With crossovers in America being so dang popular, it’s tough to find a truly great deal in the segment. If you search hard enough, you might be able to find a good APR or a thousand or so bucks knocked off the asking price, but otherwise, tough luck. Big demand means dealers don’t have to negotiate much, since there’s a line of people out the door eager to pay full price, even if you aren’t.
This is true for lots of cars in the category, but not for the Ford Escape. Though the compact crossover was discontinued in late 2025, previously built inventory has been languishing on dealer lots across the country. As of right now, over 13,000 brand-new Escapes are sitting untouched nationwide, ready to be sold, according to Cars.com.
In a push to move inventory, some dealers are tacking on discounts amounting to five figures in price cuts. The result is brand-new, fresh Escapes that can be had for cheaper than the cheapest new car on sale today.
You Want Affordable? Ford Will Give You Affordable
The 2025 Ford Escape has a starting MSRP of $31,010, including destination, while the 2026 model starts at $31,845. In a world where the average transaction price of a passenger vehicle is hovering just over $50,000, that’s already a pretty solid price. But as I said earlier, crossovers are a hot segment, which means there’s a lot of stiff competition, and price alone won’t convince people. Car and Driver ranks the Escape 14th in its list of best compact SUVs.
Source: Ford
Obviously, Ford isn’t offering the most desirable vehicle in the segment, and that won’t change until it introduces a new Escape (if it ever does). Instead, prices are being cut to the point where they’re cheap enough to consider over something like a Toyota RAV4, a Honda CR-V, or a Kia Sportage. Sure, those cars might be better, but if you can save over $11,000 out the door, getting an Escape instead might be worth the tradeoff.
Source: AutoNation Ford Panama City
That price cut isn’t an exaggeration. In Southeastern states like Florida and Alabama, dealers are advertising five-figure discounts on brand-new 2025 Escapes that have yet to be sold. Take this example from AutoNation Ford in Panama, Florida. It has an MSRP of $31,480, but a dealer-level discount of $6,530 and a model year closeout bonus cash rebate of $5,000. New price, according to the dealer? Just $19,950.
Source: AutoNation Ford Panama City
That’s not a one-off, either. Here’s another Escape, located at North County Ford of Jasper, Alabama, that’s currently listed with that same bonus cash discount plus $6,520 of dealer-level savings. If you want a 2026 model, the deals are similar. This one at Jarrett Gordon Ford in Winter Haven, Florida, has $9,896 worth of discounts, for a listed price of under $22,000.
Source: AutoNation Ford Panama City
Obviously, it’s worth noting that these bargain-basement-priced cars won’t be fully loaded Escape Platinums. Any crazy deal you find will likely be for an Escape Active with front-wheel drive. That means a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder making 181 horsepower, paired to an eight-speed automatic. I remember briefly driving an Escape with this powertrain a couple of years ago, and didn’t have any strong feelings about the engine—it was perfectly adequate for what 99% of people will use it for: Commuting and running errands.
Source: Clay Cooley Ford
That being said, I can understand if you want a bit more power or all-wheel drive. Thankfully, the discounts extend to models with the more powerful 250-horsepower turbo-four cylinder model, which comes standard with all-wheel drive. Here’s a 2026 model with nearly $10,000 in combined discounts, and another with over $8,000 in discounts.
The Plug-In Hybrid Models Are Discounted, Too
With demand for hybrids as high as it is right now, I somewhat expected the deals on the plug-in hybrid version of the Escape not to be as lucrative. But in some cases, the discounts are even bigger, especially if you can find a 2025 model that’s still sitting on the lot.
Source: Jarrett Gordon Ford
The cheapest one I could find is this white-painted model listed by Sunrise Ford in Fort Pierce, Florida, which uses that same $8,000 rebate plus another $5,000 off at the dealer level. Original MSRP was near $40,000, but the listed price on the dealer’s site is $26,390. Here’s another one from Capital Ford in Raleigh, North Carolina that has a gigantic $12,445 in discounts, with a listed price of $29,450.
One big thing about the Escape plug-in hybrid is that it’s only available with front-wheel drive, which might be a deal-breaker for a lot of shoppers, and why these cars have had a tough time finding homes. But if it’s not a big deal to you, the plug-in can get up to 42 mpg on the highway, which is pretty good for a car as roomy and tall as the Escape. For under 30 grand, it feels like a strong combination.
Top graphic image: Ford
