Ford Escape Phev: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Ford Escape Phev: 5 model years scored from 116 NHTSA owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns. Worst year 2022, best year 2022.
Ford Escape Phev: which years to avoid
Across 5 scored model years the Ford Escape Phev ranges from 44/100 in 2022 to 91/100 in 2020 — a 47-point spread, so which year you buy matters more than whether you buy an Escape Phev at all. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Engine (36 of them).
Avoid: 2022 — scored below 45 on the complaint and recall record.
Safest years: 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 86 | BUY | $2,156 | 4 | 1 |
| 2023 | 83 | BUY | $2,430 | 11 | 2 |
| 2022 | 44 | AVOID | $2,870 | 78 | 2 |
| 2021 | 84 | BUY | $2,723 | 22 | 1 |
| 2020 | 91 | BUY | $2,733 | 1 | 1 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Escape Phev sub-models & family
What goes wrong on the Ford Escape Phev
Across every Escape Phev model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Engine44 complaints across all Escape Phev years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System42 complaints across all Escape Phev years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other14 complaints across all Escape Phev years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Power Train14 complaints across all Escape Phev years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Fuel/Propulsion System8 complaints across all Escape Phev years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Structure7 complaints across all Escape Phev years · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair$1,070–$2,920
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
Which Ford Escape Phev years should I avoid?
On the NHTSA record the years to avoid are 2022 — each scores below 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. The 2022 is the weakest at 44/100, with its complaints concentrated in Engine.
What are the best Ford Escape Phev years to buy?
2020, 2021, 2023, 2025 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2020 at 91/100, on 1 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
What is the most common Ford Escape Phev problem?
44 of the complaints filed against the Escape Phev across all its model years sit in the Engine group — more than any other component.
Compare with
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04