Compare the2023 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2023 Ford Escape

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Equinox and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Equinox	Escape
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	17%	22.5%
Neck Compression	10 lbs.	23 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	26%	36.3%
Neck Stress	153 lbs.	181 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	58 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Equinox	Escape
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	109	197
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	630 lbs.	816 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Equinox’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Escape’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Equinox’s reliability 13 points higher than the Escape.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox first among compact suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Escape isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 10th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

Engine

The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 13 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 190) than the Escape’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Equinox AWD gets better fuel mileage than the Escape 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder (24 city/30 hwy vs. 22 city/31 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Equinox uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Escape with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Equinox higher (7 out of 10) than the Ford Escape (5 to 7). This means the Equinox produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Escape every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Equinox stops shorter than the Escape:

	Equinox	Escape
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	162 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Equinox’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escape (235/50R19 vs. 225/65R17).

The Equinox’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape’s optional 55 series tires.

The Equinox has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Escape doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Equinox’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Escape’s (58% to 42%). This gives the Equinox more stable handling and braking.

The Equinox Premier AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the Escape AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Equinox Premier executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Equinox has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (7.9 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Equinox to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Escape doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Equinox’s rear seats recline. The Escape’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Equinox LT/RS/Premier’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Escape doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Equinox Premier’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Escape doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The Equinox can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Escape can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

The Equinox’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Escape does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Equinox’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Escape’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

On a hot day the Equinox’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Escape can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Equinox’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Escape and aren’t offered on the Escape Base.

When the Equinox Premier is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Escape’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Equinox Premier’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Escape offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Equinox and the Escape offer available heated front seats. The Equinox Premier also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Escape.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Equinox Premier keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Escape doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Equinox has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Escape S doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Equinox has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Escape S doesn’t offer rear vents.

The Equinox (except LS) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Escape doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Equinox is less expensive to operate than the Escape because typical repairs cost much less on the Equinox than the Escape, including $607 less for a muffler, $50 less for front struts, $261 less for a timing belt/chain and $119 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Chevrolet Equinox, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Escape isn't recommended.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Ford Escape by 54% during 2022.