The first generation Ford Escape made its debut in 2001 as a small sports utility vehicle and was jointly built with the Mazda Company. The Escape was a four door vehicle that was powered by a V6 engine with front wheel or all wheel drive options. It came in two versions The XLS and the XLT which was for those wanting a bit more luxury. In 2002 both Escape versions got further sub vehicles that were called Value, Sport, Choice, and Premium. In 2003, Escape added a Limited version to its lineup, which got leather seats and a system to detect if anything was obstructing the vehicle in the back.

In 2005, The vehicle earned a new engine, which is a 2.3 Liter Duratec 23. The vehicle has 4 doors and can seat 5. It is available with manual or automatic gears. The automatic gear shift is fitted on the floor and not on the steering wheel. New for the Escape is protection for the head in the form of airbags for both rows of airbags. The vehicle has got a new look for its front and back side. Though in 2007 April, there was an announcement from Ford saying that it would call back all 2005 Escapes to check for fires in the engine.

The new Ford Escape comes in three types XLS, XLT and Limited. The XLS and XLT are powered by a 2.3-liter inline-4 engine whereas the limited is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 engine. The XLS has a manual gear system, whereas The XLT and Limited also offer an automatic gear system with four gears. The XLS is equipped with air conditioning, all frills on the vehicle are powered, and one can enter the vehicle without a key and A CD music system. The XL has 16 inch Tires, glass that protects the occupant's privacy, headlights that switch on automatically and lights to combat fog. The Limited has leather seats and a back mirror that dims the lights of the vehicles following The Escape.