2024 Chevy Equinox vs 2024 Ford Escape

• 2024 Chevy Equinox

  

  Starting at

  $26,600^[a]

  2024 Ford Escape

  

  Starting at

  $29,345

  5	Max. Occupancy (seats)	5
  3/36,000	Basic Warranty (yr/mi)	3/36,000
  3,465	Curb Weight (lbs)	3,519

  It is unlikely that Chevy and Ford will ever end their century-old battle, especially when vehicles like the Equinox and Escape continue to be such popular choices. It's actually a boon that this rivalry shall never end because, so long as neither is the victor, the winner is the customer: Chevy and Ford focus on making better products to outdo each other, and we reap the perks of their brilliant powertrains, savvy infotainment tech, and award-winning safety measures at affordable prices.

  This competition has afforded us some great match-ups, like the 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 vs 2024 Ford F-150 in the light-duty pickup segment or the 2024 Chevy Equinox vs 2024 Ford Escape in the compact SUV segment. While the former match-up receives a lot of press, the latter is just as noteworthy and possibly even more valuable to the everyday driver. Even the best decision-makers may find themselves in a predicament when you stack the Equinox against the Escape, so let's compare the two in detail to determine which is a better fit and for whom.

• Trims

  

  Trims are the best and simplest way to personalize your vehicle. Ascending trim levels will add features to your car, increasing what comes standard. Some features don’t come standard on the entry-level trim, while others are accessible only by packages available on specific trim levels. Because of this, it’s important to know the distinctions of each trim and why each one exists.

  For the Chevy Equinox, the base trim is the LS, which has an MSRP of $26,600.^[a] Chevy then gives you three more trims to choose from: the LT, RS, and Premier. These four trim levels provide a clear and easy way to understand their distinctions, and you can better budget to get the trim level and features you’re looking for. The LT has an MSRP of $29,495, while the RS and Premier have starting prices of $30,950 and $31,800, respectively.^[a]

  It’s a bit more complex when you approach the Escape’s trims, as there are six to choose from, three of which sport similar names. These are the Active, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, ST-Line Elite, Platinum, and Plug-In Hybrid.​​ The main problem with these trims, however, is that even the base trim costs thousands of dollars more than the base Equinox: the Escape Active starts at an MSRP of $29,345.^[a]

  Stepping up to the first of the ST-Line trims, the MSRP increases to $30,340, while the ST-Line Select costs $34,040, which already makes it pricier than the top-of-the-line Equinox—and it's only the third trim of six!^[a] It only gets pricier for Ford’s compact SUV, with the Platinum and ST-Line Elite starting at an MSRP of $37,465 and $38,460, respectively.^[a] The Escape Plug-In Hybrid is a highly capable and efficient machine, but with an MSRP of $40,500, it’s almost $10,000 more than the utmost Equinox trim.^[a]

  As you spend more money on higher-tier trims, the more features you’ll get, such as larger wheels, heated and leather seats, a wireless charging pad for compatible smartphones, and upgraded safety suites, like the ST-Line Elite and above having Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0 instead of the traditional version like in the lesser trims. Chevy Safety Assist comes with every Equinox trim, but you can add features—like HD Surround Vision and LED Daytime Running Lamps—on all but the base trim. Likewise, from the LT up, the Equinox's trims come equipped with extra safety features like Front and Rear Park Assist.

• Value

  

  The Equinox and Escape are both value-packed SUVs in their own ways, but only one offers greater value between performance, features, and price. The base Equinox trim has a starting price that positions itself as the more cost-effective option on paper, but is it truly the more value-friendly option? With a host of similarities between the Equinox and Escape, Ford’s SUV doesn’t leave itself with much of a case as to why its starting price is so much higher than the Equinox other than performance differentials and a larger standard screen size.

  The 2024 Escape starts at almost $3,000 more than the Equinox, so from a value perspective, purchasing the Equinox is the way to save the most money. The Equinox has most of the Escape’s most eye-catching features, including the ones that are more practical than the more specialized ones. Some of the more practical aspects shared between the two include similar cargo space, with both SUVs offering more than 60 cu.ft. of space, and both vehicles have an identical 40 inches of front row headroom and a passenger volume of 103.5 cu.ft. for the 2024 Equinox and 104 cu.ft. for the 2024 Escape; the Escape doesn’t even have a 1% advantage here.

  Another example of the Equinox’s value appeal is that both vehicles come with feature-loaded infotainment centers that are especially modern and are astonishingly similar with one slight exception: the Ford’s base infotainment center comes with an 8.0-inch screen, while Chevy’s SUV comes with a 7.0-inch screen. This is symbolic because it’s one of the examples of how spending nearly $3,000 more on an SUV doesn’t indicate a significant amount of difference.

  An infotainment center's screen size is seconded to its capabilities, and the Chevy Equinox’s Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System is lush with potential as it includes contemporary and innovative technology like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, and Chevy Safety Assist. All these features are matched by the Escape—and by saving almost $3,000, it’s a deal that only gets sweeter. If your passion is more about a well-rounded SUV experience at an equally eye-catching price rather than seeking incremental performance improvements, then you should purchase the Equinox because the value of the Escape comes nowhere close to Chevy’s compact SUV.

• Safety

  

  The Equinox and Escape are great SUVs—and safe to boot. Chevy and Ford are celebrated for their safety, dependability, and reliability, and the compact SUVs in their lineups are more the rule than the exception. Both of these models have excellent standard safety suites: the 2024 Equinox has Chevy Safety Assist, and the 2024 Escape has Ford Co-Pilot360.

  The only true benefit to the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite is that its Blind Spot Information System with Rear Cross-Traffic Braking comes standard, whereas the Equinox's comparable Side Blind Zone Alert (accompanied by Lane Change Alert) is standard on the higher three of its four trims, though it is available on the LS. Rear Cross Traffic Alert is the same way: it comes standard on trims like the LT and RS but is an available add-on for the LS. However, something the Chevy Equinox has that Ford’s compact SUV doesn’t is Chevy’s Teen Driver mode.

  Every new Chevy vehicle has this mode—a unique and future-facing way of teaching the next generation of drivers how to safely operate their vehicles and respect the rules of the road. It’s easy to moderate your child's driving while you’re teaching them, but once they’re on their own with a driver’s license, there’s not much a parent can do but trust their child. However, now there’s a way that you—as both the parent and owner of the vehicle—can protect and monitor your child with Teen Driver, managing figures like max speed or volume limits, and the vehicle will refuse to move from its parked position if the seat belts aren’t being used.

  Ford and Chevy are neck-and-neck regarding many of the features included in both safety suites for the Equinox and Escape. Both SUVs come with anti-collision protection: Chevy Safety Assist means the Equinox gets a Forward Collision Alert with Automatic Emergency Braking and Front Pedestrian Braking, and the Escape has Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection.

  Both SUVs also come with a rearview camera, but both SUVs support available surround cameras with the available HD Surround Vision for the Equinox and the 360-degree Camera with Split View for the Escape. During travel—whether you’re in the city or on the highway—roads with more than one lane can make use of features like Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keep Assist on the Equinox, which Ford Co-Pilot360 replicates with its Lane Keeping System, which includes the Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Assist. Given the benefit of having many of the same safety features, the bonus of Teen Driver mode, and the money you’ll be saving, the Equinox is the better choice.

Find Your Equinox at McCluskey Chevrolet