2020 Ford Escape vs 2021 Subaru Outback

The 2020 Ford Escape was a striking compact crossover, boasting a large grille reminiscent of the 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, 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 controls. The Escape was available in four trims: S, SE, SEL, and Titanium, each offering a range of features from basic to luxurious, with the SE trim recommended for its value.

The 2021 Subaru Outback, redesigned for the 2020 model year, retained a familiar and comfortable feel, akin to older Subaru models. Its interior was fresh, especially in trims above the base, which featured a dual 7-inch touchscreen setup. Higher trims boasted an 11.6-inch portrait display, surrounded by polished black plastic and chrome trim. The Outback's quality was evident in its substantial window switches and surface materials, with higher trims offering two-tone leather upholstery. The Outdoor XT trim featured water-resistant synthetic upholstery with lime green stitching, adding a touch of flair. Externally, the Outback's styling was smooth and plain, with high gray cladding for protection. It offered a lifted wagon design, making it a unique alternative to typical crossovers and SUVs.

The 2020 Ford Escape offered a diverse range of four engine options, setting it apart from competitors. The base engine was a 1.5-litre three-cylinder, producing 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, standard on the S, SE, and SEL trims. A 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 2.0-litre turbo engine, paired with AWD, returned fuel efficiency figures of 10.4 litres per 100 kilometres city and 7.5 highway. The Escape's steering was direct and taut, offering an athletic feel, while the hybrid version was the most fuel-efficient.

In contrast, the 2021 Subaru Outback's base 2.5-litre boxer flat-four engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, struggled with the vehicle's weight, resulting in slow and noisy performance. The XT trims offered a 2.4-litre turbocharged engine with 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, significantly improving performance. The turbo XT's fuel efficiency was slightly lower than the base engine, at 10.1 litres per 100 kilometres city and 7.9 highway. The Outback excelled in ride comfort and off-road capability, with its high ground clearance and Subaru's legendary AWD system. The X-Mode feature enhanced its off-road prowess, making it more capable than many crossovers and SUVs.

The 2020 Ford Escape's sleek design resulted in reduced cargo space compared to its predecessor and rivals. It offered 974 litres of cargo space behind the second row and 1,852 litres with the rear seats folded, or 1,722 litres in upper trims. 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. The Escape featured numerous storage solutions, including deep water-bottle holders and multiple compartments.

The 2021 Subaru Outback, with its impressive ground clearance, offered 2,144 litres of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 920 litres with them raised. Its cargo area was wide and flat, free of intrusive elements. The Outback provided ample headroom and legroom in all seating positions, with excellent outward visibility. Storage was a strong point, with large map pockets, bottle holders, and handy pockets in the front centre console. However, some features like push-button start and rear console climate vents were not standard on lower trims. The Outback's standout feature was its standard roof rails with integrated crossbars, offering convenience and cost savings.

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 Sync system was praised for its functionality, allowing multitasking with Apple CarPlay.

The 2021 Subaru Outback's infotainment system appeared dated, with graphics reminiscent of older technology. However, it offered modern features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and forward automatic emergency braking through Subaru EyeSight. The system's user interface was less intuitive, but the single large screen was more cohesive than the base model's dual-screen setup. Standard features included SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, with optional navigation available.

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

The 2021 Subaru Outback boasted a stronger and stiffer chassis, with standard driver’s knee and passenger seat-cushion airbags. It was a 2020 IIHS "Top Safety Pick+," earning top ratings in crash tests and for its forward emergency braking. The NHTSA awarded the Outback an overall five-star rating, with four stars for the front passenger in a frontal crash and rollover test. Safety features like blind-spot monitoring and reverse automatic braking were standard from the Touring trim.