The 2013 Ford Escape was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show Wednesday, showing off its new look. Described by the Christian Science Monitor as “a sloping crossover with just a hint of minivan,” the new model of the popular vehicle is expected to do well with women and families.
The Escape, which is the fifth-best selling vehicle in the United States, first debuted in 2000 as a five-passenger SUV. With the new model, Ford focuses on improving power and fuel economy. And although the redesign may shift the buyer market, some analysts like Jess Toprak of TrueCar.com think the change may be positive.
“It is certainly a leap, but I believe Ford is trying to be more like a Hyundai in terms of design and syling with new models,” Toprak wrote. “They want to be more aggressive and to stand out among crowded product choices that consumers already have.”
Ford President Mark Fields made similar statements in his announcement of the new model.
“One out of every six vehicles sold today is a small SUV, so the new Escape is an extremely important vehicle for us,” Fields said. “The nameplate has great consumer awareness, and we need to meet those expectations.”
The 2013 Escape features more cargo space than its predecessor, two turbocharged, four-cylinder engines and a parallel-park assistance system that automatically steers the vehicle into an open space.
