The China-spec Ford Escort sedan hit the market in 2014 based on the same tech as the second-gen Focus. It had sold reasonably well until 2017, when a poorly thought out facelift dropped the sales. Will the second generation coming out now remedy the situation?
The question might be harder to answer than it seems. The new Escort will debut at the upcoming Auto Shanghai show, but it looks more like a simple nip-and-tuck than a full-blown new generation. The main advertised features are an “immersive” exterior design, improved safety across the board, and an enormous display in the cabin.
The car also rocks new LED-based lights, a different radiator grille and a restyled hood. The interior is drastically different, now containing two displays merged into one solid panel with dash gauges and multimedia.
Everything stays stock under the hood, where a gasoline three-cylinder churns out 122 PS (120 hp / 90 kW) to a six-speed transmission (you can choose manual or automatic).