2023 Ford Escape vs 2024 Mazda CX-5

The 2023 Ford Escape showcased a departure from its earlier, more rugged design, embracing a European-inspired aesthetic. This model featured a refreshed front end with a traditional grille and a stylish LED light bar, giving it a more upscale appearance. Despite its sleek design, the Escape maintained a compact size, making it one of the smallest vehicles in Ford's SUV lineup. The ST-Line Elite trim, which was tested, boasted 19-inch wheels and body-colour mirror caps, enhancing its sophisticated look. Inside, the Escape offered diamond-stitched leather upholstery, though it felt somewhat hard and plasticky. The interior was a mix of comfort and practicality, with comfortable seats and a well-designed driver's seat, but it was marred by an abundance of scratchy plastic materials.

The 2024 Mazda CX-5 retained its classic design, which had aged gracefully since its second-generation debut in 2017. The new Suna trim, tested in the U.S., featured exclusive Zircon Sand paint and Terracotta leather seats with black artificial suede inserts. Mazda made subtle improvements to the CX-5, including enhanced fuel economy for the base engine and the addition of wireless charging and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. The CX-5's interior exuded a premium feel, with upgraded materials and a focus on comfort. The cabin's design and quality elevated it above many mass-market rivals, offering a luxurious experience at a mainstream price.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered a range of powertrain options, including a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque. This engine could be paired with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, providing competitive performance within its segment. The ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims featured a more powerful 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with all-wheel drive. While the Escape's suspension was soft and compliant, making it comfortable for everyday driving, it lacked the precision of a performance crossover. The brakes offered predictable stopping power, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness seen in some competitors.

The 2024 Mazda CX-5 Turbo, when fueled with premium gas, delivered 256 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, while regular gas provided 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet. The powertrain was more rewarding with a gradual acceleration approach, allowing the torque to build smoothly. However, the CX-5 Turbo was not particularly fuel-efficient, with a combined rating of 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres. The CX-5's driving experience was characterized by excellent outward visibility, a smooth ride, and responsive handling. Mazda's G-Vectoring Control Plus technology enhanced cornering, and the CX-5's suspension improvements contributed to a sophisticated driving experience. The CX-5 also offered a quiet cabin on highways and lively handling in city driving.

The 2023 Ford Escape provided a comfortable driving experience with supportive seats and excellent ergonomics. The interior featured a head-up display and well-positioned armrests, enhancing driver comfort. However, the Escape fell short in cargo space, offering up to 1,061 litres behind the second row and 1,851 litres with the seats folded, which was less than some competitors. Rear-seat legroom was slightly limited, but headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were designed to maximize space for rear passengers.

The 2024 Mazda CX-5 offered standard heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, with redesigned seats providing comfort and support. The driver’s seat had six-way power adjustment, and the rear seat offered good support and a proper sitting position. The CX-5's interior design and quality were impressive, resembling a luxury-branded vehicle. While the CX-5 was among the smaller models in its segment, it provided a comfortable experience for four adults. Cargo space was 871 litres behind the rear seat and 1,680 litres with the seats folded, which was less than most other compact crossovers.

The 2023 Ford Escape featured the Sync 4 infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a larger 13.2-inch screen on higher trims. The system was well-organized, with easy navigation between applications like Android Auto and the native navigation system. A wi-fi hotspot was available with a subscription, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system was optional on higher trims. While Sync 4 was intuitive, it was occasionally slow to respond, and the volume knob's placement was inconvenient.

The 2024 Mazda CX-5 eschewed touchscreens in favour of traditional switchgear for various controls. However, it allowed touchscreen operation of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto while driving. The 10.25-inch display was navigated using a large knob and surrounding buttons, offering a user-friendly experience. Mazda Connected Services provided remote engine starting and other features, while a 10-speaker Bose premium sound system was standard in the Suna trim, enhancing the SUV's premium interior.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in frontal- and side-crash tests and four stars in the rollover test. The IIHS did not grant it a Top Safety Pick designation due to a Marginal score in the updated side-impact test. The Escape came with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite of driver assist features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera.

The 2024 Mazda CX-5 was equipped with advanced driving assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and blind-spot monitoring. Higher trims offered adaptive headlights, a traffic sign recognition system, and a driver monitoring system. The CX-5 had previously earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, though it did not receive it in 2024. The NHTSA awarded the CX-5 five-star ratings, except for a four-star rollover resistance rating.