2022 Genesis GV70 vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2021 Ford Escape, in its fourth generation, presented a blend of SUV and hatchback aesthetics. Its design featured a curved snout and sleek roofline, giving it a resemblance to an enlarged Ford Focus, yet maintaining the elevated ride height typical of an SUV. This design choice resulted in a less truck-like appearance compared to competitors like the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, or Toyota RAV4, but it also appeared more generic than the Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. The 2021 model introduced new appearance packages across three trim levels, enhancing its visual appeal with options like 19-inch alloy wheels and upgraded upholstery. However, the interior design lacked cohesion, with some odd choices and lower-quality materials, even in the top-tier Titanium model.

The 2022 Genesis GV70, while borrowing some styling cues from other Genesis models, stood out with its unique appearance. It featured quad LED strips for headlights and taillights, a large shield-shaped grille, and a sloping roofline that leaned more towards a fastback than a traditional SUV. The ribbed detailing added a muscular profile, combining SUV bulk with sleek, car-like elements. The Sport Prestige model further enhanced its character with unique styling features, including 21-inch wheels and dark chrome trim. Inside, the GV70 boasted an elliptical theme inspired by an airplane wing, with a minimalistic design and high-quality materials like Nappa leather. The interior offered a variety of color options, ensuring a luxurious feel, although base models came with leatherette seats.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered a range of powertrains, including two gasoline engines and hybrid options. The base engine was a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, delivering 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in both FWD and AWD. An upgrade to the 2.0-liter turbo-four engine increased output to 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, exclusively with AWD. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid models used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist, producing a combined 200 hp. The plug-in hybrid featured a larger battery for extended electric-only driving. Despite the small engine size, the three-cylinder performed adequately, 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. The 2.0-liter engine models could tow up to 3,500 pounds, but towing figures for hybrid models were not specified.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 came with two powerful engine options: a base 2.5-liter turbo-four producing 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 generating 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. The GV70 included features like a rear electronic limited-slip differential and launch control, emphasizing its sporty intentions. The Sport+ drive mode further enhanced performance, holding high revs and sharpening throttle response. However, the GV70's chassis felt heavy and lacked the sharpness of competitors like the Acura RDX or BMW X3. The steering was adequate but not precise enough for spirited driving. While the GV70 excelled in highway cruising, the firm ride on 21-inch wheels and lack of solidity detracted from its luxury feel.

The 2021 Ford Escape, despite its car-like styling, offered competitive interior space among compact SUVs. It featured near-top 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 Hyundai Tucson. However, hybrid models sacrificed some legroom due to battery placement. Cargo space varied, with gasoline models offering 33.5 cubic feet with the rear seat up, expandable to 65.4 cubic feet with the seat folded. Hybrid models had slightly less space. While the Escape's cargo capacity was decent, competitors like the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester offered more.

The 2022 Genesis GV70's interior space was average for its segment. It matched the front-seat headroom of the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class and the back-seat headroom of the BMW X3 but didn't lead in any measurements. Legroom was adequate, and rear-seat visibility was good. Cargo space was 28.9 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 56.9 cubic feet with them folded, placing it in the middle of the segment. The interior design, while daring, compromised storage space, with limited room in the center console and door pockets. However, it included a covered storage cubby with USB ports. The Sport Prestige model's front seats were heavily bolstered, offering heating, ventilation, massage, and posture-assist functions, though some controls were less accessible.

The 2021 Ford Escape featured the older Sync 3 infotainment system, with base models having a 4.2-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Upgrading to the SE trim added an 8-inch touchscreen and SiriusXM satellite radio, while the Titanium trim offered 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 found in competitors, and it missed out on wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available with Sync 4.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 boasted a tech-rich environment, with a standard 14.5-inch touchscreen featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The tile-based layout and crisp graphics were user-friendly, and the glass rotary controller added functionality. Higher trims offered a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a 3D effect and a 12-inch head-up display. The GV70 included a digital-key feature, allowing smartphone use in place of a key fob, and a fingerprint scanner for starting the car. Genesis also offered advanced rear-seat monitors and a 360-degree camera system, with remote activation through an app. Genesis Connected Services, free for three years, bundled driver profiles, navigation, and valet mode.

The 2021 Ford Escape received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS, with top scores in crash tests and LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. It also earned high marks for front-crash prevention but had mixed ratings for headlights. The NHTSA awarded it 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 Genesis GV70, being a new model, lacked crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA. However, it came standard with numerous safety features, including lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, blind-spot and forward collision-avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and Highway Driving Assist. It also had eight airbags, including a front-center airbag. Optional features included Highway Driving Assist 2 with lane-change functionality and navigation-based adaptive cruise control. The Highway Driving Assist system impressed with smooth control inputs, though its lane-centering function struggled with curves.