2020 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premier trim, equipped with a more powerful engine, all-wheel drive (AWD), a power panoramic sunroof, and a Confidence and Convenience II option package, had a price tag of $40,040, including the $1,195 destination charge. Despite its high cost, Chevrolet factored in expected rebates and incentives, such as a $4,500 discount at the time. The Equinox Premier boasted a clean design with 19-inch wheels, gray contrast cladding, roof rails, and extra chrome detailing, giving it a sophisticated look. Inside, the Jet Black and Brandy leather, panoramic sunroof, and polished metallic accents created an upscale appearance, though the presence of hard and shiny plastic detracted from the overall feel.

The 2021 Ford Escape, with its fourth-generation design, straddled the line between SUV and hatchback. Its curved snout and sleek roofline gave it a less truck-like appearance compared to competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. For 2021, the Escape introduced new appearance packages for three of its four trim levels, including the SE Sport Appearance Package, SEL Stealth AWD Package, and Titanium Elite Package. These upgrades featured 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery with Miko Suede seat inserts, and leather-wrapped steering wheels. However, the interior design lacked cohesion, with odd choices like an angular instrument cluster and low-quality materials, even in the top Titanium model.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox offered two engine options. The standard turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine produced 170 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 203 pound-feet of torque between 2,500 rpm and 4,500 rpm, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine, available in both front-wheel drive (FWD) and AWD, averaged 24.3 mpg in real-world driving, below the EPA's 28 mpg rating. For better performance and towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds, the 2.0-liter turbo engine was the choice, delivering 252 hp at 5,500 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm. This engine, coupled with a 9-speed automatic transmission, averaged 22.1 mpg, slightly below the EPA's 24 mpg rating. Both versions had firm ride qualities and more road and wind noise than desirable, but the Premier's 19-inch wheels provided a more athletic feel on winding roads.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered a variety of powertrains, including two gasoline engines, a hybrid, and a plug-in hybrid. The base 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine produced 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in FWD or AWD. The upgraded 2.0-liter turbo-four engine delivered 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, available only with AWD. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid models used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist, producing a total of 200 hp. The plug-in hybrid's larger battery allowed for significant electric-only driving. The Escape's chassis tuning left much to be desired, with sloppy suspension and steering making it less enjoyable to drive. For 2021, the 2.0-liter, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models could be equipped with a Class 2 Trailer Tow Package, with a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds for the 2.0-liter engine.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox offered a comfortable interior with cloth or leather upholstery, power-adjustable seats, and heated and ventilated front seats in the Premier trim. The sliding rear seat maximized passenger or cargo space, providing generous legroom in the rearmost position. Cargo volume measured 29.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The cabin featured ample storage, including a large center console storage bin and various bins, trays, and cubbies throughout.

The 2021 Ford Escape, despite its car-like styling, offered competitive interior space. The first and second-row headroom and legroom were near the top of the segment, with a standard sliding rear seat providing 40.7 inches of rear legroom in non-hybrid models. However, the battery pack in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models reduced legroom. Cargo space measured 33.5 cubic feet with the rear seat up and 65.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded in gasoline models. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo space. While the Escape's cargo space was less than some competitors, it still offered practical storage solutions.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox featured several infotainment systems with 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen displays, Bluetooth pairing, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and Chevrolet Connected Access services. Upgrades included a high-definition display, cloud connectivity, improved voice recognition, HD Radio, satellite radio, navigation, and a Bose premium sound system. The Equinox's technology was intuitive and easy to use, with options for wireless smartphone charging and a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system.

The 2021 Ford Escape used the older Sync 3 infotainment system, with the base Escape S model featuring a 4.2-inch touchscreen. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot were standard. Upgrading to the Escape SE added an 8-inch touchscreen with pinch-and-zoom capability and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Titanium trim level included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. While Sync 3 was user-friendly, the Escape lacked some standard tech features and missed out on the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available with the newer Sync 4 system.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with Chevy Safety Assist, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, a safe following distance monitor, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional safety features included a reversing camera, rear-seat reminder system, and Teen Driver technology. Upgrades included adaptive cruise control, lane change warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic warning, and a Safety Alert Seat. The Equinox earned top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, making it a safe choice.

The 2021 Ford Escape received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS, with top scores in crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA awarded the Escape a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features under the Ford Co-Pilot360 banner included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The optional Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, park assist, and Evasive Steering Assist.