Your Next Crossover: The 2024 Ford Escape or the 2024 Chevy Equinox?

In the fast pace of the expanding crossover market, you can expect to see the 2024 Ford Escape vs 2024 Chevy Equinox and wonder which ride is right for you. It’s tough to tell by just looking at them, considering both are athletic little crossover SUVs that do their job well. They’re packed with advanced features and new tech and have a solid reputation to back up the hype. Choosing between the two isn’t a decision to be taken lightly.

As the automotive market expands with new models consistently being released, drivers are presented with an array of choices that all look like they might be good at first glance. From the city streets to bumpy backgrounds, many of today’s smaller SUVs and crossovers are engineered to fit a diverse number of lifestyles. But in this market, the 2024 Ford Escape and its rival, the 2024 Chevy Equinox, stand as best-selling examples of the crossover done right, designed to meet the demands and comfort of the contemporary driver. That can make your choice a little more challenging and something that might take some homework to ensure you get the right ride for your needs.

Whether you’re searching for a daily commuter, a safe vehicle for your new family, or an efficient road tripper, both the Escape and the Equinox make compelling choices. We’re here to help you avoid buyer’s remorse and get into a crossover that checks all the right boxes for your style needs and driving tastes. Dive in with us as we explore the pros and cons, the engines and performance, and the comfort, tech, and convenience of each model to see which one offers the best value for the price tag.

Power and Performance Capabilities

The Ford 2024 Escape has extensive choices when it comes to what you want under your hood. You get the option of three engines to ensure your ride exceeds your expectations. The standard 1.5 EcoBoost is paired with stop-start technology, and a lightweight design increases fuel economy while helping cut back on emissions. If you’re an urban dweller, this is an especially important feature to have on your list when you’re considering a new model. The Escape can also be had with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine that can turbocharge your daily drive with additional horsepower and torque.

Moving on from the gas engine options, we have the hybrid options. The first is a 2.5L I-4 hybrid engine that is paired with a battery for increased efficiency. Regenerative braking technology helps power up your battery every time you brake, capturing kinetic energy and storing it for later use. You can get up to 42 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway with this impressive hybrid engine.

The Escape’s last option is the PHEV or plug-in hybrid engine. This increases the Escape’s range even further while boosting the horsepower to 210 hp. Multiple levels of charging make it convenient to plug in at home or on the go. This option also offers the most efficiency, delivering a combined 39 MPG or an EPA-estimated all-electric range of 37 miles on a full charge.

When it comes to the 2024 Chevy Equinox, there is a single option this year. The 1.5L turbocharged engine is standard across all trims, giving drivers limited choices regarding performance potential. Both the Escape and the Equinox have nearly the same fuel economy when you compare their standard engines. When paired with the standard 1.5L EcoBoost, the Ford Escape can deliver 27 MPG in the city and 34 MPG on the highway, while the Chevy Equinox gives you 26 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the /highway. Both ratings are based on models with front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive will cause these numbers to dip.

While the Chevy Equinox boasts switchable AWD, the Ford Escape impresses with four selectable driving modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, and Slippery. This helps the Escape stay flexible when road conditions are less than optimal. The Ford Escape easily wins against the Equinox when it comes to performance capabilities and engine options. We also love the choice of Escape hybrids to give up even more savings.

Cargo Space and Versatility

Before we look at things like comfort and tech, it’s essential that you get a crossover that can seat everyone comfortably while leaving plenty of space for extras. Both the Escape and the Equinox are considered small crossover SUVs, so each model can seat up to five across the front and second rows. Despite their similar-sized appearance, the Ford Escape has several inches on the Equinox when it comes to things like legroom and cargo space. While the Escape boasts 42.4 inches of front legroom, the Equinox comes up at 40.9 inches. That might not seem like much of a difference, but if you’re tall, you’ll appreciate those two extra inches.

What’s more, the Escape features sliding second-row seating for taller passengers in need of legroom. The second-row seats can slide back to provide an additional 5.9 inches of legroom. They can also be folded flat for drivers who need cargo space. The Chevy Equinox doesn’t have the sliding second row but does offer split 60/40 seating to help keep things flexible. It also features a hidden floor cargo hold for additional storage.

The Ford Escape also offers more overall cargo space than the Equinox, which means more versatility. With the Escape, you get 65.4 cu.ft. versus the Equinox, which offers 63.9 cu.ft. That might not seem like a huge difference until you need that little extra space for gear or a slightly larger piece of luggage.

The Escape helps you make the most of your space, thanks to its design. The low floor and wide hatch make accessing your rear cargo hold easier than ever. Both the Escape and the Equinox feature standard manual liftgates that can be upgraded with available power liftgates for extra convenience. So, where do we stand? We love the Escape’s roomy cabin that keeps things flexible with expansive cargo space, sliding seats, and low floor design.

Interior Comfort and Technology

One field you don’t want to ignore after all the practicalities of performance and convenience have been checked is what levels of comfort and technology your vehicle can offer you. What good is a ride if you get a backache and can’t figure out how to work the infotainment system?

The Ford Escape keeps things simple with a streamlined dash and intuitive technology. The standard cloth seating is durable and great for families on the go or for commuting and carpooling. The seating overall is noted as being cushioned and supportive. Coming standard is an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat that can be upgraded with an available 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat plus an optional heated and ventilated seating paired with a heated steering wheel.

The Equinox also comes standard with cloth seating and a four-way manually adjustable driver’s seat. This is a noteworthy step down from the standard Escape driver’s seat. Drivers can upgrade with an available eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat plus the heated and ventilated seating feature. The Escape offers a great range of standard features to make even the base level feel more upscale. It comes with an 8-inch touchscreen and an 8-inch digital instrument cluster. Drivers will enjoy Bluetooth technology, wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, plus a Wi-Fi hotspot.

While the Equinox also offers these features, it has a smaller standard screen. Drivers will be downgraded to 7 inches versus the Escape’s standard 8-inch screen. When you’re checking the navigation directions, most times, it’s the bigger the better, so we appreciate the slightly larger Escape’s infotainment screen.

If you want to get the most options and bang for your buck the Escape offers multiple upgrades like a huge available 13.2-inch touchscreen (the 2024 Equinox currently only goes as big as 8 inches), plus wireless charging, an upgrade from a standard 6-speaker audio system to a deluxe 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, plus ambient lighting feature, and lots lots more.

The Equinox is somewhat more conservative when it comes to available upgrades like the smaller available 8-inch screen and 4.2-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charging, seven-speaker Bose premium stereo, and no ambient lighting to speak of. Whether you are comparing the standard features or available extras, the Escape easily surpasses the Equinox.

Which Crossover Hits All the Right Marks?

The Escape wins all three areas of comparison when pitted against the Equinox. At first, we weren’t sure, considering that Escape has a slightly higher starting price of $29,495 compared to Equinox’s MSRP of $26,600, but Escape definitely gives drivers a lot of value for the price.^[a] And options? The Escapes makes it easy to custom tailor your ride to meet your needs and style preferences.

We love the Escape’s practical nature that keeps things flexible with multiple engine choices, drive mode selection, and ample cargo space. Its technology and comfort excel at offering an intuitive experience that makes it easy to connect with your Escape for a seamless, personalized drive without the headache. Maybe a little competition will encourage the Equinox to step up its game next year, but for 2024 the Ford Escape is our pick for a small SUV crossover that is ready to tackle whatever your day throws at it, plus have a good time doing it.

^[a] MSRP may change without notice. See dealer for complete details.