Once again, we are getting a look at the refreshed Ford Escape without any camouflage on the road. This one is the Active trim level.
The updated Escape gains a new grille with an octagonal shape rather than the current hexagonal outline. The mesh elements in the corners of the nose have more distinct edges instead of the existing rounded design.
The lighting gets a complete overhaul. The headlights have a sharper shape, and there's now an LED bar running between them that's on the edge of the hood.
The changes to the headlights force there to be a new hood. Like the rest of the updated design, it's more angular than the Escape's previous look.
The sides of the vehicle don't change much. The chrome trim along the C-pillar seems slightly thicker on the updated crossover.
Unlike other aspects of the design, the taillights appear to have a rounder shape. The lower fascia looks identical to the existing Escape.
We previously saw the updated Escape in the somewhat sporty ST-Line trim. It featured different grille mesh than the one in these spy shots, and the front also had foglights in the corners. There was metallic trim on the lower fascia.
The ST-Line was riding on wheels with five spokes that split into a Y shape at the rim. In comparison, this Active trim model has a more conventional 10-spoke layout.
We don't have spy shots of the refreshed Escape's interior. Improvements to the tech are possible because this is a very competitive segment, and Ford would want its offering to keep up.
Powertrain changes are still a mystery. We aren't hearing anything about major overhauls, though.
After seeing the updated Escape three times without camouflage, it doesn't seem like Ford is too concerned with the public seeing the changed styling. This could signal that an unveiling isn't too far away. We would certainly expect a debut before the end of the year.
