2022 Lexus NX vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2022 Lexus NX, redesigned and available in four model series, offered a range of trim levels from base to Luxury, with prices starting at $37,950. The NX 350, particularly in F Sport and Luxury trims, stood out with its distinctive Lexus design, featuring a prominent spindle grille and refined styling details. The SUV was longer, wider, and taller than its predecessor, providing more passenger and cargo space. The interior boasted a minimalist design, with most functions integrated into a large touchscreen, although some users found it challenging to navigate. The NX 350 F Sport distinguished itself with sporty features like a unique grille, 20-inch wheels, and sport-bolstered seats, while the Luxury trim offered real leather and open-pore wood trim.

The 2023 Ford Escape embraced a more European design language, moving away from its earlier blocky exterior. The refreshed model featured a traditional front end with a stylish LED light bar. Available in various trims, the ST-Line Elite was tested, showcasing 19-inch wheels and a sleek design. Inside, the Escape offered 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 configure. Despite a sea of plastic in the interior, the Escape's design was more upscale than many competitors, resembling a Mazda CX-5.

The 2022 Lexus NX offered two electrified versions, with the NX 350h hybrid producing 239 horsepower and the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid delivering 302 horsepower. The NX 350 featured a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The NX 350 F Sport added Sport S, Sport+, and Custom driving modes, along with an adaptive variable sports suspension. The F Sport felt taut and lean on winding roads, while the Luxury trim offered a softer ride. The NX 350 accelerated to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, with observed fuel economy of 22.2 mpg for the F Sport and 25.5 mpg for the Luxury.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options, including a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower. The latter was available exclusively with all-wheel drive and provided better acceleration and passing power. The Escape's suspension was soft and compliant, making it comfortable on rough roads, but it lacked performance tuning. The brakes offered predictable stopping power, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness found in some competitors.

The 2022 Lexus NX provided more interior room, though it felt cozy from the driver's seat. The front seats were comfortable, especially with heated and ventilated options, and the F Sport trim offered better bolstering. Rear-seat passengers enjoyed roomy accommodations, with rear air conditioning vents and USB ports. The NX's cargo space increased to 22.7 cubic feet behind the back seat, expanding to 46.9 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The 2023 Ford Escape was comfortable, with supportive seats and excellent ergonomics. The steering wheel felt great to hold, and the armrests were well-positioned. The Escape offered up to 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the seats folded, though it fell short of some competitors. Rear-seat legroom was slightly less than rivals, but headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were padded to maximize space.

The 2022 Lexus NX featured the new Lexus Interface infotainment system, with a standard 9.8-inch touchscreen and an optional 14-inch screen. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Voice Assistant technology, and cloud-based features. A 10-speaker sound system was standard, with a 17-speaker Mark Levinson system available. The Voice Assistant and Intelligent Assistant systems responded to natural commands, and a complimentary three-year trial of Drive Connect service was included. Additional technologies included a digital mirror, head-up display, and digital key capability.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 system, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 13.2-inch screen on higher trims. The system was well-organized, with easy navigation between applications. The larger screen upgraded the cabin's look, and the native navigation system was visually appealing. Sync 4 was slightly slow to respond, and the volume knob's placement was inconvenient, but the overall feature set and layout were impressive.

The 2022 Lexus NX included the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, featuring advanced driver assistance systems like Risk Avoidance Emergency Steer Assist, Oncoming Vehicle Detection, and Curve Speed Management. The Emergency Driving Stop System brought the NX to a stop if the driver was unresponsive. Additional safety features included blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and Safe Exit Assist. Premium trim added rear pedestrian detection, adaptive front lighting, and semi-autonomous parking assist.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in frontal- and side-crash tests. The IIHS did not grant it a Top Safety Pick designation due to a Marginal score in the side-impact test. The Escape came with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic high beams. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, and lane-centering technology.