2021 Jeep Wrangler vs 2020 Ford Escape

The 2020 Ford Escape was a striking compact crossover, sharing its large grille with the outgoing Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks, and featuring headlights inspired by the Ford GT supercar. The previous model had a more upright rear end, but the new curvaceous design, while attractive, came at a cost. Despite this, the Escape remained one of the best-looking small SUVs on the market, trailing only the Mazda CX-5 and Jeep Cherokee. Inside, the Escape boasted a modern cabin with a fully digital instrument panel, floating infotainment screen, and a smooth, forward-looking design that kept basic controls in familiar places.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler retained its iconic styling, with circular headlights, a seven-slat grille, exposed bolts and hinges, and protruding bumpers and fenders. Depending on the trim level, the Wrangler could take on different looks with painted or exposed fenders, soft top or hardtop, and other individual styling touches. The Wrangler's design was unmistakable and instantly recognizable. Inside, the Wrangler was less about comfort and more about rugged charm, with upright seating, limited legroom, and seats adjusted using somewhat awkward ripcords.

The 2020 Ford Escape offered a diverse range of engine options. The base 3-cylinder engine 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, delivered 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 also available on the SE, SEL, and Titanium trims. 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 Jeep Wrangler offered a variety of powertrains, including a standard 3.6-liter V6 with 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, available with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. Other powertrains included a mild-hybrid eTorque variant of the 3.6-liter V6, a 270-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 producing 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. The Wrangler also introduced a plug-in hybrid, the Wrangler 4xe, with 275 hp and up to 22 miles of electric range. The Rubicon 392 featured a 6.4-liter V8 engine with 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, turning the Wrangler into an off-road supercar. The Rubicon 392 also had beefed-up frame-rails, a 2-inch lift with Fox shock absorbers, and upgraded brakes.

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, 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, with plenty of headroom and legroom for second-row passengers and commanding seating positions for the front occupants. The Escape also featured numerous storage solutions, including deep water-bottle holders and multiple trays and compartments.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler offered various top options, including the zipper-less Sunrider soft-top, a premium black cloth soft top, and a classic-looking tan soft top. The Freedom top was a three-piece hardtop with removable panels, available in black or body color, with optional insulated panels. The Rubicon 392 featured the Sky one-touch power top, a power-retractable canvas panel that operated at speeds up to 60 mph. The Wrangler's cabin was functional, with a small center console bin, glovebox, and effective in-door cargo nets. The Wrangler Unlimited provided 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 72.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

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 screen with 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 multi-tasking, enabling the use of different apps on the phone while projecting on the car's display.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler Sport came with a basic 5-inch screen, while the Sport S offered an optional 7-inch Uconnect screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims featured a sharp 8.4-inch Uconnect screen with crisp graphics and intuitive layouts. The Rubicon 392 included a color TFT screen in the instrument panel and a clever off-road camera nestled between the slats of the front grille, providing a clear view of the trail ahead.

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 Jeep Wrangler offered optional modern driver-assistance features like forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring. However, lane-departure warning was not available. The Wrangler included a backup camera with dynamic guidelines and a live tire-pressure monitoring system, useful for off-roading. The Wrangler's safety features were basic, especially in the base configuration.