The 2024 Chevy Equinox Eclipses the 2024 Ford Escape

Family drivers are always looking for value. Every dollar saved in one area of the budget can be put to good use somewhere else. So why not take the same approach when buying your next vehicle? This is why you should consider the 2024 Chevy Equinox vs 2024 Ford Escape, as these are two of the top compact SUVs on the market. Both give you solid performance, exceptional fuel economy, roomy interiors, advanced safety features, and a state-of-the-art infotainment system.

However, the Chevy costs much less than the Ford: the 2024 Chevy Equinox has a base MSRP of $26,600, which is significantly less than the $29,345 base MSRP for the 2024 Ford Escape. So, why pay more for a vehicle with the same features? If you are looking for great savings, then the right choice is the Chevy Equinox.

Similar Engine Options

When you open the hood of these two vehicles, you are going to see that they have very similar engines. Every 2024 Chevy Equinox features a 1.5-liter Turbo I-4 gas engine. This engine comes equipped with a Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmission and features a dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) configuration, providing four valves per cylinder. It also utilizes a variable valve timing technology with automatic stop-start to improve efficiency. As a result, this direct injection engine delivers 175 hp at 5600 RPM and 203 lb-ft of torque at 2000-4000 RPM.

Ford went in a slightly different direction than Chevy, offering four engine options on the 2024 Escape. However, if you want one of the three available engines, you will have to pay significantly more money for a higher trim. So, if you are looking to save money, you may have to go with the base engine, a 1.5-liter EcoBoost Turbo I-3 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This three-cylinder gas engine also uses a turbocharger to boost performance with a DOHC configuration. However, in this case, the Ford has 12 valves for its three cylinders instead of 16 valves for the four cylinders on the Equinox engine. Ford also uses direct fuel injection on the Escape’s engine, providing up to 180 hp at 6000 RPM and 190 lb-ft of torque. In other words, you get slightly more horsepower in the Ford and slightly less torque. This trade-off makes the engines on the two models fairly comparable.

Similar Fuel Economies

One area where families like to save money is at the gas pump. Getting a vehicle that is fuel-efficient is crucial to keeping your monthly vehicle costs down. Fortunately, both the 2024 Chevy Equinox and the 2024 Ford Escape provide excellent fuel economy, making them ideal for families on a budget and daily commuters.

The Ford does get slightly better fuel economy than the Chevy. If you choose a model with front-wheel drive, the Escape will provide 30 MPG in combined fuel economy, while the Equinox will give you 28 MPG. This is primarily due to different estimates for gas mileage in highway driving, as the city fuel economy numbers are practically identical. We see the same thing if you opt for available all-wheel drive, as the Ford Escape gets 28 MPG in combined fuel economy, while the Chevy Equinox gets 26 MPG.

Interior Space Is the Place

One thing that these two models have in common is that they are compact in name only. Whether you buy an Equinox or an Escape, you are going to get an SUV that has plenty of room for up to five passengers. The Escape has scarcely more space inside the passenger compartment, at 104.0 cu.ft. compared to 103.5 cu.ft., but the difference in interior volume is truly negligible.

Both the Equinox and Escape provide 40 inches of headroom in the front seat and pretty much the same amount in the back. While the Escape does provide slightly more legroom in both rows, the Equinox does give a little more hip room in the back, so the three passengers sitting there will have more room. Both models give you a similar amount of shoulder space in both rows.

The Ford Escape does have a roomier trunk with 37.5 cu.ft. of cargo space compared to 28.9 cu.ft. on the Equinox. However, this difference practically disappears when you fold down the rear seat to provide additional space for your belongings.

That’s Infotainment!

Both Chevrolet and Ford have become known for the advanced technology features on many of their models. The Chevrolet Infotainment system and the Ford SYNC have become two of the best-known systems on the market.

The 2024 Equinox and 2024 Escape each feature the latest version of their respective infotainment systems. This includes standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, so you can hook up your smartphones to the infotainment system in both vehicles even if you leave your charging cables at home. As a result, you are able to make hands-free calls and texts while streaming your favorite apps. Both systems also feature a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, so you and your passengers can stay connected wherever your vehicle takes you.

The Ford does provide a larger touchscreen than the Chevy. The standard size on the Ford Escape is 8.0 inches, while the Chevy Equinox comes with a 7.0-inch screen. Higher trim levels on the Escape provide for a 13.2-inch touchscreen, while the top Premier trim on the Equinox has an 8.0-inch screen.

Safety Comes Standard

Advanced driver assistance features have become standard on many new vehicles. This is certainly the case with the 2024 Chevy Equinox and the 2024 Ford Escape. Each model has the safety system of its respective automaker; in the case of the Equinox, this is the Chevy Safety Assist suite, while the Escape has the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite. Their features will help make driving your vehicle safer than ever.

If the system detects an imminent collision with a vehicle in front of you, it will send out a forward collision warning so you can take evasive action. The system will also engage the automatic brakes to either bring your vehicle to a safe stop or to reduce the damages caused by an unavoidable accident. Both the Equinox and Escape have these features, as well as a special one designed to reduce the chances of hitting a pedestrian who crosses in front of your compact SUV.

The Escape and Equinox each have a lane-keeping system. This will let you know if you drift into an adjacent lane. When this happens, the system will use slight steering adjustments to get you back centered in your lane. This will help prevent a collision caused by drifting, either from driver fatigue or distraction. The Escape also adds BLIS—a blind spot information system—which will let you know if there is another vehicle in an adjacent lane when you go to change lanes on the highway.

When you are driving at night, it can be a bit of a hassle having to turn the high beams on and off. This is why the Chevy Equinox has IntelliBeam while the Ford Escape features Auto High Beams. These are designed to automatically come on when you enter an area of low light and then turn off when the lighting improves. They will also automatically turn off if the system detects another motorist on the road, to avoid blinding the other driver.

Get the Same Features at a Lower Price in a Chevy Equinox

The 2024 Chevy Equinox delivers value to family drivers like you in a very affordable package. For substantially less money than the Ford Escape, you get pretty much the same performance, fuel economy, roominess, connectivity, and safety in an Equinox. Stop in today and see why you should get into a 2024 Chevy Equinox!