2022 Mazda CX-30 vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 had the look and styling of a downsized CX-5, featuring an upright grille and smooth, flowing fenders. Riding on the same platform as the Mazda3, it was essentially a raised-up version of the Mazda3 hatchback. The CX-30's raked windshield acted like a greenhouse on sunny days, potentially causing a tan on longer drives. However, the windshield's slight curve at eye level for taller drivers could distort the road view, which was distracting.

Inside, the CX-30's cabin was comfortable and quiet, with solid-feeling buttons and doors. It boasted one of the best interior designs among affordable cars, blending conventional and digital displays in the instrument cluster. The infotainment screen rose organically from the smooth dashboard, but its steep learning curve was a downside. The trim levels ranged from the 2.5 S to the Turbo Premium Plus, each adding more features and luxury elements, with the Turbo Premium Plus including front-and-rear parking sensors and advanced driver assistance features.

The 2023 Ford Escape, in contrast, moved away from the rugged, boxy aesthetic of its predecessors to adopt a more European design language. The 2023 refresh replaced the cartoonish grille with a traditional front end featuring the Ford blue oval logo and a stylish LED light bar. The Escape offered several trim levels, with the ST-Line Elite being the top-tier model we tested. Despite its sleek design, the Escape's interior had hard, plasticky diamond-stitched leather upholstery, though the seats were comfortable and supportive for long drives.

The Escape's interior was a mix of plastic materials, some better than others. The center console had a nice textured appearance, but most of the plastic felt scratchy and poorly reinforced. The Escape's brakes were predictable and linear, and the soft suspension was a blessing on pothole-riddled streets. The steering inputs were well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness found in some competitors.

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 featured a base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. Our test model had the upgraded 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, delivering 227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque on 87 octane fuel, and 250 hp and 320 lb-ft on 93 octane fuel. Power was routed to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. The turbocharged engine provided decent acceleration, and the Sport mode enhanced throttle response and shift mapping, making the CX-30 lively and active in downshifting when braking.

The CX-30's conventional shifter design, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and manual tap-shift mode added to its sporty feel. The ride was refined with well-weighted steering and quick, precise turn-in, though it had a rough ride over potholes. The suspension handled dirt and gravel roads well but struggled on craggy paved roads.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options, including a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine could be paired with either FWD or AWD. The higher trims, including the ST-Line Elite, featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively available with AWD.

Despite the four-cylinder's impressive output, the Escape's suspension remained soft and compliant, and the transmission lacked performance tuning. The absence of paddle shifters and an electronic rotary controller limited manual control over shifts. The Escape's brakes were predictable and linear, and the soft suspension handled potholes well. The steering inputs were well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness found in some competitors.

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 provided up to 45.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 20.2 cubic feet with the rear seats in use, which was average for the subcompact SUV segment. The Turbo Premium Plus model featured a power rear liftgate. The front seats had a sliding center console cover, which could get stuck under the seat when the rear seats were folded. The center console offered plenty of space for personal items, and the front doors had deep pockets for large water bottles. The rear seats provided solid headroom but lacked the rear-seat headroom of the larger CX-5, making them suitable for short-to-medium trips.

The 2023 Ford Escape was comfortable with soft, supportive seats and excellent ergonomics. The steering wheel felt great to hold, and the front-door armrests were well-positioned. The front-seat cupholders were conveniently arranged, and the head-up display was easy to adjust for different drivers. The Escape offered up to 37.5 cubic feet of storage behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the second row folded, which was smaller than some competitors but sufficient for daily use. The rear-seat legroom was slightly less than many competitors, but the back seat's headroom and the front-seat backs' padding maximized space for tall passengers.

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 featured an elegant dash design with an infotainment screen nestled into the dash, controlled by a rotary dial/joystick and toggle buttons. This setup, inspired by luxury-car infotainment systems like BMW's iDrive, lacked touch functionality, making it difficult to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Navigating between presets and getting out of Apple CarPlay was cumbersome, and the system remained challenging even after spending time learning it.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 technology. Lower trims had an 8-inch touchscreen, while higher trims, including the ST-Line Elite, featured a 13.2-inch screen. Sync 4 was well-organized with individual tiles for navigation, music, and Bluetooth pairing. The static "Home" button made it easy to navigate between applications. However, Sync 4 was a bit slow to respond, and the volume knob's placement on the far-right side was inconvenient. Despite these minor annoyances, Sync 4's feature set, layout, and ease of use were impressive.

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 came with standard driver-assistance features, including forward collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, rain-sensing wipers, and adaptive cruise control. The Turbo Premium Plus model added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic-sign recognition, front-and-rear parking sensors, and reverse automatic emergency braking. The adaptive front headlights and 360-degree parking camera were helpful features. The CX-30 earned five stars from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ award from IIHS.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from NHTSA but did not earn a Top Safety Pick designation from IIHS due to a Marginal score in the updated side-impact test. The Escape came with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, lane-centering technology, and a surround-view camera.