Ford Escape vs Buick Envision

The 2021 Buick Envision had undergone a significant redesign, following two consecutive years of facelifts in 2019 and 2020. This two-row compact crossover, available in China and North America, was positioned between the smaller Encore GX and the larger Enclave in Buick’s lineup. The 2021 model was lower and wider than its predecessor, boasting a more planted appearance on the street. Its premium crossover styling was more sculpted than its cousin, the Cadillac XT4, but not as sleek as the Acura RDX. The Envision offered three trim levels—Preferred, Essence, and Avenir—with the Avenir trim making its debut in 2021, featuring upgraded exterior elements and a luxurious interior.

In contrast, the 2021 Ford Escape straddled the line between SUV and hatchback, with a curved snout and sleek roofline that made it resemble an engorged Focus. Despite its car-like appearance, it maintained the tall ride height of an SUV. The Escape’s design was less truck-like than the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, or Toyota RAV4, but more generic compared to the Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. For 2021, the Escape introduced new appearance packages for three of its four trim levels, enhancing its visual appeal with features like 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery, and leather-wrapped steering wheels.

The 2021 Buick Envision featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous 2.5-liter four-cylinder base engine. This new engine produced 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, a downgrade from the 252 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque of the 2020 model. Despite shedding 200 to 300 pounds, the Envision’s performance was more about comfortable cruising than sporty driving. The front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available. Fuel efficiency improved, with the FWD model achieving 24 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined, while the AWD model managed 22 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered a variety of powertrains, including a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. An optional 2.0-liter turbo-four engine delivered 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, available only with AWD. The Escape also featured hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, both using a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist, producing a combined 200 hp. The plug-in hybrid could drive significant distances on electric power alone. The Escape’s chassis tuning left much to be desired, with sloppy suspension and steering making it less engaging to drive. The 2.0-liter engine models could tow up to 3,500 pounds with the Class 2 Trailer Tow Package.

The 2021 Buick Envision’s redesign did not enhance its cabin’s functionality. Despite a longer wheelbase, it offered less headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in the front row, and rear-seat passengers lost two inches of legroom and nearly six inches of hip room. Cargo capacity also decreased, with 25.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 53.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. The driver-centric cockpit limited the front passenger’s access to controls, and forward visibility was poor. However, the Envision provided standard heated seats, power-adjustable seats, and a heated steering wheel.

The 2021 Ford Escape, despite its car-like styling, offered competitive interior space. It featured near-top segment headroom and legroom in both rows, with a standard sliding rear seat that could expand legroom or cargo space. The gasoline Escape had 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat up, expandable to 37.5 cubic feet by sliding the seat forward, and 65.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo space due to the battery pack. The Escape’s cargo space was less than competitors like the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester.

The 2021 Buick Envision’s tech was highlighted by a standard 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, responsive to touch and displaying necessary functionalities clearly. The driver could use an available 8.0-inch driver information display for quicker access to information. Standard features included USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, rearview camera, keyless entry, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto. Available features included navigation, driver massage, HD Radio, surround-view camera, HUD, and wireless device charging.

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

The 2021 Buick Envision had not yet been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. Standard safety features included Buckle to Drive, following distance indicator, forward-collision alert, front and rear park assist, lane change alert with blind-spot alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, rear park assist, rear-seat alert, automatic emergency braking, and teen-driver monitoring. Adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic park assist were available on Avenir models. The Envision lacked GM’s Super Cruise and lane-centering technology.

The 2021 Ford Escape received a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the IIHS, with top scores in all crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. It earned high marks for front-crash prevention tech but had mixed ratings for headlights. The NHTSA gave the Escape a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features under Ford Co-Pilot360 included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, 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.