2020 Ford Escape vs 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The 2020 Ford Escape presented a striking appearance as a compact crossover, borrowing design elements from the Ford GT supercar for its headlights and sharing a large grille with the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks. Its curvaceous design marked a departure from the more upright rear end of its predecessor, which came at the cost of some cargo space. Despite this, the Escape remained one of the most attractive small SUVs, trailing only behind the Mazda CX-5 and Jeep Cherokee. Inside, the Escape boasted a modern cabin with a digital instrument panel and a floating infotainment screen, maintaining a balance between futuristic design and practical control placement.

In contrast, the 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar struck a balance in the Range Rover lineup with its mid-sized, stylish design. Its low roof and steeply-raked windshield gave it a unique profile, distinct from the traditional upright Range Rover. The Velar's broad front end maintained the intimidating presence typical of Land Rovers, while its short overhangs improved off-road capabilities. The interior was luxurious, featuring high-quality leather and metal trim, creating a cockpit-like feel with a tall, sloping instrument panel. However, the avant-garde styling compromised headroom and visibility, making the interior feel somewhat cramped.

The 2020 Ford Escape offered a diverse range of powertrains, including a new 3-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, standard in the S, SE, and SEL trims. A 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, available on the SEL and standard on the Titanium, delivered 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, providing brisk acceleration. The hybrid options included a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with a battery pack, generating 198 horsepower, and a plug-in hybrid variant. The Escape's conventional engines used an 8-speed automatic transmission, while the hybrids employed a CVT. The Escape's steering was direct and taut, offering an athletic feel, with the most efficient version being the non-Sport hybrid, achieving 44 mpg city and 37 highway.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar introduced a V8 engine for the first time in the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition, a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 producing 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive, allowed the Velar to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, with a top speed of 177 mph. Despite its power, the Velar's performance was not as dominant as some competitors. The Dynamic Edition featured bigger brakes, retuned four-wheel drive, and an active exhaust system, enhancing speed and body control. The Velar's aluminum platform provided a solid and refined feel, though it felt large on tight roads, making it less agile in corners.

The 2020 Ford Escape's sleeker design resulted in reduced cargo space compared to its predecessor, offering 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the backseat folded. Hybrid models had slightly less space. Despite this, the Escape prioritized passenger space, providing ample headroom and legroom for second-row passengers. The front seats offered a commanding view, and the cabin featured numerous storage solutions, including deep water-bottle holders and multiple compartments.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, positioned between small and midsize luxury SUVs, offered 15.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 48.9 cubic feet with them folded. The Velar's stylish design limited headroom and visibility, creating a claustrophobic feel inside. The cockpit-like front seating area was cramped, with limited legroom, though the tall center console was easily accessible. The Velar's towing capacity was respectable, with the SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition and V6 models capable of towing 5,511 pounds.

The 2020 Ford Escape's base trim featured a small 4.2-inch audio control screen, while the SE trim upgraded to an 8-inch Sync screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Titanium trim included a head-up display, though its flip-up screen design limited its effectiveness for taller drivers. The Escape's infotainment system was praised for its functionality, allowing multitasking with Apple CarPlay.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar featured the InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system with dual 10.0-inch touchscreens, a built-in WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. The upper screen handled smartphone, navigation, and media functions, while the lower screen managed vehicle settings and climate control. The system was noted for its high-quality graphics but criticized for slow responses. Additional tech included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, and capacitive steering-wheel controls.

The 2020 Ford Escape came equipped with a comprehensive array of safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, traction control, and a tire-pressure-monitoring system. It earned a Good rating from the IIHS in all phases of testing. The Escape also featured Ford Co-Pilot360, a suite of advanced safety systems, including forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams, along with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar lacked safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, as low-volume luxury vehicles were not prioritized for crash testing. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and front and rear parking aids. Adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring were available as part of an option package. The Velar's safety offerings were less sophisticated compared to some competitors, with only lane-keep assist available.