IT’S A SPLIT DECISION
Both family transportation crossovers offer drivers reliability, but not excitement
Brian Harper: We are testing the topline Touring version of Honda’s CR-V, subtly reworked for 2020. It does a fine job as essential family transportation, but given the depth and breadth of the competition, it’s no longer a standout. Something newer with more of a personality could easily step in and steal sales. Something like the new, fourth-generation 2020 Ford Escape, perhaps?
Nick Tragianis: I have to hand it to Ford for the formidable job it did in reworking the Escape. It is more comfortable and refined, pleasantly easy to live with, and it packs one helluva punch under the hood.
Major props go to the 2.0-litre turbo-four engine. It is rated at 250 horsepower and 275 poundfeet of torque, and hooked up to an eight-speed automatic. You just don’t expect such sportiness in a compact crossover.
It’s punchy when you need it to be — merging and passing on the highway — and sedate when you want it to be. The transmission is smooth and operates nearly invisibly. There’s a manual mode if you want it, but, honestly, it’s best left to its own devices.
BH: I have to disagree with you here, not about the Escape, but about automakers not offering sporty compact crossovers. They are, but Honda is stubbornly refusing to join the party. All CR-VS are powered by a hardworking, turbocharged 1.5-L VTEC four-cylinder pushing out an adequate 190 hp, and mated to a continuously variable transmission with Honda’s G-shift control logic. Why Honda can’t offer a second, more competitive engine to breathe some life into the CR-V is beyond me.
So, yes, the new Escape is both stylish and sporty. But does it have the substance to gain on the CR-V and the top-selling Toyota RAV4?
NT: It does. As far as driving manners go, the Escape and
CR-V are well matched. Both are comfortable and soak up potholes and rough patches quite well. I’d argue the Escape does a slightly better job filtering out road noise, but wind noise is a bit more pronounced on the highway. On the other hand, the CR-V is an excellent cruiser, and its CVT is certainly one of the smoother units out there, but passing and merging takes some effort. Both were equipped with all-wheel drive, though we didn’t have enough snow on the ground to give them a proper workout.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the Escape’s visibility. With the 2020 redesign, Ford slimmed down the A-pillars and the beltline sits lower. This means an airier cabin that, combined with the light (but not overly numb) steering, makes the Escape a breeze to pilot around town. The CR-V felt a tad more cocoon-like than the Escape. The Ford’s easy to live with, but I wasn’t sold on the cabin.
BH: I wasn’t blown away by the cabin layout of either vehicle, but was disappointed the new Escape didn’t move the needle farther. The CR-V is ripe for the picking, mostly through its drab choice of colours and function-over-form design. Both have faux wood and brushed satin accents, and both have soft-touch dashes that leave much to be desired. The Escape also has really hard plastic door panels.
When price tags exceed $40,000 — our Escape Titanium tester topped out at $44,599, while Honda asks $41,090 for the CR-V Touring — I expect better.
I liked both crossovers’ touchscreen graphics, and except for the odd placement of the Escape’s push-button start, found most controls easy to locate and use. The Escape also offers more front-seat legroom than the CR-V, though there’s a bit less legroom in the back. As for cargo capacity, the CR-V is still king.
NT: You got that right. The CR-V has 1,110 L seats up, and 2,146 when you fold them flat. By comparison, the Escape has 974 L seats up and about 1,852 with them down. And the CR-V’S cargo floor is lower, making it easier to stuff all your junk into the trunk.
The Escape has a 12.3-inch all-digital instrument cluster and a far more intuitive infotainment system — Sync 3 beats the CR-V’S ancient version of Hondalink; it’s much more responsive and intuitive. But, hey, at least the CR-V gets a volume knob. Both the Escape and CR-V offer Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity.
Both the loaded Escape and CR-V come with the requisite driving assists you’d expect, including adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, blindspot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and more.
BH: The newest Escape is substantially better than its predecessor, but other than the optional, more powerful turbocharged 2.0-L engine, is it a better crossover than the CR-V? I don’t think so. I like the Escape, but I’ll stick with the CR-V … for now.
NT: I’ll give the nod to the Escape — the CR-V might be roomier, but the Escape’s overall livability and impressive ride quality won me over.