2020 Mazda CX-5 vs 2021 Ford Escape

According to a Harvard Business Review marketing study, there is such a thing as too much choice. And when the marketplace presents consumers with too much choice, there is a chance they won’t buy anything at all.

For the 2020 model year, there are more than 40 small or compact SUVs available, half of them sold by luxury brands. Small and scrappy Mazda offers three of them: the CX-3, the CX-30, and the CX-5. However, in a marketplace awash in Chevys, Fords, Hondas, and Toyotas, Mazda has trouble standing apart from the established crowd.

What’s the solution? Move upscale into “premium” territory.

Premium is where Buick, Fiat, GMC, Jeep, Mini, and Volkswagen play to varying levels of success. Combining the value inherent in a mainstream brand with the design, materials, and technology common to luxury brands, these premium vehicles attempt to provide more than mainstream for less than luxury.

At the same time, less is more. Because the 2020 Mazda CX-5 has but four similarly sized competitors in the premium class, that makes it easier for a consumer to choose, and more likely that a consumer will buy. The trick is convincing people that Mazda is a premium brand, and the automaker is taking a pragmatic approach to this emotionally-charged solution.

The Ford Escape is the Blue Oval’s compact crossover SUV, and one of the most important models in the automaker’s lineup. It competes in one of the most popular market segments of the moment, against popular vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Nissan Rogue, and Subaru Forester.

Ford also views the Escape as the de facto choice for a large slice of its customers. After the automaker eliminated sedans and hatchbacks from its United States lineup, the Escape was left as the most logical choice for keeping existing Fusion and Focus owners in the Ford fold. So in a 2020 model year redesign, Ford gave the Escape more car-like styling, and emphasized fuel efficiency.

Following that redesign, the 2021 Escape is largely unchanged. The only differences are new appearance packages and exterior colors, an available tow package, and slightly improved fuel economy for the base powertrain. The trim-level lineup of S, SE, SEL, and Titanium carries over as well. So while we didn’t get a chance to drive a 2021 Escape, we can evaluate it based on our experience with the 2020 model.