2023 Ford Escape vs 2023 Volvo XC90

The 2023 Volvo XC90 marked a significant departure from the brand's past, where vehicles were often likened to rolling bricks. The XC90 presented a purposeful yet understated design, with a stout front end and an assertive grille that avoided being overly flashy. Its recognizable "Thor’s Hammer" headlights added a modern touch absent in earlier models. The XC90 maintained a rectilinear shape but had evolved far beyond the toaster-like aesthetics of its predecessors. The test vehicle, an AWD Ultimate trim, featured 21-inch wheels and a Platinum Gray paint with rich undertones, enhancing its elegant appearance. Inside, the XC90 boasted a minimalist yet luxurious interior, with two-tone leather steering, metal Bowers and Wilkins speaker covers, and Nappa leather upholstery. The cabin's clean look was complemented by wood deco inlays, though the minimalist design meant fewer physical controls.

The 2023 Ford Escape embraced a more European design language, moving away from the blocky aesthetics of its earlier generations. A 2023 refresh introduced a traditional front end with a Ford blue oval logo and a stylish LED light bar. The Escape offered various trim levels, with the ST-Line Elite being the top-tier option. Despite not being an off-road-ready SUV, the Escape's sleek design, 19-inch wheels, and body-color accents gave it an upscale appearance. Inside, the ST-Line Elite featured diamond-stitched leather upholstery, which, while visually appealing, felt hard and plasticky. The seats were comfortable, and the 10-way power adjustable driver's seat allowed for easy customization. However, the interior was dominated by plastic materials, some of which felt scratchy and poorly reinforced.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 introduced new B5 and B6 engines, replacing the older T5 and T6 powertrains. These new engines incorporated mild-hybrid technology, offering improved fuel efficiency and smoother operation. The B5 engine, with a turbocharger and 48-volt mild-hybrid system, produced 247 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The B6 powertrain, similar to the T6, combined a supercharger and turbo with mild-hybrid tech, delivering 295 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. While not full hybrids, these powertrains provided advantages over regular gas engines, such as imperceptible auto stop-start technology. The XC90 offered a reserved yet enjoyable driving experience, with quick acceleration and a responsive eight-speed automatic transmission. Its large wheels and thin tires minimized body roll, and the brakes inspired confidence with a solid pedal feel. The XC90 lacked extensive off-road features, focusing instead on simplicity and ease of use.

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 AWD. Despite its impressive output, the Escape was not a performance crossover, with a soft suspension and no performance tuning in the transmission. The brakes offered predictable stopping power, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness seen in some competitors. The Escape's suspension excelled on rough roads, providing a comfortable ride.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 offered a peaceful and pleasant front-seat experience, though its Scandinavian minimalism led to some storage frustrations. The lack of dedicated space for smaller items, such as cell phones, was notable. The second row was comfortable and spacious, but accessing the third row was challenging, especially with the standard seven-passenger seating. Removing the middle seat for captain's chairs required an upgrade to the B6 engine and an additional cost. The XC90 provided 12.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row in place, expanding to 41.8 cubic feet with the seats folded, and a maximum of 65.5 cubic feet. This fell short compared to competitors like the Audi Q7 and Acura MDX. Despite its smaller size, the XC90 drove like a smaller car, offering a nimble experience.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with comfortable seats and excellent ergonomics. The steering wheel felt great to hold, and the armrests were well-positioned. The test vehicle featured a head-up display, easily adjustable for different drivers. However, the Escape lagged behind segment leaders in cargo space, offering up to 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the seats folded. It was comparable to the Chevrolet Equinox and Mazda CX-5 but couldn't match the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. Passenger space was slightly less than competitors, though the back seat offered good headroom and soft, scalloped front-seat backs for tall passengers.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 featured a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment display running Google OS, the first standard infotainment system of its kind. Google Maps, Spotify, NPR, and Google Assistant were standard features, with natural-language recognition enhancing the user experience. Owners could issue commands via Google Home devices. However, many functions were buried within the touchscreen interface, leading to frustration. The minimalist design meant fewer physical buttons, requiring screen interaction for tasks like adjusting the driver's seat or turning on the heated steering wheel. While these quirks might fade with regular use, they could be challenging during a test drive.

The 2023 Ford Escape boasted Sync 4 technology, with an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 13.2-inch screen standard on higher trims. The larger screen enhanced the cabin's look and offered a well-organized interface with tiles for navigation, music, and Bluetooth pairing. The system was easy to navigate, with a static "Home" button for quick access. However, Sync 4 was occasionally slow to respond, and the volume knob's placement was inconvenient. Despite these minor annoyances, the feature set and layout were impressive.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 continued Volvo's legacy of safety, earning a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and Pilot Assist technology, which maintained distance from other vehicles and supported semi-autonomous driving. These features contributed to the XC90's reputation as one of the safest vehicles on the road.

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