2021 Ford Escape vs 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe

The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe offered six distinct versions, each with unique styling cues. The base LS and popular LT trims featured different grille patterns, while the sporty RST had a slotted grille, blacked-out appearance, and 22-inch wheels. The rugged Z71 combined the LS grille with a blacked-out look, red tow hooks, a skid plate, and unique 20-inch wheels with all-terrain tires. The upscale Premier trim borrowed the RST’s slotted grille with chrome accents and polished wheels, and the luxurious High Country boasted a chrome bar grille, 22-inch wheels with a bright finish, and body-color mirror caps. Standard LED headlights and expressive taillights added to the Tahoe's bold design.

The Tahoe’s interior was centered around a 10.2-inch infotainment screen and new electronic transmission controls, which improved storage capacity but compromised control layout. The LS trim included cloth seats, while leather became standard from the LT trim upwards. The Premier and High Country trims offered perforated leather in various colors. The Z71 trim we tested featured high-quality materials, with exposed stitching and soft-touch surfaces on the upper half of the cabin, and hard plastic on the lower half.

The 2021 Ford Escape, with its fourth-generation design, straddled the line between SUV and hatchback. Its curved snout and sleek roofline gave it a less truck-like appearance compared to competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. 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 packages added features like 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery with Miko Suede seat inserts, and leather-wrapped steering wheels.

Inside, the Escape’s design choices were less cohesive, with an angular instrument cluster that didn’t match the exterior’s sleek look. Interior materials were considered low-rent, even in the top Titanium model, which lacked standard leather upholstery. The SEL trim level was required for dual-zone automatic climate control. Despite these shortcomings, the Escape offered a practical and spacious interior, with a sliding rear seat to adjust legroom or cargo space as needed.

The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe came with three engine options. The standard engine for most trims was a 5.3-liter V8, producing 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. The High Country trim featured a 6.2-liter V8, delivering 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. A turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel inline six-cylinder engine, offering 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, was available for all trims except the Z71. The Tahoe’s 10-speed automatic transmission powered the rear wheels, with optional four-wheel drive available on most trims. The Z71 trim included standard 4WD with a two-speed transfer case, hill descent control, and all-terrain tires.

The major engineering change for the 2021 Tahoe was the adoption of an independent rear suspension, which improved ride quality, handling, and interior comfort. The test vehicle, a Z71 trim, featured both Magnetic Ride Control and Air Ride suspension, providing a smooth ride over various terrains. The 5.3-liter V8 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission delivered refined and capable performance, with Dynamic Fuel Management technology improving fuel economy. The Tahoe’s handling was commendable, with adaptive and air-ride suspension upgrades controlling body roll and excessive motion.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered two gasoline powertrains, as well as hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. The base powertrain was a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 181 horsepower and 191 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The optional 2.0-liter turbo-four engine increased output to 250 horsepower 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 system output of 200 horsepower. The plug-in hybrid’s larger battery pack allowed for significant electric-only driving.

The Escape’s 1.5-liter engine proved adequate for an SUV, with a smooth transition between electric and gasoline propulsion in the hybrid models. However, the chassis tuning left much to be desired, with sloppy suspension and steering making the Escape feel like a chore to drive. The 2.0-liter engine models could be equipped with a Class 2 Trailer Tow Package, offering a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds.

The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe’s new independent rear suspension improved passenger comfort and cargo space. The test vehicle featured heated power-adjustable front seats and a heated steering wheel, with an optional power sliding storage console for added convenience. The second-row offered a choice between a 3-person bench seat or individual captain’s chairs, with the latter providing comfort and easy access to the third-row seat. The third-row seat room was substantially improved, accommodating adults comfortably.

The Tahoe offered 25.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, 72.6 cubic feet with the rear seat folded, and a maximum volume of 122.9 cubic feet. These figures were substantial increases over the previous generation and better than most full-size SUVs, except for the longer-wheelbase Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Expedition MAX, and GMC Yukon XL.

The 2021 Ford Escape compared well against more traditionally-styled compact SUVs in terms of interior space. The first-row and second-row headroom and legroom were near the top of the segment, with a standard sliding rear seat to adjust legroom or cargo space. The gasoline Escape offered 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat up, increasing to 37.5 cubic feet with the seat slid forward, and 65.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo space due to the battery pack placement.

The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe featured a standard 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a new digital platform, offering five times the computing power, over-the-air updates, and enhanced cybersecurity. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice recognition, and Chevrolet Connected Services with various plans. Navigation and two different Bose premium audio systems were available as upgrades. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with fast Bluetooth pairing and effective wireless Apple CarPlay streaming. The test vehicle also had a Rear Seat Media system, offering WiFi wireless device projection and content sharing.

The 2021 Ford Escape used Ford’s older Sync 3 infotainment system, with the base Escape S model featuring 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 Titanium trim level included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. While Sync 3 was user-friendly, the Escape lacked some standard tech features compared to competitors and missed out on the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available with Sync 4.

The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe came with standard safety features, including Teen Driver, a rear-seat reminder system, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, and low-speed automatic emergency braking. Higher trim levels or options added lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and rear pedestrian detection. Premier and High Country trims included adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking, a Safety Alert Seat, and an upgraded blind-spot warning system with trailer coverage. The Tahoe’s available surround-view camera was recommended for maneuvering the large SUV in tight spaces. As of the review’s publication, the Tahoe had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS.

The 2021 Ford Escape received a “Top Safety Pick” rating from IIHS, with top scores in all crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The Escape also earned high marks for front-crash prevention tech but had mixed ratings for headlights. NHTSA gave the Escape a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover crash tests. Standard safety features under the Ford Co-Pilot360 banner included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, 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.