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2024 Ford Escape SE: What is the SE Package On a 2024 Ford Escape? – The 2024 Ford Escape is a small crossover SUV that is one of the most popular cars produced by Ford as well as one of the best-selling crossovers available on the market right now. The Ford Escape is positioned below the larger Ford Edge and competes with the well-known Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. It offers a variety of powertrains, including a gas engine, a hybrid engine, and a plug-in hybrid engine, as well as an abundance of in-car technology and a number of standard and optional driver assistance features. The Escape impressed us with its level of comfort and passenger capacity, as well as the remarkable fuel efficiency it delivered thanks to its hybrid engine.
The Ford Escape will get a significant redesign for 2024, complete with a new front and rear fascia, the new Sync 4 infotainment system, and an overhauled entire lineup that will include new trim levels in addition to engines and features that are slightly different from those that were previously offered. The revised design should be considered an improvement by the vast majority of consumers since it improves the compact SUV’s presence by making the front end seem more squared off and upright. The bigger infotainment displays found on the interior of the vehicle not only have a more contemporary appearance but are also simpler to use.
Interior
The Escape has a cabin that is not just practical but also well-planned out. The principal controls are conveniently located and simple to use, and the steering wheel buttons don’t need much time to learn. The responsiveness and ease of use of the touchscreen interface are two additional benefits. When you’re in the driver’s seat, you have a commanding vision outward, which is just slightly obscured by the rising beltline as you go toward the back of the vehicle. The actual seat has a number of modifications that can be made, making it simple to choose the position that is most comfortable for you. The door armrests suffer from a little lack of width, which is a significant drawback.
The Escape’s interior makes very efficient use of the space available, which impresses us. There is plenty of space in every direction, and the front seatbacks have been deeply contoured to provide rear passengers with plenty of knee room. On versions equipped with a panoramic sunroof, especially tall individuals sitting in the back seat may experience a lack of headroom. There are no difficulties involved in entering or exiting the Escape, with the exception of the high doorsills.
The touchscreen of the Ford Escape has a modern appearance and responds rapidly to input. The navigation system that is at your disposal is not only simple to use but also rapid when it comes to route planning. Clear music and powerful bass are produced by the six-speaker system, making it a great choice for a base system. The driving aids are effective, and the vast majority of them are standard.
Review
We put the Escape’s turbocharged 2.0-liter engine through its paces throughout our testing. This vehicle’s engine generates a generous amount of power, enabling it to effortlessly navigate congested areas and quickly reach speeds comparable to those seen on highways. In testing conducted by Edmunds, our Escape was able to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.9 seconds, which is a better time than most of its competitors’ compact SUVs that have improved engines.
Unfortunately, the automatic gearbox has sluggish shifts and may be abrupt when it goes into a higher gear. A downshift is quite similar to an upshift, and as you descend, you will experience many minor shocks. Even the technology that automatically shuts off and restarts the engine when you take your foot off the brake gives the Escape a good jolt. Everything about it has a terrible raw quality.
The handling of the Escape is also quite underwhelming. It has a feeling of ponderousness and rolls excessively when you go around corners. Even with new tires, the vehicle has very little traction. In the standard mode of operation, the steering is effortless and requires relatively little input from the driver. When you switch to the Sport mode, the vehicle gains additional heaviness, and it is simpler to determine the direction in which the front wheels are pointing.
We are pleased, on the whole, with the amount of comfort that the Escape provides. The front seats have an attractive form and enough quantity of padding to make them comfortable. Adults will find the back seats comfortable, and they provide a level of thigh support that is appropriate for their size. The Ford Escape provides a comfortable and controlled ride quality both in the city and on the highway. It is also rather silent while traveling at speed, with the predominant source of sound intrusion being road noise. There is not a single Escape trim level that has front seats with ventilation.
Engine
The new 2024 Ford Escape will not have a newly developed engine; nonetheless, this model currently comes with a number of different powertrain options to choose from. The base offering is still a three-cylinder engine displacing 1.5 liters and producing 181 horsepower. The optional 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower provides good acceleration performance. This engine’s capacity is 2.0 liters. In addition to that, there is the option of a hybrid powertrain, which consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine in conjunction with two electric motors.
This model has a horsepower rating of 221. The 11.2-kWh battery that comes standard in the Escape Hybrid has an electric-only driving range of 37 miles. Even the most basic engine, a 1.3-liter unit, is rather capable, earning 27 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the interstate. It is an excellent way to cut down on gasoline use. Nevertheless, one crucial improvement has to be made. According to a source, the future model of the Escape Hybrid should come standard with all-wheel drive, despite the fact that the current model does not provide an AWD system.
Price
The Ford Escape portfolio will also be simplified for the 2023 model year. Gone is the former S, SE, SEL, and Titanium structure, and the number of distinct trim levels has been reduced from ten to seven for the new model. The new order of precedence consists of the Base, Active, and Platinum trim levels, in addition to the three ST-Line models and the Plug-in Hybrid.
The Escape Base has a starting price of $29,995, which includes the mandatory destination fee of $1,495. When compared to the 2022 Escape S, that’s just approximately $315 more expensive. The new ST-Line, ST-Line Select, and ST-Line Elite vehicles are located farther up the food chain, and their prices range from $31,335 to $39,955 depending on the trim level and engine that are chosen. Surprisingly, the Escape Plug-in Hybrid, which is now its own trim level and sits at the top of the range for the 2023 model year, begins at $39,995 and costs $2,200 less than the Escape Titanium PHEV that is being phased out.