The Ford Escape, also known as Ford Kuga outside the United States, is a compact CUV (small SUV) that is sold by Ford since 2000.
Ford & Mazda
Ford developed the Escape model in cooperation with Mazda, who took a lead in engineering. The resulting car was sold under two names – Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute. At first, the twinned models were assembled by Ford in the United States for North American market, with Mazda in Japan supplying cars for other markets.
The first-generation Ford Escape released in 2004 for the 2005 model year in North America only is notable as the first SUV to offer a hybrid drivetrain option.
Kansas City Assembly
Ford has established the assembly line of the Ford Escape at 4,700,000-square-foot Kansas City Assembly. However, after 10 years of Escape’s successful production, the company announced it was moving the Ford Escape and Ford Escape Hybrid to the Louisville Assembly Plant, which underwent $600 million in renovations. Kansas City Assembly remained the Escape’s nursery til 2013. By now, the plant manufactures Ford Transit and Ford F-150.
Louisville Assembly Plant
Since 2013, Ford assembles the Escape model at its 3,154,173-square-foot Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky (it’s a separate plant that is not related to Kentucky Truck Assembly where Ford Super Duty trucks are assembled). The facility employs more than 4,500 people. It is located adjacent to the Louisville International Airport on the south side of the city, on Fern Valley Road.
Since 2015, Louisville Assembly Plant is also responsible for Lincoln MKC manufacture. The MKC is built upon the Ford Global C platform, shared with the Ford Escape.
2016 Ford Escape
Escape is currently one of the best-selling vehicles in its class. In 2015, a record 306,492 Escapes were sold in the United States, making it Ford’s number two nameplate behind F-Series, the best-selling vehicle line in the United States for 34 straight years.
Starting MSRP for the 2016 Ford Escape is $23,100.