Starting at
Starting at
| 27 / 33 MPG | Fuel Economy | 26 / 31 MPG |
| 180 - 250 HP | Horsepower | 170 - 252 HP |
| 3,500 LBS | Towing Capacity | 3,500 LBS |
Automakers across the industry are developing their own version of the compact SUV, and at the front of the pack is Ford. Ford has been in the SUV game since the beginning, developing vehicles that master utility and power. The compact SUV is a different beast entirely, hoping to combine the fuel conserving benefits and ease of handling like a compact car, with the performance prowess and plentiful interior space of an SUV. Ford has managed to find this intricate balance with the release of the 2020 Ford Escape, a compact SUV that does an excellent job of delivering a driving experience that is simply remarkable inside and out. Although it wouldn’t be fair to examine the Ford Escape in a vacuum, and so we’ve put the industry’s favorite compact SUV against its leading competitor the 2020 Chevy Equinox. Both the 2020 Ford Escape vs 2020 Chevy Equinox are incredible vehicles, but only one is going to provide the kind of stellar power, fuel economy, and utility that makes for a great compact SUV.
Part of the challenge in developing a great compact SUV is finding a balance between superb engine power and fuel conservation. You’ll need plenty of horsepower and torque to heft even a compact SUV, and that all costs fuel. Fortunately, Ford has managed to find that blend, giving drivers the option between engines that prioritize fuel conservation, and more robust builds that expand upon the delivery of performance.
The 2020 Ford Escape is available in the S, SE, SEL, or Titanium, a bundle of trim options that provide some pretty impressive diversity across all lines. Packed into the S, SE, and SEL, you’ll likely find a 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine, which surprisingly enough has some serious kick, amounting to about 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft worth of torque. Coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive as standard, the baseline performance of the 2020 Ford Escape is commendable, especially when you consider that you’ll be getting around with an estimated 27 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.
All-wheel drive can be equipped to the Ford Escape, expanding upon the SUVs capabilities, even in the base model. That said, the 1.5L is far from the end of the line in terms of the Ford Escape’s degree of power. Spend a bit more cash, and you can upgrade to the Escape Titanium, which is equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost that’s estimated at 250 horsepower and 275 lb-ft worth of torque. The 8-speed automatic with this engine gets the job done, and Ford’s all-wheel drive option allows you to slip into different drive modes such as sport, slippery, snow/sand, and eco, all with seamless ease.
Towing capacity is another high point for the 2020 Ford Escape. Towing tends to be where other SUVs fall a little short, as with such a small size, it can be difficult to haul anything of considerable size. The 2020 Ford Escape solves this with the punchy 1.5L able to tow a max of 2,000 pounds, and the 2.0L getting a top towing capacity of 3,500 pounds.
To give the 2020 Ford Escape another point there is a hybrid powertrain to choose from, as well. The SE Sport and Titanium trims can be purchased with a hybrid motor. On the fuel side, the hybrid Ford Escape is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 engine and in terms of electric power, an electric motor, and a 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack for power storage. The combined force of fuel and electric results in a pretty substantial 198 horsepower. And the addition of an electric motor gives the Ford Escape some serious fuel economy.
The 2020 Chevy Equinox is arguably a comparable vehicle with performance that does a decent job but still falls a little short of what the 2020 Ford Escape can deliver. For starters, the 2020 Chevy Equinox is available in a decent spread of trim options, including the L, LS, LT, and Premier. Base models of the Chevy Equinox do get a turbocharged 1.5-liter Turbo four-cylinder engine, and you’ll only end up getting around 170 horsepower and 203 lb-ft worth of torque.
Front-wheel drive is standard, and the 6-speed automatic transmission is good enough, but you’ll have to spend a bit more cash to catch up to the 2020 Ford Escape. Unfortunately, even fuel economy falls rather short, as the highest mpg you can get is 31 on the highway.
Fortunately, the 2020 Chevy Equinox can be upgraded to house a larger turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that does a considerably better job, providing 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft worth of torque. The 9-speed automatic transmission does a solid job, too, and the option of an AWD drivetrain expands the Chevy Equinox’s capability and overall performance. At its best the 2020 Chevy Equinox can tow up to 3,500 pounds putting it in range of the 2020 Ford Escape.
While the 2020 Chevy Equinox does a decent job in terms of performance, the lower engine specs, and the lack of any hybrid options make for a good but not great driving experience. However, there is more to an SUV than just the engine humming beneath the hood.
At 180.5 inches long and a wheelbase of 106.7 inches, the 2020 Ford Escape is a bit larger than the previous model. This expansion of size really counts, amounting to about 40.7 inches of legroom in the rear seats. Cargo space is a pretty solid perk in the 2020 Ford Escape, with about 37.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 65.4 cubic feet when those seats are put down. While the Hybrid version does sacrifice some spacing for an electric battery, the measurements don’t change all that much.
Both front and rear seats are plenty comfortable and can be fitted with either cloth or leather upholstery. Base models come with a 4.2-inch LCD center screen, two USB ports, and an AM/FM radio. Although these baseline amenities can be upgraded to a staggering 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, complete with a 10-speaker audio system by B&O. Other incredible optional interior features include a hands-free power tailgate, a power front passenger seat, remote start, reverse parking sensors, ambient lighting, acoustic glass, and a 110-volt AC power outlet.
In the rear seats of the Chevy Equinox, passengers will find about 39.9 cubic inches of legroom. Cargo volume almost matches the Escape, but the Chevy Equinox falls quite a bit short totaling to 29.9 cubic feet when the rear seats are upright, and 63.9 cubic feet when those seats are folded down.
The 2020 Chevy Equinox has some solid basic interior amenities, including a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 4G-LTE hotspot is onboard as well at no extra cost to the buyer. The basic cloth upholstery gets the job done, and while many of these features can be upgraded, it doesn’t feel too necessary at first glance.
Ford packed their 2020 Escape SUV with a full package of safety features. At no extra cost to you, you can drive with peace of mind thanks to automatic emergency braking, active lane control, blind-spot monitors, and automatic high-beam headlights. What’s truly remarkable is that the automatic emergency braking system can slow the vehicle even while it's traveling up to 75 mph.
This package can be expanded upon to include additional features like adaptive cruise control, lane-centering control, a surround-view camera system, and a nifty head-up display.
The 2020 Chevy Equinox sports some comparable safety features, even going so far as to offer a similar standard safety package. In every model of the 2020 Chevy Equinox, you can enjoy seamless driving thanks to automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, automatic headlamps, a spiffy following distance indicator, and forward collision alerts. Adaptive cruise control is available in the safety package of the 2020 Chevy Equinox, as is rear-cross traffic alert, rear park assist, and lane change alerts with side blind zone alerts.
To us, your dealership experience should be tailored to what you’re looking for. We don’t believe in the cookie-cutter experience and will design our services to earn your complete satisfaction. At DePaula Ford, we strive to be your premier automotive provider, from the variety of Ford brand vehicles that fill our showroom to the comprehensive maintenance services that we extend to each of our customers, whether they drive a Ford brand car or not.
We’re also home to dealers who have a wealth of knowledge from all corners of the automotive world, and better yet, we’re always willing to share that knowledge with our customers. At DePaula Ford, we believe that part of what makes a great dealership great is to treat your customers like friends or even family. We develop long-term relationships with our customers, giving them services that extend past the point of purchasing a vehicle. DePaula Ford is your one-stop automotive shop, and we’ll provide you with a dealership experience that you simply will not forget. Visit us in Albany, NY, today!
*Images, fuel economy, and other stats, may reflect higher trim levels, options, or features that may result in a higher cost from the starting MSRP.
MSRP excludes tax, license, registration, additional options, and possible destination charges. Dealers set own prices.
