What Size Travel Trailer Can A Ford Escape Pull?

You probably have seen people tow RVs with all types of vehicles, including small cars. 

However, just because everyone is doing it doesn’t mean that you should go for it. 

The Ford Escape is a mid-size SUV designed to offer comfort and drive like a car on the road. 

Ford Escape is an ideal SUV when you need great fuel economy and still be able to bring your family on an adventure. 

But can this small SUV tow?

What Size Travel Trailer Can A Ford Escape Pull?

The Ford Escape can two between 1,500 and 3,500 pounds, depending on the model and the trim package you choose. To tow up to 3,500 pounds, you need to drive a model running on the 2.0L engine and equipped with the Class II trailer package. 

When well-equipped, the Ford Escape offers some of the best towing capabilities for a vehicle of its size. 

In towing capacity, the Escape is in competition with the Toyota Rav4 as most of the other mid-size SUVs have a significantly low towing capacity. 

Ford offers a towing package for the 2020 and 2021 models that significantly increases the towing capacity of the vehicles. 

The towing package adds a hitch receiver and trailer sway control.

The hitch receiver sports a four-pin wiring harness to keep the trailer secure on your Escape. 

On the other hand, the trailer sway control detects sway and autonomously makes adjustments to help you stay steady on the road. 

This system ensures you get great handling whenever you tow with your Escape. 

Read on to learn more about the towing capacity of a Ford Escape and check out this towing guide from Ford.

What Can You Tow with Different Ford Escape Engines? 

The Ford Escape is capable of pulling small lightweight travel trailers and campers. 

You can use it to tow miniatures, pop-up campers, and teardrops. 

The engine under the hood determines how much an Escape can tow, but you can have a towing package from the dealer to make your vehicle better at towing. 

There are three powertrain options:

1.5L EcoBoost

The EcoBoost is a smart engine from Ford, and it has been a part of the Ford Escape since 2012. 

This engine pairs with a six-speed automatic transmission for the 2018 model. 

For the 2019 and 2020 models, the S, SE, SEL, and the Titanium trims have a 1.5L EcoBoost engine mated to a 1.5L EcoBoost engine. 

The engine generates 179 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. 

With this engine, the Escape can tow up to 2,000 pounds. 

2.0L EcoBoost

The 2.0L EcoBoost pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission for the 2019 and 2020 models. 

Between 2012 and 2018, the engine pairs with a six-speed automatic transmission in the Escape SEL and Titanium trims. 

This engine generates 245 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. 

With the engine, you can tow up to 3,500 pounds. 

However, you have to equip it with a Class II towing package. 

Hybrid Engine

The Ford Escape Hybrid engine was launched in 2012. 

There is a plug-in hybrid that launched in Spring 2020. 

The engine draws power from a 2.5L i-VCT Atkinson Cycle Inline-4 engine. 

The engine makes 168 horsepower with 170 pound-feet of torque. You can tow up to 1,500 pounds. 

What Travel Trailers can a Ford Escape Tow? 

There are several travel trailers that you can tow with a Ford Escape. 

Lightweight travel trailers come with aesthetic styling, and they offer accommodation at a campsite and at home. 

Before you start towing, you need to drive a new Ford Escape for at least 1000 miles. 

You can tow the following items with your Escape:

Pop-up camper

Pop-up campers offer several comforts when you need to camp away from home. 

Small campers can be between 400 and 600 pounds while medium pop-up campers can be up to 2,000 pounds. 

Your Escape can tow small and medium campers except for the Escape with a hybrid engine. 

Miniatures

These are small campers designed to accommodate a few people who go camping. 

The miniatures weigh between 500 and 3,000 pounds, and you can tow the one that your Escape can accommodate. 

These campers offer diverse exterior and interior styling and there is enough headroom for people to stand straight in them. 

Teardrops

Teardrops are very light and sport a streamlined design. 

They offer travelers the flexibility to travel to several destinations off the road. 

There are several models that weigh less than 1,200 pounds. 

How Do You Calculate the Maximum Towing Capacity of your Ford Escape? 

As a rule of thumb, you should not tow more than 80 percent of your vehicle’s rated towing capacity. 

There are several factors that determine how much your vehicle tows besides the towing capacity rating. 

For starters, you should never exceed the gross vehicle weight rating of your Ford Escape. 

The GVWR refers to the total weight of the vehicle, including its curb weight, the weight of the passenger, the weight of the cargo, and the weight of any aftermarket parts on the vehicle. 

An Escape has a GVWR of about 4,600 pounds and a curb weight of about 3,516 pounds. 

When towing the tongue weight of a trailer is between nine and 15 percent. 

If, for instance, your trailer is 3,500 pounds, the tongue weight is between 315 pounds and 525 pounds. 

The curb weight, the tongue weight, the weight of passengers, and the weight of any cargo in the cargo room should not exceed the GVWR of your Escape. 

When you tow 80 percent of the recommended capacity, you will reserve enough power to drive your Escape at high speeds on the highway. 

You can also drive on steep inclines and drive off-road. 

If, for instance, your Escape is rated to tow 2,000 pounds, you should strive not to exceed 1,600 pounds. 

For a 1,500-pound, you should tow not more than 1,200 pounds. 

The Ford Escape is a good vehicle for towing. 

It is highly fuel-efficient, and it drives like a car so that you have the best handling. 

You can bring it for a weekend expedition on or off the road. 

If you want to tow and get the best fuel efficiency, get a Ford Escape. 

Getting Your Ford Escape Ready for Towing? 

Before towing, the first thing you need is to determine the weight of the trailer you need to tow. Consider the weight of the fluids in and cargo in your cabin and cargo space and the amount of cargo that you will carry in the trailer. 

Ensure that the Escape has the necessary accessories to keep the trailer attached securely. 

The performance of your vehicle will suffer severely when you are towing, especially in rugged terrain. 

You need to calculate the weight limits of your vehicle and ensure you do not exceed them. 

If you exceed weight limits, you may find yourself on the wrong side of the law, the wear and tear on your Escape will accelerate, and your car’s handling will be challenging. 

Your brakes need to be in top working condition. 

In many states, you may need a separate braking system if you tow more than 1,500 pounds. 

Ford also recommends a separate braking system for the towed trailer. 

Whether you dolly-tow, or you use a travel trailer, a separate braking system comes in handy at keeping you safe on the road. 

There are different types of separate braking systems, including:

Electronic brakes

These brakes require electronic or manual control to work. 

The brakes also need a controlling device on the tow vehicle with wiring for electrical power.

When installed, the brakes have an electrical box near the driver for easy control. 

Electric-Over-Hydraulic Trailer Brakes

These brakes have a pump that uses pressurized hydraulic fluid on the trailer’s brake system. 

Most EOH brakes on the market today work with the integrated Ford Trailer Brake Controller.

Surge Brakes

These brakes operate independently of the hydraulic system. 

The brake is installed between the trailer tongue and hitch, and they are not controlled by the hydraulic fluid of the trailer braking system. 

They should not be connected to the trailer’s hydraulic system. 

 Before you drive off, ensure that the trailer meets all the applicable regulations in your state. Other accessories you need include:

• Trailer lamps to meet government regulations and keep you safe at night 
• Safety chains that ensure there is a connection between the trailer and the tow vehicle even if the trailer hitch disconnects
• Wiring harness to connect the trailer wiring connector 

Closing Thoughts

If you have never towed with a vehicle today, you might need to practice hitching the trailer, driving with the trailer, and parking with the trailer on a less busy road. 

After that, you can now drive on the highway with confidence. 

You need to ensure that your Escape is in good condition to avoid accidents. 

Checking the oil level, air filter, tire pressure, and other conditions will ensure your Escape does not break down in the middle of nowhere. 

You can also bring a spare tire and your toolbox to ensure you can take care of the car in case it breaks down.