2020 Ford Escape vs 2021 Nissan Rogue

The 2020 Ford Escape was a striking compact crossover, boasting a large grille reminiscent of the outgoing Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks, with headlights inspired by the Ford GT supercar. Its design was more curvaceous than its predecessor, which came at the cost of some cargo space. Despite this, the Escape remained one of the most attractive small SUVs on the market, trailing only behind the Mazda CX-5 and Jeep Cherokee. Inside, the Escape featured 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 Nissan Rogue underwent a complete redesign, presenting a muscular and imposing presence. Its squared-off nose featured a deeper interpretation of Nissan’s V-Motion grille, flanked by standard LED headlamps and functional air vents. The exterior colour palette was simplified, with two-tone options available on the Platinum grade. Inside, the Rogue offered a quieter cabin and a new shift-by-wire system, adding a large storage compartment. The rear doors opened to 85 degrees, improving access, and the interior featured standard heated front seats and a steering wheel, with additional features available on higher trims.

The 2020 Ford Escape offered a diverse range of powertrains, including a new three-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, standard in the S, SE, and SEL trims. A turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, available on the SEL and standard on the Titanium, delivered 250 horsepower and 275 lb-ft 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, with strong brakes contributing to its sporty feel. The hybrid version was the most fuel-efficient, with consumption figures of 5.4 L/100 km city and 6.3 highway with FWD.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured a new 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, an improvement over the previous generation. The engine was well-matched to the Rogue’s weight, and the CVT was less droning than expected. The Rogue did not offer alternate powertrains, focusing instead on fully battery-powered releases. Fuel efficiency was respectable, with the FWD model consuming 8.9 L/100 km city and 7.0 highway. The Rogue's handling improved significantly, with a 27% increase in torsional rigidity and a revamped suspension system, providing a stable and planted road feel.

The 2020 Ford Escape's sleeker design resulted in reduced cargo space, offering 974 litres behind the second row and up to 1,852 litres with the seats folded. Despite this, the Escape prioritized passenger space, providing ample headroom and legroom for second-row passengers. The front seats offered commanding positions with good visibility, and the cabin featured numerous storage solutions, including deep water-bottle holders and multiple compartments.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue excelled in functional updates, with a quieter cabin and a new shift-by-wire system creating additional storage space. The rear doors opened wider, improving access, and the second-row headroom was increased. Standard features included heated front seats and a steering wheel, with additional amenities available on higher trims. The Rogue's cargo space was generous, offering 1,028 litres with the seats upright and 2,064 litres with them folded. The redesigned Divide and Hide cargo system allowed for a 5 cm floor height adjustment and included a rail system for separating cargo.

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, though its flip-up screen design limited its effectiveness for taller drivers. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with the latest version of Sync offering multitasking capabilities.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The SV grade added an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot and additional USB ports. The Platinum grade increased the screen size to 9 inches, introduced wireless phone charging, and included a 10.8-inch head-up display. The Bose 10-speaker audio system was a notable upgrade, though the digital instrument cluster's graphics were difficult to read at a glance.

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

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured the Safety Shield 360 suite as standard, including forward emergency braking, rear emergency braking, blind-spot warning, and lane departure warning. The SV model introduced ProPILOT Assist, a hands-on highway driving assist feature. The Rogue received a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS and a four-star safety rating from the NHTSA, with improvements made to later versions following initial testing.