2020 Ford Escape vs 2021 Nissan Murano

The 2020 Ford Escape presented itself as a very attractive compact crossover. It looked very stylish and shared its large grille design with the outgoing Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks. The headlights were undoubtedly inspired by the Ford GT supercar, giving it an aggressive and sporty look. Its predecessor had a more upright rear end, whereas the new Escape featured a curvaceous design that, while attractive, came at a cost to practicality. Despite this, the Escape was still considered one of the most appealing small SUVs on the market, trailing only behind the Mazda CX-5 and Jeep Cherokee.

Inside, the Escape boasted a modern cabin that managed to strike a balance between forward-looking design and user-friendly functionality. The interior featured a fully digital instrument panel, a floating infotainment screen, and an overall smooth and contemporary design.

The 2020 Escape was available in multiple trims: S, SE, SE Sport, SEL, and Titanium. The base S trim came with 17-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, a 4.2-inch instrument-panel screen, three 12-volt power outlets, manually adjustable front seats, and Sync infotainment with a 4.2-inch screen in the center console. It also included FordPass Connect, which offered WiFi for up to ten devices and the ability to control your vehicle remotely.

On moving up to the SE trim, it featured 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, tinted windows, a chrome grille surround, and body-color door handles. The interior upgrades included automatic climate control, heated front seats, satellite radio, a 10-way power driver's seat, and an 8-inch Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The SE Sport trim swapped out the painted aluminum wheels for black-painted ones and added a sporty aesthetic with black window trim and mirror caps. It also featured a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument panel and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, complementing its hybrid drivetrain.

The SEL trim added fog lamps, black roof racks, 18-inch machined aluminum wheels, a power liftgate, sporty front bucket seats, and synthetic upholstery. The Titanium trim came with premium features like unique 19-inch wheels, LED fog lamps, acoustic-laminated glass, a dual-panel moonroof, wood paneling, and a two-tone leather interior. It also equipped a premium B&O audio system, leather seating, and a 6-way power front passenger seat.

CarGurus recommended the SE trim for its value, citing features such as the 8-inch Sync 3 screen, automatic climate control, heated front seats, and a power driver’s seat.

In contrast, the 2021 Nissan Murano had a design that was once cutting-edge but had since evolved into a more mainstream appearance. Its L-shaped LED headlights and contoured front end became commonplace in car design. The interior and dash design remained conservative, prioritizing comfort and ease of use over revolutionary aesthetics. This was perfectly reasonable for its target market, which was more concerned with comfort for commuting and road trips rather than sporty or futuristic looks.

The Murano was available in S, SV, SL, and Platinum trims. The base S trim included 18-inch alloy wheels, manual front seats, dual-zone climate control, four USB ports, push-button start, remote keyless entry, satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The SV trim added power-adjustable front seats, adaptive cruise control, remote start, fog lights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, black roof rails, heated side mirrors, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The SL trim featured 20-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, ambient cabin lighting, a Bose premium stereo system, and navigation. The top-of-the-line Platinum trim introduced a dual-panel panoramic moonroof, semi-aniline premium leather with Prima-Tex protection, dark wood interior accents, and ventilated front seats.

The 2020 Ford Escape offered a variety of powertrain options, a significant plus in its favor. Its engine lineup included a new 3-cylinder engine making 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, which was standard in the S, SE, and SEL trims. Other engines included a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine available on the SEL and standard on the Titanium, producing 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque.

The hybrid drivetrain, available on the SE Sport and optional on the Titanium, combined a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, a battery pack, and electric power to generate 198 horsepower. A plug-in hybrid variant was also available, except for the S trim. The conventional engines used an 8-speed automatic transmission, while the hybrids came with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The base and hybrid engines had the option of front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), but the turbo engine and plug-in hybrid were AWD only.

In terms of driving dynamics, the Titanium trim with its turbocharged engine provided brisk acceleration and performed exceptionally well on the highway. Steering was direct and responsive, giving the Escape an athletic feel. The strong brakes further emphasized its sporty personality, making it a compelling choice for those who craved a bit more excitement in their daily drives.

Regarding fuel economy, the most efficient non-plug-in hybrid Escape returned 44 mpg city, 37 highway, and 41 combined. The SE Sport hybrid posted slightly lower numbers of 43/37/40 mpg. The 3-cylinder turbo engine offered 27/33/30 combined for its FWD version and 26/31/26 with AWD, while the turbo 4-cylinder with AWD on our test model achieved 23/31/26 mpg.

In comparison, the 2021 Nissan Murano came with only one engine option: a 3.5-liter V6 that made 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. This engine delivered power through a CVT, with standard FWD and optional AWD. The V6 engine provided strong power, particularly at low speeds. It performed well off the line and around town, although the CVT dampened some of its high-speed performance. This wasn't a significant issue unless you needed rapid acceleration on the highway.

The Murano emphasized comfort in its ride quality, offering a smooth experience that absorbed road imperfections well. Despite its comfort-first approach, the Murano handled corners competently and provided refined driving characteristics, making it an excellent choice for long commutes or road trips.

However, the Murano's towing capacity was limited to 1,500 pounds, among the lowest in its class, making it less ideal for hauling compared to other midsize and even some compact SUVs.

The 2020 Ford Escape prioritized passenger space over cargo capacity. Its sleeker design resulted in 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, which dropped to 34.4 cubic feet in the hybrid models. The maximum cargo space with the back seats folded down was 65.4 cubic feet, or just 60.8 cubic feet in upper-level trims. This was a step back compared to the outgoing 2019 model's 68 cubic feet, and competitors like the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Volkswagen Tiguan, which offered around 75 cubic feet of space. However, the Escape's design catered more to style and performance, much like the Mazda CX-5, which had 59.6 cubic feet of cargo space.

Despite the compromise in cargo capacity, the Escape focused on passenger comfort and practicality. Rear passengers enjoyed ample headroom and decent legroom, while the front seats provided a commanding view and good visibility. The interior also featured numerous storage solutions with deep water-bottle holders and multiple trays and compartments.

In contrast, the 2021 Nissan Murano offered up to 67 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 32.1 cubic feet with the seats in use. Although other two-row SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Honda Passport provided more cargo space (up to 72.1 and 100.7 cubic feet, respectively), the Murano compensated with a hands-free power liftgate in the SL and Platinum trims.

The Murano excelled in passenger comfort, offering generous headroom and legroom across both rows. Second-row passengers also enjoyed partial reclining functionality, emphasizing the Murano’s focus on maximizing the comfort of its two-row seating setup.

Technology the 2020 Ford Escape varied significantly across trims. The base S trim featured a small 4.2-inch audio control screen, which looked out of place with the new floating screen design. The SE trim stepped up to an 8-inch Sync 3 screen, offering a much-improved user experience with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Sync 3 interface was praised for its functionality and ease of use.

The higher Titanium trim included additional tech features like a head-up display (HUD), albeit a flip-up screen rather than a windshield projection. This limited its usefulness, especially for taller drivers, as it often fell below the line of sight. Nevertheless, the advanced tech offerings on the Escape made higher trims more appealing.

On the other hand, the 2021 Nissan Murano came standard with an easy-to-use 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring a sensible menu layout, along with hard buttons and dials for added convenience. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were also standard. Available tech features included an 11-speaker Bose premium stereo system and navigation, enhancing the overall user experience.

The 2020 Ford Escape came well-equipped with a thorough suite of safety features. It included front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, traction control, and a tire-pressure monitoring system. The Escape had yet to be tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but it earned the highest overall score of Good from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). Notably, the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, which came standard, included forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver drowsiness monitor, setting a high benchmark for safety.

The 2021 Nissan Murano also came with extensive standard driver assistance features under the Nissan Safety Shield 360 umbrella. Highlights included reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, forward automatic emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), forward collision warning, and driver drowsiness monitoring. However, advanced features like a surround-view parking monitor, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and front-and-rear parking sensors were only available as options.