The now-quite-old Ford Escape is going to soldier one for at least one more model year, and that comes despite the fact the Bronco Sport was sort of positioned to steal the friendly little crossover’s thunder. No one told buyers, though, because the Escape actually outsold the Bronco Sport 37,357 to 33,363 in the first quarter of 2025. However, I won’t expect that trend to continue into 2026 for one very big reason: it’s not going to be on sale in six states.
That’s right, the Escape — which starts at $31,705 including destination — is only going to be sold in 44 states because of stricter emissions standards in certain parts of the country, according to Ford Authority. The 2026 Escape lineup is only available with the non-California emissions system. That means it can’t be sold new or registered in California, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Oregon, and Washington. As a result, about 23% of the U.S.’s population will no longer be able to buy a new Escape come 2026. If you live in one of those states and yearn for a new Escape, you’d better act quickly.
“The 26MY Escape meets emissions requirements in all states except six states that for the 26MY imposed additional emission requirements,” a Ford spokesperson told Jalopnik.
What comes next
Well, to be fair, the Escape probably isn’t going to last past the ’26 model year, regardless. It’s being reported that the Escape’s production at Ford’s Louisville Assembly plant was slated to stop at the end of 2025. At that point, Ford will turn its full attention to the Bronco Sport, Ford Authority reports.
Apparently, the plant in Louisville is set to undergo a major retooling as it prepares for the production of an all-new, all-electric vehicle. Plans submitted to the city outline specific details like the addition of an EV charging station that’ll span 12,000 square feet.
So, it looks like the little Escape isn’t terribly long for this world. I’m really not that surprised. Sure, it still sells reasonably well, but I’d have to imagine a good deal of those sales are to fleet and rental companies. Once it’s out of the way, I’d expect the Bronco Sport’s numbers to continue to grow as more and more buyers look for boxier, more off-road-focused crossovers.
