Ford Escape vs Honda CR-V

2021 Ford Escape vs 2022 Honda CR-V: Engine Power & Options

These compact SUVs start out with pretty impressive engines. The Ford Escape features a standard 1.5L EcoBoost® engine, while the Honda CR-V comes equipped with a 1.5L 4-cylinder engine. While both base-level engines are capable of impressive outputs, it's the Escape's other engine options that really draw attention.

• The optional 2.0L EcoBoost® 4-cylinder engine in the Ford Escape can deliver 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque.
• The Honda CR-V comes with a 1.5L 4-cylinder engine that puts out 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque.

The Ford Escape offers four different engines, two of which are hybrids, while the Honda CR-V only offers two engines total-one gas and one hybrid engine.

Picking Your Hybrid Powerplant

For many, the thought of having a hybrid motor under the hood of their Ford Escape or Honda CR-V is exciting. Hybrid offerings give you a lot more bang for your buck when looking at fuel economy. While both SUVs deliver hybrid options, Ford thoroughly outperforms the hybrid offering from Honda.

The sole hybrid motor for the 2022 Honda CR-V is a 2.0L propped up by assistance from an electric motor. If you go this route, you can expect an EPA-estimated 40 city/35 highway MPG.

With the Ford Escape, you can select between:

• 2.5L 4-cylinder hybrid
• or a 2.5L 4-cylinder hybrid with plug-in capability

The more traditional hybrid results in an EPA-estimated 44 city/37 highway MPG. With the plug-in variant, you can expect similar returns on fuel while also enjoying some all-electric motoring when the SUV deems it appropriate.

Available Trim Levels

Customization is always key for those who want an SUV that conforms to their lifestyle. When perusing the wealth of options presented by both the 2021 Ford Escape and 2022 Honda CR-V, you'll see that the Escape gives you a more diverse lineup to pick from.

The Escape starts with the S trim; a standard offering loaded with helpful features. From there, the SE, SE Hybrid, and SE Plug-In Hybrid begin to change some of the technologies you'll enjoy while also altering the performance of the SUV.

The following trims for the 2021 Ford Escape are SEL, SEL Hybrid, SEL Plug-In Hybrid, Titanium Hybrid, and Titanium. Finally, the range-topping and 10th available trim for the Escape is the luxurious and efficient 2021 Ford Escape Titanium Plug-In Hybrid.

It's not that the CR-V is bereft of trims; it's just that the variation is not as impressive as the Ford Escape.

The entire lineup features seven trim levels to consider, starting with the:

• LX
• EX
• Hybrid EX
• EX-L

From there, you can select from the Hybrid EX-L, the Touring, or the trim level-topping Hybrid Touring. However, when it comes down to it, the 10 trims available for the Ford Escape offer more flexibility and options than the seven trims that the Honda CR-V offers.

Providing Standard & Optional Safety Features

Safety is always a staple for models that have a lot of family-hauling duties or often end up in the hands of young drivers. Both the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V fit the mold of a safe, practical SUV, and their standard safety equipment showcases that.

While the names of the safety technologies may differ, the SUVs show an uncanny similarity at the standard levels.

Here's what you get with Honda:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System™
• Road Departure Mitigation System
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow
• Lane Keeping Assist System

Here's what you get with the standard trim of the Ford Escape:

• Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
• BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross-Traffic Alert
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go
• Lane-Keeping System

A system that both these SUVs have in common is standard auto high-beam headlamps. These headlamps can sense poor lighting conditions and turn out your high beams automatically. Then, when your headlamps sense oncoming traffic approaching, they go into low beam mode until the traffic has passed.

So, where do these SUVs begin to differ? Well, if you consider some of the optional safety features, the discussion leans more heavily in favor of the Ford Escape.

What's called the Active Park Assist 2.0 system is a technology available for the Escape and a technology you won't find in the Honda CR-V.

What the system does is give you a chance to experience automated parking. All you'll have to do is get your Ford Escape in the proper position to perpendicular or parallel park, put the car into neutral, and then hold down the Active Park Assist button. Once you've done all that and are holding the button, the SUV will automatically wiggle its way into the parking spot!

The Escape also offers specific features before the Honda CR-V does in terms of trim level. The BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross-Traffic Alert comes standard starting at the first trim level in the Escape, while this feature is not available until the EX trim on the CR-V.