Compare the2024 Jeep CompassVS 2024 Ford Escape

The Compass’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Escape doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Compass has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Escape doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Compass. But it costs extra on the Escape.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Compass Trailhawk’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Escape doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.

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

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 Jeep Compass is safer than the Ford Escape:

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

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Compass for 2 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 2 visits). Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Compass’ engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Escape’s camshafts. If the Escape’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

The Compass’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 20 more horsepower (200 vs. 180) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 199) than the Escape’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Jeep Compass is faster than the Ford Escape turbo 3 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Compass gets better fuel mileage than the Escape 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder (24 city/32 hwy vs. 23 city/31 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Jeep Compass 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.

The Compass stops shorter than the Escape:

For better traction, the Compass Limited’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escape (235/45R19 vs. 225/65R17).

The Compass Limited’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape’s optional 55 series tires.

The Compass Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Escape; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Compass’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Escape doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Compass Trailhawk’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Escape’s (35.3 feet vs. 37.2 feet). The Compass 4x4 Sport/Latitude/Limited’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Escape’s (36.3 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Compass has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (8.1 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Compass to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Compass Trailhawk’s minimum ground clearance is 1.3 inches higher than on the Escape (8.6 vs. 7.3 inches).

The Compass is 6.7 inches shorter than the Escape, making the Compass easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Compass’ 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.

The Compass’ 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 Compass’ front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, 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.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Compass’ available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Escape’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Escape doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Compass’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford charges extra for heated mirrors on the Escape.

Both the Compass and the Escape offer available heated front seats. The Compass Trailhawk/Limited 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 Compass Limited/Trailhawk 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 Compass (except Sport) 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.

The Compass will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Compass will retain 53.94% to 56.47% of its original price after five years, while the Escape only retains 51.82% to 53.93%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Compass is less expensive to operate than the Escape because it costs $309 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Compass than the Escape, including $1190 less for a muffler, $6 less for front brake pads, $44 less for a starter, $68 less for fuel injection, $580 less for a timing belt/chain and $552 less for a power steering pump.