2023 Honda CR-V vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2023 Honda CR-V showcased a straightforward and polished aesthetic. The sixth-generation model featured a blunt nose, an elongated hood, and a stretched wheelbase, giving it a cleaner yet slightly more assertive look than its predecessor. Honda's designers opted for a more conservative approach, which promised longevity in styling appeal. Both the CR-V EX and CR-V EX-L came with 18-inch alloy wheels in a multi-spoke design and tinted rear privacy glass, presenting a unified exterior look.

Inside, the CR-V EX-L got a luxurious upgrade with leather-wrapped seats, steering wheel, and shift knob, whereas the EX was furnished with standard cloth upholstery. Both trims sported a dashboard echoing the latest Civic's layout, complete with a metal mesh trim integrating the air vents. This design element separated the upper and lower dashboard areas. Interior quality and simplicity shone through, with both trims boasting a digital instrumentation display. The EX-L trim further impressed with a larger touchscreen infotainment system, additional features, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a power rear liftgate. The EX-L also included front and rear parking sensors. Starting prices ranged from $31,110 for the CR-V EX FWD to $35,260 for the CR-V EX-L AWD, plus a $1,245 destination charge.

Conversely, the 2023 Ford Escape moved towards a more European design language, steering away from the rugged, boxy aesthetic prevalent in earlier models. The 2023 refresh replaced the previously criticized cartoonish grille with a more traditional front-end featuring a Ford blue oval logo and a stylish LED light bar. The top-trim ST-Line Elite variant, which we tested, came with 19-inch wheels, body-color mirror caps, and wheel-arch cladding, enhancing its upscale look reminiscent of a Mazda CX-5.

Inside, the ST-Line Elite variant boasted diamond-stitched leather upholstery. However, the seats felt hard and plasticky, lacking the warmth and softness of premium leather, though they were deemed comfortable for long drives. The 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat was easy to customize, but the interior featured a significant amount of plastic. While some areas like the center console had a decent texture, most aspects felt scratchy. Overall, the Escape looked more upscale than rugged, suitable for those seeking a refined, modern appearance.

For 2023, the Honda CR-V EX and EX-L models retained the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the previous generation. This engine produced 190 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 179 pound-feet of torque between 1,700 and 5,000 rpm, offering ample power for a compact SUV. However, it paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), which, during hard acceleration, could make a noticeable and unpleasant droning sound. Despite this downside, the CR-V excelled in ride and handling, featuring finely tuned suspension, steering, and brakes. It maintained composure over broken pavement and spirited drives on twisty roads. Remarkably, it managed impressive fuel economy, achieving an average of 29.1 mpg on a mountainous Southern California route, slightly above the EPA’s estimate of 29 mpg for combined driving.

In contrast, the 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options. The entry-level engine was a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, delivering 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission, available with FWD or AWD. Higher trims like the ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite came with a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD. This engine configuration provided robust acceleration and higher-speed passing capabilities, though the Escape was never intended to be a performance crossover. Its suspension remained soft for comfort, and the absence of paddle shifters limited driver engagement in Sport mode.

Ford’s engineers delivered commendable braking performance with predictable and linear stopping power. The Escape’s soft suspension cushioned rides over pothole-ridden streets, and the steering, though somewhat vague, was well weighted. Ford avoided over-boosting the electric steering, which can cause twitchiness, a common issue in the segment.

Honda touted the 2023 CR-V as its roomiest model yet, although the low driving position felt more car-like than SUV-like. Visibility from the 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat was excellent, and the redesigned seats were comfortable. The second row felt even roomier, with ample legroom and a high seating position, making it feel almost like a midsize SUV. Taller passengers might find headroom slightly limited, but adjustable seatback recline positions compensated for it.

Storage was also a strength of the CR-V. The spacious bin under the center armrest outmatched competitors, while various door trays and a forward tray with an optional wireless charging pad added convenience, albeit with hard plastic lining that could cause noise. The cargo area was easily accessible via the power liftgate. It provided 39.3 cubic feet of space with the rear load floor in its lowest position, expandable to 76.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, featuring storage trays and grocery bag hooks for added utility.

The Ford Escape, meanwhile, was commended for its comfort, featuring soft and supportive seats with excellent ergonomics. The steering wheel, though visually understated, was comfortable to hold, and the armrests were well-positioned. The front-seat cupholders were conveniently arranged, and our test vehicle’s head-up display was praised for its adjustability.

In terms of cargo capacity, the Escape fell short of the CR-V and several other competitors. It offered up to 37.5 cubic feet of storage behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the seats folded, which was substantial but didn’t match the CR-V’s capacity. Rear legroom was slightly less than that of many competitors, though headroom was ample, and the front seatbacks were designed to maximize rear passenger comfort.

The 2023 Honda CR-V came standard with a 7-inch digital instrumentation panel and a corresponding 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the EX trim. This system boasted user-friendly stereo volume and tuning knobs, clearly marked main function buttons, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration. The EX-L trim upgraded to a 9-inch touchscreen with additional features like wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, SiriusXM radio, wireless charging, and an eight-speaker sound system. A few premium features such as the Bose sound system, HondaLink services, and navigation with real-time traffic were reserved for the top Sport Touring Hybrid model.

Despite lacking some high-end tech, the CR-V’s infotainment system was significantly improved over previous generations, aligning it closely with competitors. However, the EX-L lacked features like a dedicated tuning knob on the larger display, and overall, Honda didn’t innovate beyond equipping the CR-V with standard tech expectations.

Ford’s 2023 Escape impressed with its Sync 4 system. Lower trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen, while upper trims like the ST-Line Elite and Platinum boasted a 13.2-inch screen. This larger display dominated the interior and was well-organized with individual tiles for navigation, music, and Bluetooth pairing. Navigation was user-friendly, easy to toggle between various functions, and included a static “Home” button for quick menu access. While Sync 4 experienced some lag and inconvenient volume knob placement, its overall feature set, layout, and ease of use were highly commendable, surpassing the CR-V in some aspects.

The 2023 Honda CR-V saw significant improvements in its driver-assist systems under the Honda Sensing suite. Standard features included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. New additions featured a seatbelt reminder system, rear-seat reminder system, driver monitoring system, and traffic sign recognition. A new Traffic Jam Assist system combined adaptive cruise control and lane-centering for better low-speed assist.

While the new tech met industry standards, there was room for improvement—especially in lane-centering assist, which occasionally struggled with highway lane changes. This affected the otherwise stellar steering performance. The CR-V’s structure, built to Honda’s ACE body standards and featuring new airbag designs, aimed to maximize occupant protection, though NHTSA and IIHS crash tests were pending due to the redesign.

The 2023 Ford Escape earned an impressive five-star overall NHTSA rating, including high marks in frontal and side-impact tests and a slightly lower rollover rating. However, the IIHS did not grant it a Top Safety Pick status, mainly due to a Marginal rating in updated side-impact tests, although it scored “Good” in other categories.

All 2023 Escapes included Ford’s Co-Pilot360 suite, with standard features like 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 advanced features like adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, lane-centering, and a surround-view camera, enhancing the Escape’s safety profile.