2020 Ford Escape vs 2021 Hyundai Tucson

The 2020 Ford Escape was a very attractive compact crossover, sharing its large grille with the outgoing Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks. The headlights were inspired by the Ford GT supercar. The previous Escape had a more upright rear end, but the new curvaceous design came at a cost. Despite this, the Escape remained one of the best-looking small SUVs on the market, perhaps only behind the Mazda CX-5 and Jeep Cherokee. Inside, the Escape featured a modern cabin with a fully digital instrument panel, floating infotainment screen, and an overall smooth, modern design.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson had a more conventional styling compared to its futuristic successor. It featured an upright layout that provided a commanding view of the road. Inside, the Tucson offered a modern and attractive dash design with tech features seamlessly integrated into the overall aesthetic. Every button and dial was easy to find, making the interior user-friendly and functional.

The 2020 Ford Escape offered a variety of engine options, including a new 3-cylinder engine that produced 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, standard in the S, SE, and SEL trims. The 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, available on the SEL and standard on the Titanium, made 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, providing brisk acceleration. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, part of the hybrid drivetrain, produced 198 horsepower and was standard on the SE Sport and available on the Titanium. A plug-in hybrid variant was also available. The conventional engines used an 8-speed automatic transmission, while the hybrids used a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Escape's most efficient version, the non-Sport hybrid, returned fuel economy of 44 mpg city, 37 highway, and 41 combined.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson came with two engine options. The base engine was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 161 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. The SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate trims featured a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine making 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The base engine felt underwhelming, especially at higher speeds, while the 2.4-liter engine provided a livelier performance around town. The Tucson had a comfortable and refined ride, striking a balance between softness and athleticism. The Tucson's towing capacity was 1,500 pounds with the base engine and 2,000 pounds with the 2.4-liter engine.

The 2020 Ford Escape had a sleeker design than its predecessor, resulting in reduced cargo space. It offered 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, which dropped to 34.4 cubic feet in hybrid models. With the backseat folded, the Escape provided 65.4 cubic feet of cargo space, or 60.8 cubic feet in upper-level trims. Despite the reduced cargo capacity, the Escape emphasized passenger space, offering plenty of headroom and legroom for second-row passengers. The front seats provided a commanding seating position with good visibility. The Escape also featured numerous storage compartments and trays for real-world storage solutions.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson provided 31 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 61.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While this was on the lower side for the compact SUV segment, it offered adequate space for weekend bags or large boxes. The Tucson's front seats provided solid headroom and legroom, with comfortable and supportive seating even on long trips. The rear seats were accommodating enough for adults on road trips. The Tucson also featured plenty of cubbies and compartments, with helpful trays for the driver’s essentials.

The 2020 Ford Escape's base trim came with a small 4.2-inch audio control screen, which stood out as an eyesore due to the floating screen design. The SE trim upgraded to an 8-inch Sync 3 screen, which included Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Titanium trim featured a head-up display (HUD) with a small flip-up screen, which was less effective for taller drivers. The latest version of Sync allowed for multitasking, enhancing the user experience.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ultimate trim featured an upgraded 8-inch touchscreen, which was optional on other trims. The touchscreen was user-friendly with logical menu layouts and helpful hard buttons. Additional available features included navigation, satellite radio, and wireless device charging.

The 2020 Ford Escape came with a full array of front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, traction control, and a tire-pressure-monitoring system (TPMS). It earned the best overall score of Good from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) in all phases of testing. The Escape also came standard with Ford Co-Pilot360, a suite of advanced safety systems including forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. It also included features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver drowsiness monitor.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson provided a solid list of standard driver-assistance features, such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver drowsiness monitoring. Upper-tier trims offered additional features like adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, automatic high-beams, a 360-degree parking monitor, and blind-spot monitoring. The Tucson earned five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).