2021 Volkswagen ID.4 vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle (EV), showcasing a distinctive look that set it apart from Volkswagen’s gasoline models. It replaced the straight lines and sharp angles of the Tiguan and Atlas crossovers with a streamlined profile and wheels pushed out to the corners of the body. The ID.4 was part of VW’s EV-specific MEB platform, following the European-market ID.3 hatchback. While it boasted a sleek design, it didn’t quite look like an SUV, which could be a potential issue for buyers seeking traditional SUV aesthetics.

Inside, the ID.4 featured a blend of Volkswagen’s minimalism and a smartphone-inspired aesthetic. The base ID.4 Pro came with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and cloth seats, while the Pro S and 1St Edition models offered leatherette upholstery. The interior materials included piano black and matte plastic, pushing a tech theme that automakers believed customers wanted. Despite the modern design, the ID.4’s interior had some practical shortcomings, such as a lack of thigh support in the driver’s seat.

The 2021 Ford Escape, in its fourth generation, straddled the line between SUV and hatchback with a curved snout and sleek roofline, giving it a less truck-like look 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 trim for the Titanium Elite.

The interior design of the Escape didn’t match the cohesive theme of its exterior. Odd design choices, such as an angular instrument cluster, clashed with the exterior’s sleek look. Interior materials were also considered low-rent, even in the top Escape Titanium model, which lacked standard leather upholstery. The SEL trim level was required for dual-zone automatic climate control, highlighting the Escape’s shortcomings in interior quality and features.

At launch, the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 was available with a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, powered by an 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack. This made it the first rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Volkswagen passenger car sold in the United States since the Beetle. An all-wheel-drive (AWD) version, with a second electric motor powering the front wheels, arrived later in 2021, boosting power output to 295 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque.

RWD was generally preferred by driving enthusiasts for its balanced handling, and the ID.4’s setup provided a nicely balanced driving experience. The electric motor’s instantaneous torque made acceleration fun, and the AWD version added more power and traction, making it quick around town and on highways. However, the ID.4 was tuned for comfort rather than sporty handling, with noticeable body roll in corners but a smooth ride over bumps and potholes. Volkswagen chose not to implement aggressive regenerative braking, opting for a more familiar driving experience for those transitioning from gasoline cars.

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. The EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbo-four engine, producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, was available only with AWD.

The Escape hybrid and plug-in hybrid both 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 distances. The hybrid was available in FWD or AWD, while the plug-in hybrid was FWD only. Despite the three-cylinder engine’s modest size, it provided adequate performance, and the hybrid’s smooth transition between electric and gasoline propulsion was appreciated. However, the Escape’s chassis tuning left much to be desired, with sloppy suspension and steering making it less enjoyable to drive.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 felt like a crossover compared to other EVs, but not when benchmarked against gasoline models. It offered more front and rear headroom than competitor EVs, though legroom was average for the segment. The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 provided more rear headroom and legroom in both rows, but the ID.4 had more front headroom. Cargo space was 30.3 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with them folded, more than the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV, and Chevy Bolt EUV, but less than the CR-V and RAV4.

The ID.4 lacked a “frunk” for extra cargo storage, a decision made to create more cabin space. The interior felt spacious from the driver’s seat, with good forward visibility but substandard rearward visibility due to thick rear pillars and a small back window. The unconventional twist-grip gear selector freed up some storage space on the narrow center console, but it didn’t provide much room for larger items. Standard heated steering wheel and front seats helped maintain cabin heat efficiently, but the driver’s seat lacked thigh support, leading to an uncomfortable driving position.

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 that could be moved 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 2022 Hyundai Tucson. However, the battery pack placement in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models reduced some of that legroom.

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. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo space. Folding the rear seat yielded 65.4 cubic feet of cargo space in gasoline models and 60.8 cubic feet in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. While the Escape offered decent cargo space, competitors like the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester provided over 70 cubic feet with their rear seats folded.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 came with a standard 10-inch touchscreen (with an optional 12-inch screen) featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 5.3-inch display screen served as the instrument cluster, and haptic touchpads replaced nearly all switchgear. While the setup looked modern, it was difficult to use due to the lack of tactile feedback. The control setup required drivers to relearn simple tasks, making it seem like Volkswagen was trying to be different for the sake of being different.

The ID.4 also included a natural-language voice-control system, responding to the prompt “Hello ID.” It allowed drivers to adjust settings without using the haptic controls, though it was slow to respond. The ID.Light, a light strip at the base of the windshield, communicated information to the driver, but its novelty wore off quickly. Despite some gimmicky features, the touchscreen was well-positioned with smart graphics and easy-to-navigate menus, and VW offered a choice between smartphone-like icons or a split-screen setup.

The 2021 Ford Escape used Ford’s older Sync 3 infotainment system, with base Escape S models getting 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 Escape Titanium trim level included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Sync 3 was known for its ease of use, and previous Escape drives confirmed its reliability. However, Ford didn’t offer as many standard tech features as competitors, and the Escape missed out on the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available with the newer Sync 4 system.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 received the highest-level Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the RWD model. The AWD model had not been tested by the NHTSA. Standard driver aids included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, park distance control, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. New features for 2021 included Travel Assist, which added automated lane centering to adaptive cruise control, and Emergency Assist, designed to stop the car if the driver was incapacitated.

Travel Assist performed well, smoothly following curves and responding well to acceleration and deceleration. It was comparable to Nissan’s ProPilot Assist but less advanced than Chevy’s Super Cruise.

The 2021 Ford Escape earned a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the IIHS, with top “Good” scores in all crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. It also received high marks for front-crash prevention tech but had “Acceptable” and “Marginal” ratings for headlights, depending on the trim level. 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 crash 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 with stop-and-go and lane centering, traffic-sign recognition, park assist, and Evasive Steering Assist.