2021 Lincoln Navigator vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator had a distinct and luxurious appearance that set it apart from its Ford Expedition roots. While it shared some structural elements with the Expedition, the Navigator's design was unique, featuring elegant rectilinear shapes and subtle chrome accents. The Pristine White model with a white-painted grille and black wheels was particularly striking during winter tests. Inside, the Navigator impressed with its seven color palettes and high-quality materials, including layered wood trim and a minimalist digital instrument panel. The Black Label trims offered even more luxurious textures and softer leather, making the Navigator's interior one of the most refined in its class.

In contrast, the 2021 Ford Escape had a more car-like design, resembling an enlarged Ford Focus with its curved snout and sleek roofline. This 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 and the Titanium Elite Package. These upgrades added features like 19-inch alloy wheels and leather-wrapped steering wheels. However, the interior design lacked cohesion, with some odd choices like an angular instrument cluster and lower-quality materials, even in the top Titanium trim.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator was powered by a formidable twin-turbo V6 engine, borrowed from the Ford Raptor, producing 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, provided the Navigator with impressive acceleration and a satisfying engine note. The Navigator's 4WD system was smooth and efficient, and it boasted a substantial towing capacity of up to 8,700 pounds. However, its fuel economy was poor, averaging in the teens, and its suspension and steering were less refined compared to competitors like the Cadillac Escalade.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered a range of powertrains, including a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, and a more powerful 2.0-liter turbo-four with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Escape also had hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, with a combined output of 200 horsepower. While the three-cylinder engine was adequate for most driving situations, the Escape's chassis tuning left much to be desired, with sloppy suspension and steering. The Escape's towing capacity maxed out at 3,500 pounds with the 2.0-liter engine.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator offered an expansive interior, capable of comfortably seating six adults with ample space. The third row's middle seat was best suited for children, but the power-folding and raising feature added convenience. The Navigator's boxy shape contributed to its impressive cargo space, with 19 cubic feet behind the third row, 57 cubic feet behind the second row, and a total of 103 cubic feet. The long-wheelbase Navigator L provided even more storage capacity. The front seats were highly adjustable and luxurious, with features like separate thigh extensions and massage programs. However, parking the Navigator was challenging due to its size.

The 2021 Ford Escape, despite its car-like styling, offered competitive interior space for a compact SUV. The first and second rows provided ample headroom and legroom, with a sliding rear seat that could be adjusted to prioritize legroom or cargo space. The gasoline Escape had 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat up, expandable to 37.5 cubic feet by sliding the seat forward. Folding the rear seat increased cargo space to 65.4 cubic feet. However, hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo space due to the battery pack. Overall, the Escape's cargo capacity was less than some competitors like the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator featured a 10-inch touchscreen, which, while functional, felt outdated compared to the advanced displays in competitors like the Cadillac Escalade. The Navigator's infotainment system was intuitive and shared its interface with Ford models, but it lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 20-speaker Revel Ultima stereo was good but not exceptional. The Navigator did offer onboard 4G WiFi, wireless device charging, and a smartwatch app, along with Roku media streaming for rear entertainment. However, it lacked some of the more advanced tech features found in luxury competitors.

The 2021 Ford Escape used the older Sync 3 infotainment system, with the base S model featuring a small 4.2-inch touchscreen. Upgrading to the SE trim 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 missed out on the latest tech features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which were available with the newer Sync 4 system.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in all tests except for rollover resistance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not rated the Navigator in its current generation. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and auto high beams. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and inflatable rear seat belts for the second row.

The 2021 Ford Escape earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS, with top scores in all crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA also awarded the Escape a five-star overall safety rating. 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.