2022 Jeep Compass vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2022 Jeep Compass, despite receiving exterior styling updates and new wheel designs, retained much of its familiar look since its 2017 redesign. It resembled a smaller Grand Cherokee, especially in the High Altitude trim with its 19-inch multi-spoke wheels that matched the paint, giving it an upscale appearance. Inside, the Compass High Altitude impressed with a new dashboard design, digital instrumentation, and luxury-grade leather seats, enhancing its premium SUV feel. The lineup ranged from the base Sport trim to the High Altitude, with prices starting at $26,020 and reaching $35,085, excluding destination charges. Our test vehicle, equipped with all-wheel drive and additional packages, had an MSRP of $40,470.

The 2023 Ford Escape embraced a more European design language, moving away from the blocky exterior of its predecessors. A 2023 refresh introduced a traditional front end with a Ford blue oval logo and a stylish LED light bar. The Escape offered various trims, from the base Active to the ST-Line Elite, which we tested. The ST-Line Elite featured 19-inch wheels and a sleek design, resembling a Mazda CX-5. Inside, it boasted diamond-stitched leather upholstery, though it felt hard and plasticky. The seats were comfortable, and the 10-way power adjustable driver's seat was easy to adjust. However, the interior was dominated by plastic, some of which felt scratchy and poorly reinforced.

The 2022 Jeep Compass was powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 177 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. Dubbed the "Tigershark," this engine lacked the acceleration prowess of its competitors. A turbocharger would have improved its performance, especially for those seeking mountain adventures. The nine-speed automatic transmission, paired with all-wheel drive, aimed to maximize fuel efficiency but resulted in a busy and unrewarding powertrain. The automatic stop/start system was slow to re-engage, leading to hard drivetrain engagement. The Compass averaged 23.8 mpg in testing, slightly below the EPA's 25 mpg estimate. With 8.1 inches of ground clearance, it handled light off-roading well, but the driving dynamics needed improvement.

The 2023 Ford Escape stood out with multiple powertrain options. The base engine, a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, delivered 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with all-wheel drive. Despite its impressive output, the Escape wasn't a performance crossover, with a soft suspension and no paddle shifters. The brakes offered predictable stopping power, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding twitchy inputs common in the segment.

The 2022 Jeep Compass shared similar interior dimensions with the Renegade and Cherokee, positioning it on the smaller end of the compact SUV spectrum. It comfortably accommodated four adults and their luggage. The High Altitude trim featured eight-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof and redesigned dashboard added sophistication. The Compass offered 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, expanding to 59.8 cubic feet with the seats folded, surpassing the Cherokee.

The 2023 Ford Escape provided comfortable seating and excellent ergonomics. The steering wheel felt great to hold, and the armrests were well-positioned. The head-up display was easy to adjust for different drivers. However, the Escape fell short in cargo space, offering 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the seats folded, trailing behind competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Rear-seat legroom was slightly less than rivals, but headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were padded to maximize space for tall passengers.

The 2022 Jeep Compass featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, five times faster than its predecessor. It came with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, with a 10.1-inch option available. Uconnect 5 supported dual Bluetooth device pairing, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and more. Over-the-air updates kept the system current. The Compass offered a navigation system, connected services, and a nine-speaker Alpine sound system. The voice recognition system was fast and accurate, though it struggled with specific requests.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 technology. Lower trims had an 8-inch touchscreen, while higher trims featured a 13.2-inch screen, enhancing the cabin's look. Sync 4 was well-organized, with easy navigation between applications. However, it was occasionally slow to respond, and the volume knob's placement was inconvenient. Despite minor annoyances, Sync 4's feature set and layout were impressive.

The 2022 Jeep Compass improved its safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and more. Highway Assist, combining adaptive cruise control and lane-centering, was to be added later. The adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping systems worked well, though the lane-keep assist was too insistent at lower speeds. The forward-collision warning system occasionally gave false positives. Safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of review.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from NHTSA, with five stars in frontal and side-crash tests. However, it didn't earn a Top Safety Pick from IIHS due to a Marginal score in the side-impact test. The Escape came with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and more. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control and lane-centering for semi-autonomous driving.