2022 Lexus GX vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2021 Ford Escape, a fourth-generation model, balanced the line between SUV and hatchback. Its curved snout and sleek roofline made it resemble an enlarged Focus, yet it maintained the tall ride height of a proper SUV. This design gave the Escape a less truck-like appearance compared to the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, or Toyota RAV4, but it also resulted in a more generic look than the Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. For 2021, the Escape introduced new appearance packages for three of its four trim levels, including the SE Sport Appearance Package, SEL Stealth AWD Package, and Titanium Elite Package, featuring upgrades like 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery, and leather-wrapped steering wheels.

Inside, the Escape's design choices were less cohesive. The angular instrument cluster clashed with the exterior's smooth lines, and the interior materials felt low-rent. Even the top-tier Titanium model lacked standard leather upholstery, although it did offer ambient lighting. Dual-zone automatic climate control was only available starting from the SEL trim level.

The 2022 Lexus GX 460 Black Line Special Edition, evaluated in Black Onyx, eradicated almost all chrome from its exterior, transforming the SUV into a rolling black hole. However, it took less than 24 hours for a windy afternoon to coat the Lexus with a layer of brown dust, making it look drab and old. The GX's design, despite updates like the signature Lexus spindle grille and triple-beam LED headlights, still looked dated, reminiscent of the first-generation 2002 GX 470. Inside, the cabin's quality was undeniable, with smooth, silky refinement and a quiet atmosphere, save for the faint roar of the standard V8 engine.

The GX 460 was available in Standard, Premium, and Luxury trims, with prices ranging from $56,700 to $66,210, including destination charges. The Black Line Special Edition, based on the GX 460 Premium, started at $60,535.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered two gasoline powertrains, as well as hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. The base powertrain was a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine from Ford’s EcoBoost range, producing 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It came with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). An upgrade to the EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbo-four engine increased output to 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, available only with AWD.

The Escape hybrid and plug-in hybrid both used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist, delivering a total system output of 200 hp. The plug-in hybrid's larger battery pack allowed for significant electric-only driving distances. The hybrid was available with FWD or AWD, while the plug-in hybrid was FWD only. Despite the three-cylinder engine's modest size, it proved adequate for the SUV. The smooth transition between electric and gasoline propulsion in the hybrid was commendable, though the chassis tuning left much to be desired, with sloppy suspension and steering making it a chore to drive. For 2021, the 2.0-liter, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models could be equipped with a Class 2 Trailer Tow Package, with a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds for the 2.0-liter engine.

The 2022 Lexus GX 460, with a base curb weight of 5,126 pounds, featured a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. This powertrain, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and a full-time 4WD system, provided a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds. The GX's 0-60 mph time was a leisurely 7.8 seconds, and its EPA fuel economy estimate was 16 mpg in combined driving, requiring premium gas. During testing, the GX returned 16.8 mpg.

The GX's standard Kinetic Dynamics Suspension System (KDSS) helped maximize wheel articulation off-road while reducing excessive body motions. Despite its age, the GX remained surprisingly agreeable to drive, with refined ride and handling on pavement. However, the slow, heavy steering and touchy brake pedal detracted from the driving experience. The Off-Road Package, available with the Luxury trim, added features like Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, skid plates, improved drivetrain cooling, and monitoring cameras.

The 2021 Ford Escape, despite its car-like styling, offered competitive interior space compared to more traditionally-styled compact SUVs. First-row and second-row headroom and legroom were near the top of the segment, with a standard sliding rear seat that could be moved to expand legroom or cargo space. Sliding the bench seat all the way back provided 40.7 inches of rear legroom in non-hybrid models. However, the battery pack placement in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models reduced some legroom.

The gasoline Escape had 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat up and in its default position, while hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had 30.7 cubic feet. Sliding the rear seat forward increased cargo space to 37.5 cubic feet for gasoline models and 34.4 cubic feet for hybrid/plug-in hybrid models. Folding the rear seat yielded 65.4 cubic feet of cargo space in gasoline models and 60.8 cubic feet in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. Most competitors offered more cargo space, with the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester exceeding 70 cubic feet.

The 2022 Lexus GX offered an elevated driving position from a 10-way power-adjustable seat with clear outward visibility. Its tall height, narrow width, and short length made it easy to maneuver in various situations, though the slow steering required extra effort. The test vehicle's seats were comfortable, with interior padding in all the right places. The GX featured physical controls, clearly labeled in white on a matte-black background, though the placement of some knobs was confusing.

The Black Line Special Edition had NuLuxe upholstery, black ash wood trim, and a black headliner. The front seats were heated and ventilated, the back seats were heated, and the model offered triple-zone automatic climate control. However, entering the rear seat was tricky due to narrow door openings. The third-row seat was challenging to access and uncomfortable for adults, with limited rear crush space in case of a rear-end collision.

The GX's cargo space was limited, with 11.6 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, 46.7 cubic feet with the third-row seat folded, and 64.7 cubic feet with the second-row seat folded. The side-swinging tailgate made loading difficult, especially in tight spaces.

The 2021 Ford Escape used the older Sync 3 infotainment system, with base Escape S models featuring a 4.2-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Upgrading to the Escape SE added an 8-inch touchscreen with pinch-and-zoom capability and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Titanium trim level included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. While Sync 3 was user-friendly, it lacked the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto found in the newer Sync 4 system.

The 2022 Lexus GX 460 featured a new 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, positioned at the top of the center control panel. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and navigation. The GX also had a CD player, a smartwatch-compatible Lexus app, and Lexus Enform connected services, including a WiFi hotspot. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium surround-sound audio system was available but not included in the test vehicle.

The infotainment display offered a dual-screen view, allowing users to see the navigation map and radio display simultaneously. The voice recognition technology was quick and accurate. The GX also included Intuitive Parking Assist, surround-view, and terrain-view cameras. However, the placement of stereo controls below the off-roading controls was confusing, with the stereo knobs being harder to grasp and turn.

The 2021 Ford Escape received a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), with top “Good” scores in all crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The Escape also earned high marks for front-crash prevention tech but received “Acceptable” and “Marginal” ratings for headlights, depending on the trim level. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Escape a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash tests.

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, traffic-sign recognition, park assist, and Evasive Steering Assist.

The 2022 Lexus GX, structurally a teenager, lacked crash-test ratings. Standard Lexus Safety System+ included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The GX also had blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services with automatic collision notification and emergency calling, complimentary for three years.

However, the GX lacked some modern safety technologies found in competitors, such as lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, a Level 2 semi-autonomous highway driving system, and evasive steering assist. The absence of these features might appeal to some buyers, while others might prefer more advanced safety tech.