Subcompact or compact sport utility vehicle? Our parents never had to wrestle with these decisions. When SUVs first hit the streets, they were basically repurposed trucks, designed to tow, haul, and seat a bunch of people. Times have changed and you can get an SUV in just about any size you like, even down to the diminutive EcoSport. In this comparison guide, we’ll weigh the difference between a tiny SUV and a teeny-tiny SUV.
Size: 2019 Ford Escape
Obviously, if you want a bigger vehicle with more room, the Escape is the way to go between these two. But the size difference might not be as great as you might expect. For example, the 2019 Escape only has tenths of an inch more leg- and headroom in the front seats. Both the EcoSport and Escape seat five on two rows. The biggest difference is in cargo room, where the EcoSport has almost 21 cubic feet of storage space while the Escape offers 34 cubes.
Fuel Economy: 2019 Ford EcoSport
You know what they say: the bigger they are, the harder they fuel. Or something like that. The 2019 Ford Escape weighs about 500 pounds more than its smaller sibling. And, accordingly, the Escape needs more fuel to move that extra girth. While the 2019 EcoSport gets 27 city and 29 highway miles per gallon, the Escape gets just 21 city and 29 highway mpg. If you’re strictly a highway driver, this is probably sixes for you. But if your commute means stop-and-go traffic, the Ford EcoSport is the way to go.
Price: 2019 Ford EcoSport
The 2019 Ford EcoSport will save you money in another way, right up front at the dealership. That’s because the Ford EcoSport starts at just $19,995 while the 2019 Ford Escape starts at $24,105. What do you get for your hard-earned money?
Besides the cargo room difference, there’s the matter of features. The Ford Escape comes standard with cloth upholstery, four-way manually adjustable front seats, MyKey, rearview camera, and SYNC system with a 4.2-inch display screen, two USB ports, and six-speaker audio system. We like the SYNC 3 system much better, so if you have the cash, step up to the SE trim level to nab it. The Ford Escape has almost the exact same standard features, minus one of the USB ports, so the extra cost really is related to size alone.
Reliability: Tie
Our last category comes down to which vehicle lasts longest on the road. In this case, we have a tie. JD Power and Associates gave both the EcoSport and Escape 3.5 out of 5 in reliability score. That means they are both above average.
When it comes right down to it, the contest between these two SUVs comes down to size. Do you want a fuel-thrifty EcoSport or a backseat-legroom king Escape? The choice is yours.