2020 Ford Escape vs 2020 Lincoln Aviator

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator slotted below the Navigator and above the compact MKC and its replacement, the Lincoln Corsair, in the Lincoln lineup. The Aviator featured a unified design across Lincoln's sedans, crossovers, and SUVs, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its roofline tapered, giving it an elongated look, and its low, wide beltline provided a boat-like appearance. Inside, the Aviator's cabin boasted a flowing design, soft-touch materials, and selective use of brightwork. The seats were both elegant and sturdy, with shifter buttons resembling piano keys. The Aviator's interior was luxurious, with soft-touch materials throughout, including plush leather on the dash, door panels, and center console sides. Notable features included a massive panoramic moonroof and unique warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

The 2020 Ford Escape was a very attractive compact crossover, sharing its large grille with the outgoing Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks, and its headlights were inspired by the Ford GT supercar. The new Escape had a more curvaceous design compared to its predecessor, which came at the cost of some cargo space. Inside, the Escape featured a modern cabin with a fully digital instrument panel, floating infotainment screen, and a smooth, forward-looking design. The Escape was available in multiple trims, with the base S trim offering basic features and the SE trim adding more advanced features like an 8-inch Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SE Sport trim added sporty touches and a hybrid drivetrain, while the SEL and Titanium trims offered additional luxury features.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Touring trim combined this engine with a 100-hp electric motor, resulting in a net 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains used a 10-speed automatic transmission, with the base V6 available in rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), while the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) was AWD only. The Aviator's fuel economy for the RWD model was 18 mpg city, 26 highway, and 21 combined, while the AWD model achieved 17 mpg city, 24 highway, and 20 combined. The PHEV had a combined fuel economy of 23 mpg, with a 21-mile electric-only range and a rating of 56 miles-per-gallon equivalent combined.

The 2020 Ford Escape offered four engine options, including a new 3-cylinder engine making 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, produced 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine was part of the hybrid drivetrain, making 198 horsepower, and was standard on the SE Sport and available on the Titanium. The plug-in hybrid variant was optional 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 most efficient version of the Escape was the non-Sport hybrid, with a 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 2020 Lincoln Aviator, with its three rows, competed with vehicles like the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, and Mercedes-Benz GLE. The optional second-row captain’s chairs were fantastic, while the power-closing third row was adequate for adults but best suited for kids on longer trips. Dropping the second and third rows provided 77 cubic feet of cargo space. The Aviator's interior featured some confusing controls, such as the door handles and seat controls, which required navigating a touchscreen menu for full functionality. The door-release function was also unconventional, with a button instead of a traditional handle, which could be confusing for passengers.

The 2020 Ford Escape had a sleeker design than its predecessor, resulting in reduced cargo space. Behind the second row, the Escape offered 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space, which dropped to 34.4 cubic feet in hybrid models. Folding the backseat down provided 65.4 cubic feet of cargo space, or 60.8 cubic feet in upper-level trims. Despite the reduced cargo space, the Escape emphasized passenger space, with plenty of headroom and legroom for second-row passengers. The front seats provided a commanding seating position with good visibility. The Escape also offered numerous storage solutions, including deep water-bottle holders and multiple trays and compartments.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with the Sync 3 infotainment system, operated via a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The screen used a landscape layout, providing a better interface for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Aviator also featured a fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display, which presented information in a minimalist and unobtrusive manner.

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 3 screen, which included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 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 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a full array of front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. It also included Lincoln Co-Pilot360, a suite of driver-assistance systems such as forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Other safety features included blind-spot monitoring and a head-up display.

The 2020 Ford Escape also came with a full array of front and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. It earned the best overall score of Good from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) in all phases of testing. The Escape came standard with Ford Co-Pilot360, which included 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.