2020 Ford Escape vs 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The 2020 Ford Escape was a visually appealing compact crossover, sharing its large grille with the outgoing Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks. Its 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, trailing perhaps only the Mazda CX-5 and Jeep Cherokee. Inside, the Escape featured a modern cabin with a fully digital instrument panel, floating infotainment screen, and a smooth, forward-looking design. The base S trim included 17-inch steel wheels, a 4.2-inch instrument-panel screen, and Sync infotainment with a 4.2-inch screen. Higher trims like the SE, SE Sport, SEL, and Titanium added features such as 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, automatic climate control, heated front seats, and a 10-way power driver's seat. The Titanium trim boasted unique 19-inch wheels, LED fog lamps, and a premium B&O audio system.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, with its timeless design, continued to impress more than a decade after its debut. It combined rugged utility with upscale sophistication, featuring big wheels under flared fenders. The Grand Cherokee lineup included affordable trims like Laredo and Limited, upscale trims like Overland and Summit, performance models like SRT and Trackhawk, and the off-road-capable Trailhawk. For 2021, the Laredo and Limited received minor updates, and new versions like the Laredo X and 80th Anniversary Edition debuted. Our test vehicle, the Summit trim, came with a 5.7-liter V8 engine, four-wheel drive, and premium features like the Platinum Series Group and Signature Leather-Wrapped Interior Package. The Summit's interior featured premium leather, genuine wood, and real aluminum, creating a luxurious feel. However, the interior design showed signs of aging, with outdated switchgear and non-flush panel fits.

The 2020 Ford Escape offered a range of engine options, including a new 3-cylinder engine with 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, produced 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, providing brisk acceleration. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, part of the hybrid drivetrain, made 198 horsepower and was standard on the SE Sport and available on the Titanium. A plug-in hybrid variant was optional on the SE, SEL, and Titanium. 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 1.5-liter turbo engine returned 27/33/30 combined, while the 2.0-liter turbo with AWD returned 23/31/26.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee came standard with a 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It could tow up to 6,200 pounds. An optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine, with 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, provided a best-in-class towing capacity of 7,200 pounds. The V8 featured cylinder deactivation technology for improved fuel efficiency, but the EPA estimated 17 mpg in combined driving. The Quadra-Trac II 4WD system, with a two-speed transfer case, hill-descent control, and Selec-Terrain traction management, enhanced off-road capabilities. The Grand Cherokee Summit also came with a Quadra-Lift air suspension, offering 4.1 inches of variability. On the highway, it lowered to Aero mode for efficiency, while off-road, it increased ground clearance to 10.8 inches. The Grand Cherokee's tight turning radius and responsive brakes made it easy to maneuver in various driving situations.

The 2020 Ford Escape's sleeker design resulted in reduced cargo space compared to its predecessor. It offered 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, dropping to 34.4 cubic feet in hybrid models. With the backseat folded down, the Escape provided 65.4 cubic feet of cargo space, or 60.8 cubic feet in upper-level trims. This was less than the outgoing 2019 Escape and rivals like the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Volkswagen Tiguan, which offered around 75 cubic feet. However, the Escape emphasized passenger space, with ample headroom and legroom for second-row passengers. The front seats provided a commanding seating position and good visibility. The Escape also featured numerous storage solutions, including deep water-bottle holders and multiple trays and compartments.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit's interior featured flat, firm, and supportive seats with eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The Signature Leather-Wrapped Interior Package added quilted and perforated leather, leather-wrapped panels, and a heated steering wheel. The rear seat was comfortable but had somewhat snug legroom for taller adults. The optional rear-seat entertainment system added to a sense of claustrophobia, but large side windows, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, and light gray leather upholstery helped alleviate this. Rear air conditioning vents and heated outboard cushions were available. Interior storage was adequate, but the rear-seat entertainment system's DVD/Blu-Ray player took up most of the center console bin. The Grand Cherokee offered 36.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, with a recessed bin and storage bins around the spare tire. Folding the second-row seats was easy, providing a maximum cargo space of 68.3 cubic feet.

The 2020 Ford Escape's base trim came with a small 4.2-inch audio control screen, which stood out as an eyesore in the new "floating screen" design. The SE trim upgraded to an 8-inch Sync screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The latest version of Sync allowed for multitasking, enabling the use of different apps on the phone while projecting on the car's display. The Titanium trim featured a head-up display (HUD) with a small flip-up screen, which limited the experience for taller drivers.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee's Uconnect 4C with Nav setup remained impressive, offering a nearly flawless user experience, fast response to inputs, and pleasing touchscreen graphics. It included navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, access to a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and a Jeep Skill for Amazon Alexa. SiriusXM provided satellite radio, Traffic Plus, Travel Link services, and SiriusXM Guardian for remote access to locks and engine starting. The infotainment system's voice recognition technology worked well, and the Summit trim featured a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The Grand Cherokee's tech offerings were essential but limited, with a focus on analog simplicity.

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 featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver drowsiness monitor.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee had mixed safety ratings. It received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for 4WD models, but 2WD models had a four-star rating due to a three-star rollover resistance rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Grand Cherokee a "Marginal" rating for driver-side small-overlap frontal-impact collisions and a "Poor" rating for the front passenger. The Grand Cherokee's headlights also rated "Poor" unless upgraded. The Summit trim came with the ProTech II Package, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Grand Cherokee also featured a backup camera, parking sensors, and ParkSense parking assistance.