2021 Ford Escape vs 2021 Toyota RAV4

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 presented itself with a rugged-looking exterior reminiscent of a traditional SUV. This design direction included an array of distinctive features such as boxy fender flares, chiseled taillights, and a scowling front end. These elements marked a significant departure from the more approachable look of previous RAV4 generations and many other compact crossovers in the market. Despite being fairly aggressive-looking for a family car, the RAV4's exterior stood out and enhanced the perception that it was more than an ordinary vehicle.

Beneath the surface, the RAV4 was built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, shared with several other Toyota models. While the styling hinted at a rugged, off-road persona, the platform provided a solid foundation for sedans, hatchbacks, and the Sienna minivan. Toyota offered additional options to jazz up the gasoline RAV4, including the Adventure and TRD Off-Road models. These trims boasted unique features such as a retro Ice Edge (white) roof, orange interior accent stitching, matte black 18-inch wheels, and standard LED fog lights.

The interior followed a rugged theme with large rubberized knobs and door handles, setting the RAV4 cabin apart from other Toyota models. Material quality at lower trims was good, though it didn’t necessarily elevate in line with higher trims' pricing. For instance, the TRD Off-Road test car had SofTex upholstery, which Toyota claimed was lighter and durable but restricted the option of real leather even on the top trims like the RAV4 Limited.

In contrast, the 2021 Ford Escape had an exterior design that straddled the line between SUV and hatchback, looking more like an engorged Focus rather than a truck-like SUV such as the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. The curved snout and sleek roofline softened the overall truck-like look, giving the Escape a more generic design.

For 2021, the Escape introduced new appearance packages across various trims, including the SE Sport Appearance Package, SEL Stealth AWD Package, and Titanium Elite Package. These packages added upgrades like 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with leather trim.

The interior of the Escape, however, didn't have the same cohesive theme as the exterior. Odd design choices, such as an angular instrument cluster, seemed out of place. Additionally, the interior materials felt low-rent, and even the top-tier Titanium model lacked standard leather upholstery. To get features like dual-zone automatic climate control, buyers had to upgrade to at least the SEL trim.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 was powered by a single gasoline engine: a "Dynamic Force" 2.5-liter four-cylinder. This engine produced 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with optional all-wheel drive available. This powertrain was noted for its high thermal efficiency—an impressive 40%—and its tendency to rev like a racing engine, with power peaking at 6,600 rpm and redline at 6,750 rpm.

While dynamic on paper, the engine's performance was mismatched with the rest of the RAV4. The transmission lagged in responsiveness, and the steering, though quick, lacked tactile feel, resulting in a somewhat disengaged driving experience. Despite a "Sport" mode, the difference was mainly superficial, adding weight to the steering without improving responsiveness.

However, the RAV4's highway performance was commendable, with low cabin noise levels and good suspension handling road imperfections. For those seeking better power and refinement, the RAV4 Hybrid and RAV4 Prime offered 219 hp and 302 hp, respectively.

Off-road capability was another focus for Toyota. The Adventure and TRD Off-Road models came with a torque-vectoring rear axle, 8.6 inches of ground clearance, and a 3,500-pound towing capacity. Although these features enhanced the RAV4's off-road performance, its limited suspension articulation and approach angles could be a hindrance on more challenging trails.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered more variety in powertrains, starting with a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, available in both FWD and AWD configurations. The optional EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbo-four provided a significant boost with 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, available only with AWD.

Additionally, the Escape had hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, both combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist for a total system output of 200 hp. The hybrid version was available in both FWD and AWD, while the plug-in hybrid was FWD only.

The three-cylinder engine performed adequately for an SUV, and transitions between electric and gasoline in the hybrid were smooth. However, the Escape’s chassis tuning left room for improvement. The suspension and steering felt sloppy, making driving less enjoyable, even though the 2.0-liter engine-equipped models offered a Class 2 Trailer Tow Package with a 3,500-pound towing capacity.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 benefited from its tall, upright roof, providing considerable headroom in both rows along with good outward visibility. However, legroom wasn't as generous as some competitors. The front seats in the RAV4 TRD Off-Road model were extremely comfortable, but the rear seats were flat and hard, making long trips unpleasant.

The RAV4 featured a 60/40 split-folding bench rear seat; however, these seats didn’t slide fore and aft like in the Ford Escape or Nissan Rogue. While cargo space at 37.6 cubic feet was above average, it lagged behind segment leaders like the Honda CR-V. Loading cargo was facilitated by a wide aperture, though the lip of the cargo area was higher than some competitors.

Users found the oversized knobs and steering-wheel controls easy to use, even with gloves on. The center-console storage bin and the space ahead of the shifter provided ample capacity but were configured in a way that compromised console storage space. Overall, the RAV4’s form and functionality echoed the no-nonsense ethos of old-school SUVs but lacked significant interior versatility.

By comparison, the 2021 Ford Escape, despite its car-like styling, offered generous interior space, with headroom and legroom near the top of the segment. The standard rear seat could slide to expand either legroom or cargo space, achieving up to 40.7 inches of rear legroom in non-hybrid models. The placement of the battery pack reduced legroom slightly in hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants.

Cargo space in the Escape was competitive, though slightly lower in hybrid models. With the rear seat up, the gasoline Escape had 33.5 cubic feet of space, which could extend to 37.5 cubic feet with the seat moved forward. Folding the rear seat expanded the capacity to 65.4 cubic feet for gasoline models and 60.8 cubic feet for hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. Despite these practical numbers, the Escape's cargo capacity was still outmatched by competitors like the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester, which offered over 70 cubic feet of space.

All 2021 Toyota RAV4 models came with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and SiriusXM satellite radio with a three-month free trial. Most trims featured a 7-inch touchscreen, with the Limited getting an 8-inch screen and the RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid offering a 9-inch option. Up to five USB ports were available, with a JBL premium audio system also on offer.

Toyota’s infotainment system was user-friendly but not particularly advanced. The touchscreen, perched atop the dashboard, had clear graphics and helpful shortcut buttons for navigation, Bluetooth, and audio. However, it lacked the flair and sophistication sought by tech enthusiasts and missed out on features like a head-up display, which was only available in the Prime model.

The 2021 Ford Escape used Ford’s older Sync 3 infotainment system and offered a 4.2-inch touchscreen in the base Escape S model. However, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot were standard. Upgrading to the Escape SE provided an 8-inch touchscreen with pinch-and-zoom capability and SiriusXM satellite radio.

The Escape Titanium trim level featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. Sync 3, while easy to use, wasn’t as feature-rich as the latest Sync 4, and the Escape lacked the more advanced tech features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2021 Toyota RAV4 a “Top Safety Pick” rating, with top scores in all crash tests and for front-crash prevention tech. However, it missed the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating due to mixed headlight scores. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the RAV4 a five-star overall rating, with four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests, and five stars in side crash tests.

Standard safety features included in the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 bundle were forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and Lane Tracing Assist. Higher trims added features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic emergency braking, and park assist. A 360-degree camera system was also available through option packages.

Similarly, the IIHS awarded the 2021 Ford Escape a “Top Safety Pick” rating, with top scores in crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA also gave the Escape a five-star overall rating. Standard safety features under the Ford Co-Pilot360 banner included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The optional Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane centering, traffic-sign recognition, park assist, and Evasive Steering Assist.