2021 Dodge Durango vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2021 Dodge Durango retained much of its exterior styling since its third generation debuted in 2011. Built alongside the Jeep Grand Cherokee in Detroit, the Durango maintained a distinct look, aligning more with Dodge's muscle cars like the Charger and Challenger. The 2021 model year saw revisions, especially in the new SRT Hellcat model, which featured a cold-air scoop, twin-pipe exhaust, LED headlamps, rear spoiler, and a redesigned front end. The Durango offered six different 20-inch wheel varieties and one 18-inch version, with 11 exterior colors and six interior color schemes. Inside, the Durango boasted a new instrument panel and either an 8.4-inch or 10.1-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect 5 infotainment system. The interior ranged from cloth upholstery in lower trims to leather and suede options in higher trims, with contrast stitching and Demonic Red-colored seat belts adding a unique touch.

The 2021 Ford Escape, a fourth-generation model, straddled the line between SUV and hatchback with its curved snout and sleek roofline, giving 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 upgrades included 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery with Miko Suede seat inserts, and leather-wrapped steering wheels. However, the interior design choices, such as the angular instrument cluster, felt disjointed from the exterior, and the materials used were considered low-rent. Even the top Titanium model lacked standard leather upholstery, though it did feature ambient lighting.

The 2021 Dodge Durango offered four engine options: a 3.6-liter V6, a 5.7-liter HEMI V8, a 392 HEMI V8, and a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8. All engines were paired with eight-speed automatic transmissions, with three different versions tailored to the specific engines. Rear-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive optional or mandatory on certain models. The V6 engine, standard in the SXT, GT, and Citadel trims, produced 293 horsepower (single exhaust) or 295 horsepower (dual exhaust) and 260 pound-feet of torque. The R/T trim came with a 5.7-liter V8 delivering 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, while the SRT 392 featured a 392 HEMI V8 with 475 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The top-tier SRT Hellcat boasted a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 producing 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque. Despite its power, the Hellcat was manageable in city traffic and on highways, with smooth shifts and acceleration. However, the Durango's chassis showed its age, with a reactionary suspension that transmitted bumps to the cabin. The SRT models included SRT Performance Pages for detailed performance metrics and configurable drive modes.

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 from Ford’s EcoBoost range, producing 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. 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 system output of 200 hp. The plug-in hybrid's larger battery allowed for significant electric-only driving. The hybrid was available with FWD or AWD, while the plug-in hybrid was FWD only. The three-cylinder engine proved adequate for the SUV, and the hybrid's transition between electric and gasoline propulsion was smooth. 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, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models could be equipped with a Class 2 Trailer Tow Package, with a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds for the 2.0-liter engine.

The 2021 Dodge Durango excelled as a family hauler with comfortable seating, ample storage space, and family entertainment options. It offered seating for five in two rows, expandable to seven across three rows. The front and second-row seats were spacious, accommodating taller passengers, while the optional third row provided more space than many competitors. The Durango offered 21 seat options, catering to various preferences. Cargo space was average for its class, functioning as expected. Dodge's improvements in fit and finish were evident, earning awards for initial vehicle quality.

The 2021 Ford Escape, despite its car-like styling, compared well against more traditionally-styled compact SUVs in terms of interior space. It offered near-top-of-segment headroom and legroom in both rows, with a standard sliding rear seat that could be adjusted to expand legroom or cargo space. Sliding the rear seat all the way back provided 40.7 inches of rear legroom in non-hybrid models, second only to the Hyundai Tucson. However, the battery pack in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models reduced legroom. The gasoline Escape offered 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat up, expandable to 37.5 cubic feet by sliding the seat forward, and 65.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo space. Most competitors offered more cargo space, with the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester exceeding 70 cubic feet with their rear seats folded.

The 2021 Dodge Durango featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen as standard on the SXT and GT trims, with higher trims getting a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the new Uconnect 5 infotainment system. Uconnect 5 was five times faster than its predecessor, offering greater personalization, connected services, dual Bluetooth connections, Amazon Alexa connectivity, TomTom navigation, SiriusXM with 360L, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and over-the-air updates via the car’s 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and responsive touch controls. A family entertainment system with a Blu-ray and DVD player and two 9-inch screens was available on higher trims. The gauge cluster, however, made it difficult to accurately gauge speed due to its design. The TomTom navigation system was a standout feature, with clear graphics and quick response times, though a head-up display would have enhanced usability.

The 2021 Ford Escape used the older Sync 3 infotainment system, with the base Escape S models getting a 4.2-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. 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, it lacked the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto found in the newer Sync 4 system. Ford also didn’t offer as many standard tech features as competitors.

The 2021 Dodge Durango fell short in safety compared to its rivals. It came standard with a rearview camera and passive safety features like airbags and electronic stability control. Optional safety features, depending on the trim level or package, included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beams, rear-cross traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and forward-collision warning. Many competitors offered these features as standard. The NHTSA gave the Durango a five-star side crash-test rating and a four-star rollover rating, but front crash testing ratings were not yet available.

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. It also earned high marks for front-crash prevention tech but had mixed ratings for headlights. The NHTSA gave the Escape a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover tests. Standard safety features under the Ford Co-Pilot360 banner 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.