2020 Ford Escape vs 2021 Lincoln Navigator

The 2020 Ford Escape was a very attractive 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, 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 design. The basic controls were kept in familiar places, making it user-friendly.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator, on the other hand, was a large, luxurious SUV that shared its side glass and overall footprint with the Ford Expedition. However, it distinguished itself with unique design elements and a high level of elegance and understatement. The Navigator featured simple rectilinear shapes, a body-color grille, and full-width taillight assembly. The interior was impressive with seven color palettes, a 10-inch touchscreen, and a minimalist digital instrument panel. The materials were high-quality, and the panel gaps were tight, giving it a refined feel. The Perfect Position seats could adjust in 30 different ways, providing exceptional comfort.

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 trim, delivered 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, providing brisk acceleration. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine was part of the hybrid drivetrain, making 198 horsepower, and there was also a plug-in hybrid variant. The conventional engines used an 8-speed automatic transmission, while the hybrids used a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Escape's steering was direct and taut, giving it an athletic feel, and the brakes were strong and responsive. The most efficient version was the non-Sport hybrid, with fuel economy of 44 mpg city, 37 highway, and 41 combined.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator featured a single, powerful engine: a twin-turbo V6 from the Ford Raptor, producing 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, made the Navigator feel sprightly despite its size. The 4WD system was smooth and responsive, and the towing capacity was impressive at 8,300 pounds for 4WD models and 8,700 pounds for RWD models. However, the fuel economy was poor, averaging in the teens, with an EPA-estimated 17 mpg combined. The Navigator's adaptive dampers provided a decent ride, but it lacked the superior control and supple ride of competitors like the Cadillac Escalade. The steering and brakes were looser and softer, respectively, but the Navigator's low-end thrust and quiet cabin made it a refined and powerful vehicle on the highway.

The 2020 Ford Escape had a sleeker design than its predecessor, but this came at the cost of 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 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 other rivals like the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester. However, the Escape emphasized passenger space, with plenty of headroom and legroom for second-row passengers and commanding seating positions for the front occupants. There were also numerous storage solutions, including deep water-bottle holders and multiple trays and compartments.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator had the square footage of a small bedroom, capable of housing six adults comfortably. It was technically a seven-passenger SUV, but the third row's middle seat was best suited for a child. The second row featured manually-reclining and tilting captain's chairs, with an optional bench for a total of eight passengers. The Navigator offered 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 57 cubic feet behind the second row, and 103 cubic feet in total. The long-wheelbase Navigator L provided even more space. The rear glass opened separately from the tailgate, a convenient feature for loading and unloading. The front seats were highly adjustable and comfortable, with large windows and a high driving position providing excellent visibility.

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, offering a fantastic user experience. The Titanium trim included a head-up display (HUD), but it was a small flip-up screen that limited the experience for taller drivers. Overall, the Escape's technology was user-friendly and provided a good balance of features.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator featured a 10-inch touchscreen, which felt small compared to the advanced displays in competitors like the Cadillac Escalade. The Navigator's infotainment system was intuitive and shared its basic interface with Ford vehicles, but with a unique Lincoln skin. It included onboard 4G WiFi, wireless device charging, a smartwatch app, and the ability to use a smartphone as the vehicle's ignition key. The rear entertainment system included Roku media streaming and various connection options. However, the Navigator lacked some advanced features found in competitors, such as full-screen maps and wireless software updates.

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 Lincoln Navigator received five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in every test except for rollover resistance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not rated the Navigator in its current generation. The Navigator offered automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and auto high beams as standard features. Adaptive cruise control was optional, but the Navigator's self-steering and lane-tracking capabilities were not as advanced as some competitors.