2020 Lincoln Aviator vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator was positioned between the Navigator and the compact MKC (later replaced by the Lincoln Corsair) in Lincoln's lineup. It marked a return to real vehicle names, moving away from the old alphabet-soup naming convention. The Aviator featured a unified design language across Lincoln's sedans, crossovers, and SUVs, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its tapering roofline and low, wide beltline gave it an elongated, boat-like appearance. Inside, the Aviator boasted a flowing design with soft-touch materials and selective use of brightwork. The seats were both elegant and sturdy, with shifter buttons resembling piano keys. The cabin was filled with plush leather, even in areas where it wasn't necessary, showcasing Lincoln's commitment to luxury. Unique touches like a massive panoramic moonroof and warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra highlighted Lincoln's holistic approach to luxury.

The 2021 Ford Escape, in its fourth generation, straddled the line between SUV and hatchback. Its curved snout and sleek roofline made it resemble an engorged Focus, but it maintained the tall ride height of a proper SUV. This design gave the Escape a less truck-like look compared to competitors like the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4, but it had a more generic design than the latest Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. For 2021, the Escape introduced new appearance packages for three of its four trim levels, including the SE Sport Appearance Package, SEL Stealth AWD Package, and Titanium Elite Package. These upgrades included 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery with Miko Suede seat inserts, and leather-wrapped steering wheels. However, the interior design lacked cohesion, with odd choices like an angular instrument cluster and low-rent materials. Even the top Escape Titanium model didn't come with standard leather upholstery.

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 offering rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), while the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) was AWD only. Both versions could accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds. The Grand Touring's hybrid setup provided smooth, confident acceleration and improved fuel efficiency. The Aviator's steering was light, and its brakes were cushioned but effective. The vehicle featured an "Excite" drive mode for a more dynamic experience, but its 5,600-pound weight limited its sportiness. Fuel economy for the RWD Aviator was 18 mpg city, 26 highway, and 21 combined, while the AWD version achieved 17 mpg city, 24 highway, and 20 combined. The PHEV had a combined 23 mpg, with a 21-mile electric-only range and a 56 miles-per-gallon equivalent combined rating.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered two gasoline powertrains, as well as hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. The base engine was a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder from Ford's EcoBoost range, producing 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in FWD or AWD. An upgrade to the EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbo-four increased output to 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, available only with AWD. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid models used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist, producing a total of 200 hp. The plug-in hybrid's larger battery pack allowed for significant electric-only driving. The hybrid was available in FWD or AWD, while the plug-in hybrid was FWD only. The Escape's three-cylinder engine was adequate for an SUV, and the hybrid's transition between electric and gasoline power was smooth. However, the chassis tuning left much to be desired, with sloppy suspension and steering. For 2021, the Escape offered a Class 2 Trailer Tow Package for 2.0-liter, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models, with a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds for the 2.0-liter engine.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, with its three rows, competed with the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, and Cadillac XT6. 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, comparable to the Cadillac XT6. However, the Aviator's replacement of basic controls with bespoke variations, like the complicated seat controls and unconventional door-release function, could be confusing. The 30-way seats with a massage function were worth the effort to learn, but the door-release function was unnecessarily complicated, raising concerns about usability in emergencies.

The 2021 Ford Escape, despite its car-like styling, compared well against more traditionally-styled compact SUVs in terms of interior space. First-row and second-row headroom and legroom were near the top of the segment, with a standard sliding rear seat that could be moved to expand legroom or cargo space. Sliding the bench seat all the way back provided 40.7 inches of rear legroom in non-hybrid models, second only to the 2022 Hyundai Tucson. However, the battery pack in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models reduced legroom. The gasoline Escape had 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat up, while hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had 30.7 cubic feet. Sliding the rear seat forward increased cargo space to 37.5 cubic feet for gasoline models and 34.4 cubic feet for hybrid/plug-in hybrid models. Folding the rear seat provided 65.4 cubic feet of cargo space in gasoline models and 60.8 cubic feet in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. Most competitors offered more cargo space, with the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester exceeding 70 cubic feet.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator featured the Sync 3 infotainment system with a 10.1-inch touchscreen in a landscape layout, providing a user-friendly interface for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display offered a minimalist yet informative experience.

The 2021 Ford Escape used the older Sync 3 infotainment system, with the base Escape S model getting a 4.2-inch touchscreen. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot were standard. Upgrading to the Escape SE added an 8-inch touchscreen with pinch-and-zoom capability and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Escape Titanium trim level included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. While Sync 3 was easy to use, the Escape lacked the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available with the newer Sync 4 system.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came with standard safety features, including front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Lincoln Co-Pilot360 suite included forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display.

The 2021 Ford Escape received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS, with top scores in all crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA awarded the Escape a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features under Ford Co-Pilot360 included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The optional Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, park assist, and Evasive Steering Assist.