Small but mighty, nimble yet powerful, the compact SUV has a growing fanbase in the greater Cincinnati area. Two favorites on the market are the 2018 Ford Escape and 2018 Chevy Equinox, but Fuller Ford wanted to know which one is better suited to the needs of our Newport and Covington area customers.
To find out, we put together this Ford Escape vs. Chevrolet Equinox comparison.
Ford Escape vs Chevy Equinox Powertrain
If you're looking for a powerful engine and some impressive handling capabilities, you'll find them in the Ford Escape and Chevy Equinox.
The Equinox features a maximum output of 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque with its available 2.0L turbocharged engine. The Escape, on the other hand, produces a maximum of 245 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque with its available 2.0L EcoBoost® I-4 engine.
In addition to powerful engines, both front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicles have an option for improved traction. The Equinox makes switchable all-wheel drive (AWD) available, which allows you to manually switch between FWD and AWD as necessary.
The Escape, however, does this automatically with available intelligent 4-wheel drive (4WD), which monitors your traction and driving conditions and autonomously adjusts torque between the front and back wheels to optimal traction.
Cargo and Towing
As you load up for a weekend away, maybe heading to the big lake up north, you may find yourself towing a boat or trailer behind you. When you do, you'll be happy to hear that both the Ford Escape and Chevy Equinox have a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds when properly equipped.
Both SUVs can bring along up to five adventurers, who can all easily load their bags into the cargo area with an available foot-activated liftgate, which automatically opens when you wave your foot under the rear bumper.
As they're loading the cargo space, drivers of the Escape will find that they can pack a bit heavier, with 68 cubic feet of total cargo volume. With only 63.5 cubic feet, drivers in the Equinox may have to go without a few items.
Escape vs Equinox Driver-Assist Features
While both the Ford Escape and Chevy Equinox can keep you safely moving forward, even on harsh roadways, they also do a lot to watch your back.
Both SUVs make a Rear Cross Traffic Monitor available, which watches your rear blind spots for vehicles and other hazards. You'll have added protection when backing out of a parking space with a standard rear vision camera on both models as well.
When reversing into a space, the Escape and Equinox both make backup sensors available that provide an audible alert when backing too close to a stationary object. The Escape takes this a step further with the available Enhanced Active Park Assist System. This system locates a perpendicular or parallel parking spot for you and automatically steers you safely into the space. All you have to do is shift, accelerate, and brake. The Escape will do the rest. Without this, Equinox drivers may have a more difficult time parallel parking on a busy street.
2018 Escape vs Equinox: Take a Test Drive
After comparing the 2018 Ford Escape vs. Chevy Equinox, Fuller Ford determined that the Escape has more to offer drivers in the Cincinnati, Newport, and Covington areas.
If you want to get behind the wheel of our top pick, contact our Ford dealer to take a test drive of the 2018 Ford Escape today!