FORD Australia hopes the addition of a new specification level will help make a great Escape from the underperforming Kuga it replaces.

Local executives refuse to admit the name swap has anything to do with distancing its medium SUV from a name pronounced ‘cougar’ – and especially for a model targeting young families and empty nesters – despite the US-nameplate Escape being essentially a lightly facelifted Euro-badged Kuga.

Semantics aside, a new front-wheel-drive automatic version of the middle-tier Trend specification for a $33K starting price is meant to hit the ‘sweet spot’ for buyers. It was previously a missing link with the Kuga, forcing buyers to either choose a basic Ambiente or a $37K all-wheel-drive Trend.

In effect, it pulls the entry price to well-equipped Escape ownership down by $4000 – and therefore Ford unsurprisingly expects it to become the volume seller.

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