Kiwi commitment to this sports utility remains tight after Aussies announce intent to abdicate.

THE neighbour’s gone off it, but we’re keeping the faith – that’s the update, in a nutshell, of any concern about the future of the Ford Escape in New Zealand.

Elaboration from the Auckland-based national distributor has come after Ford Australia this week related intention to cease selling the medium sports utility, supply turning off in December.

Ford New Zealand communications manager Tom Clancy says that decision hasn’t spread to our market.

Escape is staying and will continue in the hybrid and plug-in hybrid formats it presently restricts to – so, three of the first, two of the second, all achieving Clean Car rebates.

When the pure petrol editions, which attracted an emissions fee under Government’s CO2 output clampdown, also figured as choices, Ford had nine Escapes to pick from.

“Australia has confirmed they are dropping Escape from their line up at the end of the year.

“We will continue to offer the Ford Escape as a Hybrid or Plug-In Hybrid for customers in New Zealand. We will continue to source it from Europe … where they are also planning to continue the vehicle.”

Australia pulling out would not affect supply provision, the local office has indicated.

Escape has become well entrenched since launch here in 2020.

It started out in three petrol forms: Front-drive base, ST-Line – which offered in front- or all-wheel-drive - and a snazzed-up, AWD-only ST-Line X - all powered by a 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine making 184kW/387Nm. Prices ranged from $42,990 to $55,990. While those those editions still figure on Ford’s website, the have now effectively retired.

The plug-in hybrid that now leads the way was cited as a flagship then but proved to be a delayed start. Ford NZ’s hope of having it from day one was thwarted by delays following battery overheating issues in Europe. That put production on hold and triggered a recall in countries it had already gone into. Other manufacturers using the same lithium-ion cells, including BMW, were also affected.

PHEV supply finally got under way in the second half of 2021, the model arriving in a $60,990 standard version and a ST-Line X, for $66,990 - $2000 below current pricing. Both qualify for a $5750 rebate under the Government’s Clean Car Discount.

The variants use a 2.5-litre four-cylinder iVCT paired to an electric motor, which drives a combined 167kW of power, but solely to the front wheels.

Up to 59km of electric-only range can be achieved with a full charge, or 748km with a full battery and a full tank of fuel. This translates to a fuel efficiency rating of 1.5L/100km and a CO2 efficiency rating of just 33g/km.

The mild hybrid edition, also with a version of the 2.5-litre petrol but supplanted by a modest electric assist insufficient to enable pure battery-enabled drive, turned up in the second quarter of 2022 and maintains the all-wheel-drive option, but with ST-Line and ST-Line X trims, for $54,990 and $59,990. There’s also a front-drive for $51,990. All prices preclude a less generous rebate. That powertrain delivers 140kW. No torque figure is given.