2023 Jeep Compass vs 2024 Ford Escape

The 2023 Jeep Compass presented a more refined and upscale appearance compared to its rugged predecessors. It shared design elements with the larger Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, and Wagoneer families, featuring a sophisticated look with new 17-inch wheel designs for the Sport and Latitude models, and gloss black wheels for the Trailhawk. The Compass was available in five core trim levels, including the Sport, Latitude, Latitude Lux, Limited, and Trailhawk, along with special editions like the Altitude, Red, and High Altitude. The Limited trim, with its Granite Crystal paint and optional 19-inch wheels, resembled a scaled-down Grand Cherokee, offering a two-tone black and gray cabin with caramel accents, digital displays, and metallic trim.

In contrast, the 2024 Ford Escape underwent a significant restyling in 2023, which carried over into the 2024 model, giving it a more aggressive front-end look. The Escape was available in Active, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, ST-Line Elite, Platinum, and Plug-in Hybrid trims, with prices ranging from $29,345 to $40,500. The ST-Line Elite trim featured Rapid Red paint, black 19-inch wheels, and a Panoramic Vista Roof. Inside, the Escape's interior initially appeared upscale with diamond-stitched, perforated leather, but the glossy surfaces and stiff upholstery detracted from the overall feel. The Escape's design updates made it more appealing, but the interior quality left room for improvement.

The 2023 Jeep Compass finally addressed its long-standing powertrain issues with a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 200 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard Jeep Active Drive AWD, offered improved performance. The Trailhawk version featured a Jeep Active Drive Low AWD system with a 20:1 crawl ratio, Rock driving mode, and enhanced off-road capabilities. Despite the improvements, the Compass's engine wasn't as powerful as it could be, prioritizing fuel economy with an EPA rating of 27 mpg in combined driving. The Compass provided a more enjoyable driving experience than previous models, but its tall and narrow design contributed to body motions on uneven surfaces.

The 2024 Ford Escape ST-Line Elite offered a choice between a 192-horsepower hybrid powertrain and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The turbo engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD, delivered quick acceleration and a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds. However, the ST-Line's ride was soft, and the handling felt disconnected, with sluggish steering. The turbo engine's potential was underutilized, and the Escape averaged 24.1 mpg, falling short of its 26 mpg EPA rating. The Escape's driving dynamics were comfortable for daily use but lacked the sporty feel suggested by the ST badge.

The 2023 Jeep Compass offered a spacious interior for adults in both rows, despite its narrow design. Standard features included an air filtration system and available dual-zone automatic climate control. Higher trims provided leather seats, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The rear seat offered adequate space, and the Compass provided 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Interior storage was limited, but a wireless smartphone charging pad was available.

The 2024 Ford Escape ST-Line featured a black interior with cloth inserts and artificial leather bolsters, accented by red stitching. Leather seats were optional but not recommended due to their uncomfortable feel. The Escape's front seats were large and supportive, with a height-adjustable passenger seat. The rear seat was comfortable when slid back, and the Escape offered 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 65.4 cubic feet. Interior storage was generous in the front, but rear passengers had fewer options.

The 2023 Jeep Compass came equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Uconnect 5 technology, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM services. Depending on the trim, it could include a 10.25-inch digital instrumentation panel, navigation, and a nine-speaker Alpine sound system. The Limited trim had all these features, with responsive Alexa Built-in technology and a parking assist system. The Alpine audio system was bass-heavy, and the surround-view camera was useful.

The 2024 Ford Escape featured digital instrumentation, with upper trims like the ST-Line Elite offering a 12.3-inch display. The 13.2-inch Sync 4 infotainment system was impressive, with a landscape format and intuitive layout. However, the color theme and thin fonts were challenging to read, and climate controls were integrated into the screen. Sync 4 included wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The Bang & Olufsen sound system was unavailable for testing due to damaged speakers. The Escape also had an optional head-up display and Active Park Assist 2.0, which worked well but was impractical in busy areas.

The 2023 Jeep Compass added a drowsy driver detection system and rear-seat reminder, with standard ADAS features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Upgrades included adaptive cruise control and Highway Assist, a semi-autonomous system. Highway Assist worked well on freeways but struggled in certain conditions. The Compass had incomplete crash-test ratings from NHTSA and IIHS, with the latter's requirements preventing a Top Safety Pick rating.

The 2024 Ford Escape included a post-collision automatic braking system and Ford Co-Pilot360, featuring forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. The ST-Line Elite added adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, and a 360-degree camera. Co-Pilot360 performed inconsistently on highways but was effective on freeways. The Escape received favorable NHTSA ratings, with five stars overall and a four-star rollover rating. IIHS ratings were pending, but the 2023 model had Good ratings except for a Marginal side-impact score.