Ford Escape Towing Capacity: What To Know


in Model Info and Features
White Ford Escape

2018 Ford Escape by Kevauto — CC BY-SA 4.0

Knowing the right vehicle for you can come down to several factors. No matter what vehicle you drive, sometimes you may need to tow something. Whether you are towing a small trailer or taking the jet ski out for a ride, it is important to know what your car can handle towing. 

The towing capacity of every vehicle is available thanks to the internet. So, whether you are taking a camping trip, moving to a new location, knowing your car’s towing capacity can aid you in not having to rent a moving truck or other equipment and get by with the car you have.  

What Is the Towing Capacity of A Ford Escape? 

The Ford Escape is a reliable car. The towing capacity of a Ford Escape is going to vary depending on which particular model you purchase. The base model towing capacity of a Ford Escape is going to be about two thousand pounds. This capacity should be perfect for small trailers and jet skis.

However, the Ford Escape Towing Capacity for a fully decked out Ford will be upwards of thirty-five hundred pounds. This capacity is suitable for a couple of jet skies or snowmobiles or a utility trailer or lightweight moving trailer. 

A few Ford models with a similar Towing Capacity as a Ford Escape are the Ford Focus and the Ford Edge.


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General Guide for Towing Capabilities. 

If you need to tow anything, it is important to know the limits of your vehicle. Specifics will vary, but in general, depending on what you drive, the max limit you can tow can be found in your manual.

  • Compact cars should never attempt to tow any more than seventeen hundred pounds. 
  • Full-sized cars and mid-sized SUVs should never attempt much more than thirty-seven hundred pounds. 
  • Full-sized SUVs can pull as much as seventy-two hundred pounds. Any more than that can be unsafe. 
  • Smaller four-wheeled trucks should never try to tow much more than sixty-five hundred pounds. 
  • Larger trucks weighing in the half-ton range can tow up to as much as eighty-five hundred pounds.
  • Trucks closer to the three-quarter of a ton range can tow upwards of fifteen thousand pounds. 
  • Finally, one-ton trucks can handle weights as heavy as twenty-four thousand pounds. 

General Towing Tips

It is important to factor in the weight of your vehicle and what you are towing when factoring in max weight. Do not forget you and your passengers’ weight must be considered in that final equation. 

If you are traveling while towing, make yourself aware of your state’s towing laws. There is nothing worse than getting fined for something you did not know you were doing wrong. You can check these laws out on triple A’s website. 

Double and triple-check that your hitch is properly attached. Serious injury or death can happen to you and those around you if a hitch comes loose. 


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What Trailer Hitches Are Available to Me? 

There are a variety of towing hitches available, and each one has recommended uses and weight restrictions. 

Class one or light hitches

Light hitches go to ones you use for cars and small SUVs. You typically do not want to load these up with any more than two thousand pounds. These hitches are great for bikes, motorcycles, small carts, or small trailers. The towing capacity for a Ford Edge or any car of similar size should be able to handle that weight. 

Class Two or Regular hitches

Regular hitches can support up to thirty-five hundred pounds and attach to full-sized cars and SUVs. This hitch is what you would use to tow trailers up to twelve feet, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles. If you have a pickup truck, you could probably get away with towing a small fishing boat on one of these hitches. 

Class three or Heavy-duty hitches

This hitch is designed to hold up to seventy-five hundred pounds and will be bolted to your car’s undercarriage. When hauling this much weight, it is best to use a pickup truck, van, or larger SUV. 

Class four or Super Duty hitches 

These hitches jump drastically in the weight they can support, so a truck or full-sized SUV is recommended. Hitches of this caliber can support up to seventeen thousand pounds or a boat up to twenty-four feet long. 

Fifth Wheel hitches 

These are the hitches attached to flatbeds and tractor-trailers and can pull upwards of thirty thousand pounds. You regular civilians do not traditionally deal with these types of hitches due to how much they tow. 


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Why The Ford Escape Is a Great Option For Towing 

The bottom line is moving big objects around is expected. So, it can save you a lot of time and money if you can move said things yourself. Any person who moved across the country once in a compact car, can appreciate how useful it can be to know what the car can tow and what hitch to buy. 

Whether you are just trying to tow a small boat to the lake for the weekend or plan to load up a twenty-foot trailer to your SUV and drive across the country, it is always useful to know your vehicles’ towing limits.

This feature is often an overlooked topic and is definitely something you do not think about when you are haggling at a dealership. So even though it is knowledge you may never use, it is important to keep in the back of your head for the future.

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