Starting at
Starting at
| 280 lb-ft | Torque | 178 lb-ft |
| 3,500 lbs | Towing | 2,500 lbs |
| 27/34 | MPG city/hwy | 25/33 |
The world’s leading automakers continue to prove drivers can have their proverbial cake and eat it, too. How so? Many drivers value an SUV’s higher driving position and larger cabin, but they still want the efficiency and agility of a sedan. Compact SUVs give us the best of both worlds and rivals like the 2024 Ford Escape vs 2024 Kia Sportage showcase two distinct approaches.
The 2024 Escape and 2024 Sportage share the same class, making them comparable in many ways. Both models have smaller footprints that heighten their agility, offer seating for five, and are available as a hybrid or plug-in hybrid. The spacious cabins provide ample room for passengers and cargo, with integrated storage areas that can easily accommodate personal effects like sunglasses, charging cords, and other necessities. Ford and Kia also include plenty of standard connectivity, safety, and driver-assist technologies that improve your experience in the driver’s seat and add value to the vehicles.
So, how do the models differ? The answer is in the details. At first glance, the 2024 Escape and 2024 Sportage are vastly similar, but the details tell a different story and showcase Ford’s interest in giving drivers more for their money. The 2024 Escape is more engaging and responsive to drive, but that spirited driving demeanor won’t cost you at the pump. Instead, the Escape offers a better fuel economy than its Kia rival and a much higher towing capacity, enhancing its versatility. Here’s a closer look at those differences and several others that give the 2024 Ford Escape an undeniable advantage over the 2024 Sportage.
It’s easy to immediately look at the starting price of an SUV to gauge how it fits in your budget. However, comparing the 2024 Escape to the 2024 Sportage proves there’s another factor to consider—value or what you’re getting for your money. For example, the 2024 Sportage starts at $27,190, which seems to give it an obvious advantage over the 2024 Escape and its slightly higher starting price of $29,495. But what do you get in the Sportage for that lower price?[a]
The Sportage LX starts the 2024 lineup and is, as expected, a base model with minimal features, technologies, and luxuries. Its standard powertrain is a 2.5L inline-four that produces 187 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. Kia adds Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, and Rear Parking Sensors. The base trim also comes with an 8-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.
Alternatively, the 2024 Escape offers more overall value. For starters, its base powerplant produces 199 lb-ft of torque, making the SUV more engaging and responsive. It also features Ford’s intuitive SYNC 4 infotainment system on an 8-inch display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You’ll also enjoy a comprehensive suite of safety and driver-assist tools via the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, with many comparable features only available in top-tier trims in the Sportage lineup.
The Escape’s value continues to outshine the Sportage as you progress across the respective lineups. The Sportage EX adds SynTex seating with heated front seats and Dual-Zone Auto Climate Control, with the rest of the seven-trim lineup adding features that dramatically increase the Sportage’s once-affordable price tag. For example, the Sportage X-Line Prestige PHEV is significantly more expensive than the Escape Plug-In Hybrid, which boasts a stunning 13.2-inch touchscreen and plenty of premium features without forcing you to pay a premium.
Compact SUVs are naturally agile because of their smaller footprints, which makes them easy to maneuver in most conditions. Their compact sizes also make them more efficient. Automakers can tap into that efficiency and heighten an SUV’s efficiency with the right powertrain. We see this firsthand when comparing the 2024 Escape’s and the 2024 Sportage’s multi-engine lineups.
The 2024 Sportage and 2024 Escape are available as gas, hybrid, or plug-in hybrids. The Sportage’s standard gas engine is a 2.5L inline-four mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces 187 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque, with an average fuel economy of 25 MPG in the city and 33 MPG on the highway. While this output is enough to make the Sportage responsive, the Escape is even more so because of its higher torque output. The Escape’s base engine is a 1.5L turbocharged EcoBoost that produces 180 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. It’s also more efficient, averaging 27 MPG in the city and 34 MPG on the highway.
The Sportage doesn't have another option for drivers looking for more power and a gas powertrain. The Escape’s available turbocharged 2.0L EcoBoost gives the SUV a notable advantage, with the powertrain producing 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque for exciting and engaging performance. Moreover, the engine is standard with all-wheel drive, delivering all-season confidence without compromising the SUV’s efficiency. The all-wheel drive turbocharged Escape averages 23 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway.
The Escape’s turbocharged 2.0L engine gives the SUV another significant lead over the Sportage by extending its versatility. The 2024 Sportage has a maximum towing capacity of 2,500 lbs with its gas powertrain. Alternatively, Ford pushes the Escape’s capability even higher, with the 2.0L engine boasting a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 lbs, a 1,000-pound advantage you won’t find from the Sportage.
How often do you leave home without your smartphone? Our Androids and iPhones serve as lifelines, connecting us to work, family, friends, and the rest of the world. Because of this, staying connected without being distracted in the driver’s seat is more critical than ever. Kia and Ford agree and outfit models like the 2024 Sportage and 2024 Escape with advanced technologies that keep us connected, entertained, and informed without stealing our focus from the road.
The 2024 Sportage and 2024 Escape roll off their production lines with standard 8-inch touchscreen displays. The details, however, prove the Escape is better equipped and more intuitive. For example, the 2024 Sportage features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, but you’ll need to bring your charging cables. Alternatively, the 2024 Escape features Ford’s SYNC 4 infotainment system and wireless smartphone integration with Alexa Built-In.
As you climb the Sportage’s lineup in 2024, you’ll find a larger 12.25-inch touchscreen display with KiaConnect, navigation, and SiriusXM satellite radio. However, these upgrades can’t outshine the 2024 Escape and its larger 13.2-inch touchscreen with enhanced voice recognition, navigation, a digital owner’s manual, and Ford Power-Up over-the-air software updates. Ford Power-Up ensures the Escape is operating with the latest software by automatically updating its technology at your convenience, with you setting the optimal time for updates based on your schedule. For example, you can schedule the updates overnight while the Escape is parked in the garage and you’re asleep.
Spending more on a top-tier Sportage also swaps the SUV’s standard audio system with an eight-speaker Harman Kardon Premium Audio System. While impressive, Ford outdoes Kia with its Bang & Olufsen sound system. The Escape’s top-tier trims feature ten strategically placed speakers that deliver an immersive, concert-like listening experience throughout the cabin. This upgrade makes the Escape far more tech-savvy and driver-focused, with technologies designed to inform, connect, and entertain every mile ahead.
Driver safety is paramount to Ford and Kia. The automakers outfit the 2024 Escape and 2024 Sportage with many standard safety and driver-assist tools engineered to enhance your situational awareness and actively mitigate the potential for collisions. Many of these features might be comparable, but they are not extensive across Sportage’s entire lineup. Instead, the 2024 Sportage LX’s lower price tag forces drivers to compromise on features that are standard in the 2024 Escape. In other words, you pay for what you get when you invest in the Blue Oval.
The Sportage LX is equipped with the basics like cruise control and Forward Collision Avoidance Assist. It also has rear parking sensors, Lane Following Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and a Lane Departure Warning. To enjoy more advanced technologies requires upgrading to a higher-tier trim. These tools include Blind Spot View Monitor, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist, Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Highway Driving Assist, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning Detection, and Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist-Reverse. Again, Kia forces drivers to dig deeper into their pockets to feel more confident and in control in the driver’s seat.
Alternatively, the 2024 Escape is better equipped and features the Ford Co-Pilot360 technology with advanced tools like Intersection Assist 2.0 and Blind Spot Assist. The Ford Co-Pilot360 suite includes a Lane-Keeping System, Evasive Steering Assist, a rearview camera, Hill Descent Control, a Blind Spot Information System, and optional tools like Reverse Brake Assist that can help you expertly park the SUV. Other essential tools in the Escape’s safety suite include Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go capability, and the Blind Spot Information System with Trailer Coverage that complements the Escape’s impressive 3,500-pound towing capacity.
Are you looking for the perfect compact SUV to complement your life without requiring you to compromise? The 2024 Ford Escape is up for the task, and so are we at DePaula Ford. We’re your Ford destination and automotive home away from home.
Our team will help you find the perfect Escape at a great price that fits your budget and sets you up for success in the driver’s seat. More importantly, we promise to help you celebrate your purchase and get the most from your Escape by treating you to an award-winning dealership experience defined by integrity, respect, and transparency. It’s easy to see why we’re the most trusted dealer in the area.
We can’t wait to welcome you into the DePaula Ford family and bring your Ford dreams to life. We promise an extraordinary experience and a lifetime partnership that guarantees you have a front-row seat to our expertise. From sale to service, we’re here for it all.
*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.
