2020 Ford Escape vs 2021 Toyota Venza

In case you didn’t hear, Ford came out with an electric crossover, calling it the Mustang Mach-E. Ford could have called it something else, but the marketing department decided to leverage the famous Mustang name to capture headlines and, hopefully, shoppers. What should not be overlooked is the fact Ford chose to make its first-ever standalone electric vehicle a crossover.

This choice is a testament to how far the sport utility vehicle has come. Paired with Ford's decision to phase out sedans and hatchbacks, it's clear the company is putting all of its eggs into its trucks, SUVs, and crossovers. Suffice it to say, there is just a bit of pressure on the redesigned 2020 Ford Escape.

While the Escape has been around since 2000, it came into its own in 2013 when the “One Ford” philosophy was adopted, meaning that vehicles would be sold in multiple markets around the globe. As a result, the U.S. got Europe’s Ford Kuga, rebranded as the Escape—a high-tech, handsome, and surprisingly athletic small SUV.

So, with all this mind, the new Escape needs to not only be an improvement over the previous generation to compete against the rest of the compact crossover segment, it also needs to win over would-be sedan and hatchback customers. Can the 2020 Escape rise to the occasion?

At first glance, the 2021 Toyota Venza looks more like a Lexus than a typical Toyota, which is fitting, because the Venza is anything but typical. The new Venza blends a new approach to in-car technology with fresh exterior and interior design.

Like the Nissan Murano, Honda Passport, Ford Edge, and Chevrolet Blazer, the 2021 Venza is a two-row SUV meant to be more sophisticated than the family-friendly Nissan Rogue, Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox, and Toyota RAV4. There is no three-row Venza option.

It also comes only with a hybrid powertrain—for better or worse—something that its competition is lacking. All-wheel drive is also standard.

The Venza’s $38,490 Canadian starting price is slightly higher than the Murano and Blazer, but it comes with the traditionally more expensive hybrid powertrain. Is the hybrid worth shelling out a little more for in a new vehicle?