Ford Escape Ends Production After 25-Year Run
Launched in 2000 as a 2001 model, the Ford Escape became one of the most popular SUVs in North America during its first two decades before losing ground to Asian competition in recent years. Well, retirement time has finally arrived. The same goes for its luxurious cousin, the Lincoln Corsair.
The news was first announced during the big press conference on August 11 to introduce the brand new Ford Universal EV Platform aimed at launching various affordable, high-volume electric models, starting with a midsize pickup in 2027.
Read also
- Ford Escape Might Return With Help From Nissan, Report Claims
- With Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair Bowing Out, What’s Next?
Employing approximately 2,800 hourly workers, the Louisville Assembly plant in Kentucky will now start to be renovated and retooled to produce these future electric vehicles. Ford will invest $2 billion USD to complete the transformation.
December 17 marked the final day of production for the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair, according to The Courier Journal, citing information from UAW Local 862. Prior to that, the factory inaugurated in 1955 also manufactured LTD sedans, F-Series trucks, Rangers, Broncos and Explorers, among other vehicles.
In recent months, Ford made sure to build enough Escape and Corsair units to sustain sales well into 2026. The Escape, in particular, continues to perform well. More than 21,000 units were sold in Canada during the first three quarters of 2025, albeit a 10% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. In the U.S., sales figures continue to grow.
Ford has no plans for a direct replacement. Moving production to another domestic plant also didn’t seem feasible, let alone outside the U.S. due to tariffs that would drive up prices excessively for customers.
The company will be looking to temporarily redirect its customers to the Bronco Sport, which offers a similar size and the same gasoline engines (but no hybrid variants), or even the Maverick pickup, which sells for a comparable price. You have to understand that Ford makes more profit from the Bronco Sport than from the Escape.
On that note, don’t miss the photo gallery we posted a few years back showing the evolution of the Ford Escape through time.
