2020 Ford Escape vs 2021 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Ford Escape presented itself as an attractive compact crossover, borrowing design elements from the Ford GT supercar, such as its large grille and inspired headlights. Its curvaceous design marked a departure from the more upright rear end of its predecessor, which came at the cost of some cargo space. Despite this, the Escape remained one of the best-looking small SUVs, trailing only behind the Mazda CX-5 and Jeep Cherokee. Inside, the Escape boasted a modern cabin with a digital instrument panel and a floating infotainment screen, maintaining a balance between futuristic design and practical control placement.

In contrast, the 2021 Honda CR-V's exterior styling was more conventional, blending in with other compact crossovers. While it featured a few distinguishing details like its grille and chromed plastic accents, the CR-V was not a vehicle purchased for its looks. It offered a limited colour palette, with most options being shades of grey, black, or white. Inside, the CR-V provided a modern look with angular seat designs and upscale touches like wood panels and chrome, especially in higher trims. However, it faced stiff competition from rivals like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, which offered more distinctive styling.

The 2020 Ford Escape stood out with its diverse engine lineup, offering four options, including a new three-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. This engine was standard in the S, SE, and SEL trims. The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, available on the SEL and standard on the Titanium, delivered 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, providing brisk acceleration. The Escape also offered hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, with the hybrid producing 198 horsepower. The conventional engines used an 8-speed automatic transmission, while the hybrids employed a CVT. The Escape's steering was direct and taut, offering an athletic feel, and its brakes were strong and responsive. The hybrid version was the most fuel-efficient, with consumption figures of 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 6.3 on the highway with FWD.

The 2021 Honda CR-V, on the other hand, offered a single powertrain across all trims: a 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder engine with 190 horsepower. It achieved 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in about 8 seconds, which was competitive within its class. The CR-V's CVT maintained the engine's revs at a constant level, providing smooth acceleration but lacking engagement. The CR-V came standard with FWD, with AWD as an option on the LX and standard on other trims. Its suspension setup was typical for the class, with a MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear, offering decent handling and ride quality.

The 2020 Ford Escape's sleek design resulted in reduced cargo space compared to its predecessor, offering 974 litres behind the second row and up to 1,852 litres with the seats folded. This was less than competitors like the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Volkswagen Tiguan, which offered around 2,100 litres. However, the Escape prioritized passenger space, providing ample headroom and legroom for second-row passengers and a commanding seating position for the driver. It also featured numerous storage solutions, including deep water-bottle holders and multiple compartments.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in interior space, offering more than 100 litres more volume than the Toyota RAV4. It provided 1,065 litres of cargo space with the rear seats folded, accommodating plenty of luggage. Access to the cargo area varied by trim, with the LX featuring a manual tailgate, the Sport offering a power tailgate, and the Touring including a hands-free version. Most CR-V trims came with standard roof rails, enhancing its practicality for carrying additional gear.

The 2020 Ford Escape's base trim featured a small 4.2-inch audio control screen, while the SE trim upgraded to an 8-inch Sync touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Titanium trim included a head-up display, although its flip-up screen design limited its effectiveness for taller drivers. The latest Sync version allowed for multitasking, enhancing the user experience.

In contrast, the 2021 Honda CR-V came standard with a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system, offering Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto connectivity. Lower trims had varying audio setups, while the Touring trim featured a 300-watt system with a subwoofer. The CR-V also included multiple charging ports throughout the cabin, with the Touring trim adding a wireless phone charger.

The 2020 Ford Escape came equipped with a comprehensive array of safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, traction control, and TPMS. It earned a "Good" rating from the IIHS in all phases of testing. The Escape also featured Ford Co-Pilot360, a suite of advanced safety systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in safety, earning a five-star NHTSA overall crash test rating and an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It featured the Honda Sensing system, which included a multi-angle rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and auto high-beam headlamps. The only feature not standard on the base LX trim was blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.