enter the 2023 Ford Escape, a compact crossover that will help you ease into the next season of your life. Not only is it roomy enough for four passengers and a driver, but it also has plenty of space for all the belongings your family needs to have on the go. Several practical features come in handy when corralling your growing family, from safety features to second-row seating arrangements, and you’ll love how functional and fun the Escape can be. Let’s take a look at some of the most practical features and how they can benefit you…
Hybrid Options Have the Best of Both Worlds
There are multiple drivetrain options for the Ford Escape, such as the turbocharged 1.5L three-cylinder and the turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder, but the most practical choices when it comes to powering up your Escape are the hybrid options. With more and more drivers turning to hybrid or all-electric vehicles, the number of charging stations being installed in towns and cities across the United States is booming. Hybrids can be just as easily charged at home, too, making refueling a cinch.
The 2023 Ford Escape is available as a plug-in hybrid or a regular hybrid option. Both are outfitted with a 2.5L four-cylinder engine and two electric motors, the combination of which produces 210 hp. This is plenty of oomph, getting you up to speed in less than eight seconds—perfect for merging seamlessly with traffic.
Instead of an automatic transmission, you’ll have a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which is yet again more practical than a regular automatic. Why? Instead of being limited to an array of gear speeds and having to choose one for a longer period of time, the CVT is an expanding belt that continues to change—second by second if necessary—ensuring that your vehicle is the most efficient it can be at all times.
When you purchase a hybrid vehicle, you’re buying into our future as a more eco-friendly, caring population, intent on preserving the Earth for our children’s children to enjoy. By utilizing an electric motor (or two) instead of just gasoline, you are doing your part and reclaiming the world for your descendants. Who doesn’t love that?
Easily Escape With the Sliding Second Row Seats
Remember when you were a kid, and your family had a van or other large family vehicle that was nearly impossible to get out of? There were plenty of arguments about who sat in the back because it was often difficult to access: either the entry had to be opened by an adult, or there were long episodes of pulling, yanking, and shouting, or you just scrambled over the second row and risked falling on your head or into the lap of another sibling who got relegated to the backseat.
Luckily, that’s now a thing of the past, as kids will have no issue getting inside the vehicle, no matter which row they’re sitting in. What if you need to get to the trunk or want the kids to put their bags in the back, but your hands are full? Not to worry—the Ford Escape comes equipped with sliding second-row seats, making the act of rearranging, gaining access to the trunk, and allocating seating a simple, easy process that will speed up loading and unloading time while giving kids agency over the back row without having to ask an adult for assistance.
Though there are five seats, the Escape’s sliding second-row seats can be folded down for additional luggage space, or they can be slid back to allow for more stretching and elbow room for passengers. Since the second row is split (a side and middle seat together, and a single seat on the other side, popularly called a “60/40” split), you can choose how to arrange your space to better fit everything inside. This practical approach has been enthusiastically welcomed by families for its ease of use and convenience, and there is nothing quite as rewarding as a feature that makes being with your family easier.
Instead of Backseat Drivers, Opt for a Co-Pilot
Know a backseat driver? Whether it’s your kid shouting at you after feeling the jolt of a pothole, or your parents-in-law gasping when another vehicle strays into your lane, it can be an irritating experience to have someone breathing down your neck as you stop, turn, and merge. The Ford Escape is not equipped with a built-in backseat driver, fortunately, but it does have something you will prefer infinitely more: Ford’s Co-Pilot360 technology.
The Escape’s Co-Pilot360 suite of driver assistance technology includes a pre-collision assist feature that not only gives you extra eyes on the road but can step in to protect you and your family if someone in front of you stops suddenly or someone swerves into your lane without signaling. While it scans, it takes in information about the vehicles around you; if you don’t notice a potential collision, the Escape will apply the brakes to mitigate the damage. That isn’t just for the front of the vehicle either—the BLIS (blind spot information system) comes with a rear cross-traffic alert, helpful for when you’re in a crowded area and want to back out of a parking spot. Other features of the Co-Pilot360 suite include a rearview camera and cruise control, with the option to include the available Active Park Assist 2.0.
Your Family Will Feel at Home in the Ford Escape
Whether you’ve got one or two kids, a third on the way, or you want something your teenagers won’t hate sitting in, the 2023 Ford Escape is the compact crossover that will fulfill your accommodation fantasies. Highly practical with its hybrid powertrain options, safety technology, and simplified access, there’s really nothing else quite like it. Ford’s commitment to family-friendly, practical, fun vehicles has remained steady for several decades, and the Escape is just the latest in a proud line of family-oriented vehicles.
If you’re looking for something stylish that can still hold multiple passengers and all their cargo, with both practical and exciting features, the 2023 Ford Escape is the vehicle for you. You’ll love its natural handling, its modern aesthetic, and its comfortable interior. No matter where you go or who you’re with, you’ll love traveling in one of Ford’s beloved compact crossovers.
Treat yourself and your family to a new household vehicle and become part of a long tradition of drivers who support America’s most beloved auto brand, Ford. You won’t regret it.
