2022 GMC Terrain vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2021 Ford Escape, a fourth-generation model, balanced the line between SUV and hatchback. Its curved front and sleek roofline made it resemble an enlarged Focus, yet it maintained the tall ride height of a proper SUV. This gave the Escape a less truck-like appearance compared to the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, or 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, featuring upgrades like 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery, and leather-wrapped steering wheels.

Inside, the Escape's design choices were less cohesive. The angular instrument cluster clashed with the exterior's smooth lines, and the interior materials felt low-rent. Even the top-tier Titanium model lacked standard leather upholstery, though it did offer ambient lighting. Dual-zone automatic climate control was only available starting from the SEL trim level.

For the 2022 model year, GMC updated the Terrain’s front styling, wheel designs, taillights, and interior trim. The new AT4 trim level featured a bolder grille design, black 17-inch alloy wheels with sport-terrain tires, and AT4 badges. GMC equipped the AT4 with a steel skid plate to protect vital components, anticipating some off-road use. Our test vehicle came with Ebony Twilight metallic paint, a black leather interior, and several packages, bringing the MSRP to $41,810, including the destination charge.

The Terrain’s interior, while roomy, showed its entry-level status in material quality and design execution. The head-up display projected data onto a clear plastic panel rather than the windshield, and the pushbutton transmission controls were not intuitive. Despite these drawbacks, the AT4 trim’s caramel-colored contrast stitching and piping added a touch of luxury, though the overall cabin did not meet the high expectations set by its price tag.

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 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in FWD or AWD. An upgrade to the 2.0-liter turbo-four engine 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 allowed for significant electric-only driving distances, though it was FWD only.

Despite the three-cylinder engine seeming inadequate for an SUV, it performed well. The hybrid models offered smooth transitions between electric and gasoline propulsion. 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 tow up to 3,500 pounds, but towing figures for the hybrid models were not provided.

The 2022 GMC Terrain featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. The previously available 2.0-liter engine, which offered better acceleration and a 3,500-pound towing capacity, was discontinued. The 1.5-liter engine could tow up to 1,500 pounds. The nine-speed automatic transmission helped keep the Terrain in the torque band, though there was a delay off the line.

The Terrain’s turbocharging made it feel lively at elevation, but it lacked the rapid acceleration of the discontinued 2.0-liter engine. The AT4 trim offered FWD, AWD, Off-Road mode, and Hill Descent Control. Torque steer was an issue in FWD mode, but switching to AWD resolved this. The Terrain AT4 had 7.9 inches of ground clearance, less than some competitors, and its off-road capabilities were limited. The ride was smooth on highways and city streets, but the sport-terrain tires offered little grip in curves, and the overall driving experience was dull.

The 2021 Ford Escape 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 to adjust legroom or cargo space. Non-hybrid models provided 40.7 inches of rear legroom, second only to the 2022 Hyundai Tucson. However, the battery pack in hybrid models reduced legroom. Cargo space in gasoline models was 33.5 cubic feet 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 models had slightly less cargo space.

The 2022 GMC Terrain’s interior was roomy for a compact crossover, with numerous comfort-enhancing features and storage solutions. The AT4 trim included power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air-conditioning vents. The back seat was spacious, with plenty of legroom and foot room, and the AT4 trim added a rear USB charging port.

Cargo space in the Terrain measured 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat, expandable to 63.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. A large storage bin under the trunk floor and the ability to fold the front passenger seat down for longer items added to its practicality.

The 2021 Ford Escape used the older Sync 3 infotainment system, with a 4.2-inch touchscreen on base models. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot were standard. Upgrading to the SE trim added an 8-inch touchscreen and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Titanium trim included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. Sync 3 was user-friendly, but the Escape lacked some standard tech features and the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available with Sync 4.

The 2022 GMC Terrain offered two infotainment systems: a 7-inch touchscreen on SLE trim and an 8-inch touchscreen on SLT, AT4, and Denali trims. Both systems included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and GMC Connected Services through OnStar. The larger screen added connected navigation and a Bose premium sound system. The voice recognition system was excellent, accurately responding to various prompts. The Tech Package added a head-up display, front and rear park assist sensors, and a surround-view camera system. The Tire Fill Alert system and remote engine starting were also useful features.

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 earned high marks for front-crash prevention tech but had lower ratings for headlights. The NHTSA gave the Escape a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, 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.

The 2022 GMC Terrain came standard with the GMC Pro Safety Package, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following distance indicator. The optional GMC Pro Safety Plus Package added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, rear parking sensors, and a Safety Alert Seat. The IIHS awarded the Terrain mostly “Good” crash-test scores, with a “Marginal” rating in a new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not evaluated the 2022 Terrain’s crashworthiness at the time of review.