2020 Ford Escape vs 2021 Mazda CX-5

The 2020 Ford Escape emerged as an attractive compact crossover known for its sleek design. It borrowed the large grille design from its predecessors, the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks, and featured headlights inspired by the Ford GT supercar. Unlike its predecessor, the new Escape sported a more curvaceous design, sacrificing some rear cargo space. Despite this, it remained one of the best-looking small SUVs on the market, competing with the likes of the Mazda CX-5 and Jeep Cherokee.

Inside, the Escape boasted a fantastic, modern cabin with not too much futuristic flair. The design included a fully digital instrument panel, a floating infotainment screen, and overall smooth, modern aesthetics. The basic controls remained logically placed, making it user-friendly.

The Ford Escape came in several trims: S, SE, SE Sport, SEL, and Titanium. The base S trim included features like 17-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, a 4.2-inch instrument-panel screen, multiple 12-volt power outlets, and the Sync infotainment system. The SE trim added 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, tinted side- and rear windows, automatic climate control, heated front seats, and a more substantial 8-inch Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SE Sport featured sporty black-painted wheels and a hybrid drivetrain. The SEL trim offered fog lamps, black roof racks, and 18-inch machined aluminum wheels, while the Titanium trim added unique 19-inch wheels, LED fog lamps, a dual-panel moonroof, and a premium B&O audio system.

On the other hand, the 2021 Mazda CX-5 exemplified a smooth design that looked sophisticated and stylish even while stationary. Unlike some automakers, Mazda avoided overly creased hoods and chiseled grilles, favoring a more elegant approach.

The base CX-5 Sport included automatic on/off LED headlights, 17-inch gray metallic aluminum alloy wheels, a rear roof spoiler, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. The Touring trim added rear privacy glass, leatherette seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, and a six-speaker audio system. The Touring Preferred SV Package upped the package with a 10-speaker Bose sound system, leather seats, and a power moonroof.

The Carbon Edition featured Polymetal Gray paint, gloss black door mirrors, 19-inch black metallic aluminum alloy wheels, red leather seats, and black honeycomb interior trim. The Grand Touring trim built on the Touring model with dual heated mirrors, synthetic leather upholstery, 19-inch brilliant silver aluminum alloy wheels, and additional LED lighting. The Grand Touring Reserve added ventilated seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. The top-tier Signature trim featured Caturra Brown Nappa leather seats, genuine wood trim, ambient lighting, and 19-inch silver aluminum alloy wheels, giving it a premium feel.

The performance of the 2020 Ford Escape stood out with its variety of engine options. It offered a 3-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, standard on the S, SE, and SEL trims. A turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, making 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, was available on the SEL and standard on the Titanium trim. This engine provided brisk acceleration, especially on the highway. The hybrid options included a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine combined with a battery pack, generating 198 horsepower. A plug-in hybrid variant was also available.

The transmission choices included an 8-speed automatic for conventional engines and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for the hybrids. The Escape offered front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) depending on the engine setup.

Fuel economy was impressive for the hybrid versions, with the non-Sport hybrid returning 44 mpg city, 37 highway, and 41 combined. The 1.5-liter turbo engine delivered 27/33/30 combined, while the 2.0-liter turbo with AWD provided 23/31/26.

In comparison, the 2021 Mazda CX-5 had two engine options. The base was a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. FWD was standard with AWD as an option. The Carbon Edition offered a choice between the base engine and a turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine delivering 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque.

The turbo engine powered the Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trims, with AWD as standard. The naturally aspirated engine with FWD was the most fuel-efficient, achieving 25 mpg city, 31 highway, and 28 combined. The turbocharged engine was slightly less efficient, offering 23/28/25 combined with FWD and 22/27/24 combined with AWD.

The turbo engine provided plenty of power, making the CX-5 fun to drive, especially in Sport mode. The suspension was quite stiff, which affected ride comfort but contributed to its engaging driving style. However, seats with better bolstering could have improved the experience on winding roads.

The 2020 Ford Escape’s sleeker design came at the cost of cargo space. 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, it provided 65.4 cubic feet or 60.8 cubic feet in upper-level trims. While this was sufficient, it lagged behind rivals like the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Volkswagen Tiguan, which offered around 75 cubic feet of space. Despite this, the Escape emphasized passenger space. The second-row passengers had ample headroom and decent legroom, while the front seats offered commanding positions with good visibility.

In contrast, the 2021 Mazda CX-5 offered 30.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 59.6 cubic feet with the seats folded. This was below average for the segment, with competitors like the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 offering significantly more space. The CX-5's seating position and comfort level were typical of an SUV its size. Both rows provided good headroom, but back seat legroom was limited, especially with taller passengers in the front.

Mazda earned points for straightforward climate controls, although the large shifter and infotainment system controls took up significant space and weren’t the most intuitive, especially for shorter drivers. The power liftgate was a helpful feature for easier cargo access.

The 2020 Ford Escape came with varying tech features across its trims. The base S trim had a small 4.2-inch audio control screen, while the recommended SE trim upgraded to an 8-inch Sync 3 screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Titanium trim added a head-up display (HUD) with a small flip-up screen, which was less effective for taller drivers.

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 featured a standard 10.25-inch infotainment touch screen across all trims. While its size was admirable, Mazda’s operating system wasn’t up to modern design standards and proved troublesome to use via the center console knob. Volume was controlled via the steering wheel switch or a knob in the center console. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, providing a workaround for entertainment controls.

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

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 also came with an extensive list of standard safety features such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, lane keep assist, and a rearview camera. Additional features included a head-up display (HUD), reverse automatic emergency braking, driver attention monitoring, a surround-view camera system, front and rear parking sensors, and traffic sign recognition. It earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA.