Ford’s ‘Model T’ Mid-Size EV Pickup Truck Sends the Escape to Its Grave
The Lincoln Corsair has the same fate, as both SUVs will end production later this year, but inventory is expected to last into 2026.
By Eric StaffordPublished: Aug 11, 2025
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2023 ford escape phev blue on rooftop parking garageView Photos
Ford
Ford announced that the introduction of its forthcoming mid-size electric pickup truck will lead to the end of production for two SUV models.
The Ford Escape and the Lincoln Corsair, which are both built at Ford’s plant in Louisville, Kentucky, will be discontinued after the 2026 model year.
The Escape has remained popular—it outsold the Bronco Sport last year—but Ford said it expects inventory to last well into next year.
Out with the old, in with the new. That’s the gist of Ford’s plan to stop building two of its compact SUVs, one of which has been incredibly popular. The blue-oval brand today said that the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair will be axed after the 2026 model year concludes.
The news was part of Ford’s big announcement earlier today, where the automaker revealed details about its Universal EV platform, which will underpin several forthcoming electric vehicles, starting with a modern-day “Model T”—a mid-size EV pickup truck that will be the size of a Ford Maverick but with the interior space of a Toyota RAV4 SUV. Why are we telling you all of this? Well, because the upcoming pickup truck will be built at Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky starting in 2027. That’s where both the Corsair and Escape are currently built, but they’re being discontinued to make way for the new EV.
Lincoln
Compact SUVs are a hot commodity, so it’s no surprise that the Ford Escape has been very popular. Ford sold 146,859 Escapes last year, which is over 22,000 more than the number of Bronco Sports it sold. Meanwhile, the more luxurious Lincoln brand managed to move 27,513 copies of the similarly sized Corsair. Along with nonhybrid models, the Escape offers two hybrid variants, while the Corsair can be had as a plug-in hybrid.
While the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair will stop being produced sometime later this year, Ford says that there is enough inventory for the duo to continue to be sold well into next year.
Lincoln Corsair: Review, Pricing, and Specs
Headshot of Eric Stafford
Eric Stafford
Managing Editor, News
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.
