2020 Ford Escape vs Mazda CX-5

What's the difference?

Ford’s Escape ST-Line still proves to be a competitive SUV player so late in its lifecycle due its strong foundations.

While the only area it really excels at is its handling performance, thanks to the variant-specific changes, not everyone wants, or even appreciates, a sharper handling family hauler.

Other big letdowns are the in-car controls and in-cabin tightness, which  look like they will be smoothed out in a new-generation model due to launch mid-year. But for now the current Escape is still a solid all-rounder.

The CX-5 Akera is an acquired taste in the sense that it costs more than the GT for what are essentially cosmetic extras. The Nappa leather is lovely, yes, and the sunroof is good (I guess, I don't like them) but it doesn't do anything any differently than the GT.

However, like the GT, it's loaded up with gear and in the case of the turbo, it's the pick of the engines. It's also still right up at the head of the pack dynamically and aesthetically. Fifty grand is a lot of money, but the Akera is a lot of car.

Aiming to put the ‘sports’ in ‘sports utility vehicle’ (SUV), the Ford Escape ST-Line at least tries to differentiate itself from the usual high-riding fare.

From the outside, the ST-Line scores a sports bodykit and lower suspension, giving this Escape variant a more road-hugging appearance.

Its road presence is also helped by blacked-out (18-inch) wheels, grille, fog light surrounds, roof rails and rear valance. But don’t expect the cosmetic changes to morph the mild-mannered mid-size SUV into a snarling supercar.

Next to its Ambiente and Trend siblings, there's no doubt the Escape ST-Line stands out, but we’ll leave you to decide if it's the right amount of sporty, or needlessly gawdy.

The sporty touches also apply to the interior, which gains leather and cloth upholstery, front sports seats, and red contrast stitching throughout.

We’re big fans of the interior changes, which elevate all the touch points such as the steering wheel, seats and shifter to feel extra special.

Functionally however, the Escape is starting to show its age, especially the multimedia system, but more on that next...

I really like cut of the CX-5's cloth. It is a bit colour sensitive, although I really like this 'Polymetal Grey Metallic' hue ($495) which changes a lot depending on the lighting conditions.

The second generation has a more resolved, more ears-pinned-back design which is kind of ironic because one of the ads for the previous car used big cat imagery. The sleek headlights, the beautiful proportions and general elegance is going to age just as well as the older machine. That's a good design.

The interior is very clean but still really dark. The 'wood' in the Akera doesn't really help matters, but that's what you get for going for the top of the range. The Nappa leather on the seats is quite lovely, though and the car smells nice (at least when new). As with other Mazdas, the switch count on the centre stack is minimal with some lights moving up to the ceiling console. It's very calm and composed.

Measuring 4524mm long, 1838mm wide, 1749mm tall and with a 2690mm wheelbase, the Ford Escape ST-Line offers enough space for either four adults or small families, but is slightly smaller in size than some of its key rivals.

Up front, there is plenty of leg, head, and shoulder room for passengers, but we couldn’t shake the feeling of the cabin closing in around us.

Maybe it’s the chunky door trims, ‘phat’ air vents or bulging seat bolsters, but to us, it didn’t feel as capacious or airy as a Mazda CX-5 or Hyundai Tucson.

The door pockets are also thin and made up with scratchy hard plastic, though the storage bin between the diver and front passenger is generous and accommodating of larger items such as a big bag of chips.

The rear seats, while usable, suffer from the same failings as the front seats and feel a bit too snug.

Adults can comfortably sit in the two outboard pews, but the middle seat should be relegated to children or people you just don’t like very much.

Headroom is good, but legroom is somewhat lacking, and we had to reposition the front seats to be comfortable in the second row.

The boot offers 406 litres of volume with the all seats upright, expanding to 1603 with the rear seats folded flat. Both admirable figures that mean the Escape can comfortably fit a stroller, groceries, and more.

The boot may now be 442 litres but it's well down on its obvious rivals, the Tiguan (615 litres) and RAV4 Edge (580 litres). Fold all three elements of the 40/20/40 split fold rear seat and you have a handy 1342 litres and a reasonably flat floor.

The Mazda tradition of tight rear seating continues. I just about fit comfortably behind my own driving position set for 180cm. Kids will be fine but, as ever, the rear door aperture is a bit tricky to quickly enter (like if it's raining). Three across the back is definitely a 'short trips only' proposition. 

There are four cupholders evenly distributed and bottle holders, with a pair in each row. You can also hide your valuables in a good-sized centre console in the front and you have somewhere to put your phone - under the centre stack - when you're on the move.

Mid-size SUVs for 50 grand better be good, no matter where they're from. As with the GT version, you're really gunning for the bottom end of the German crowd here, so you've got to have your marketing types sharply attuned to what buyers will cop switching to a Japanese brand.

The $50,830 Akera scores 19-inch alloys, a 10-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, hefty safety package, around-view cameras, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, heated steering wheel, electric and heated front seats, heated rear seats, sat nav, active LED headlights, LED fog lights, auto wipers, head-up display, lovely Nappa leather trim, powered tailgate, power windows and mirrors, electric sunroof and a space-saver spare.

Mazda's older version of 'MZD Connect' fills the 7.0-inch touchscreen which also features digital radio and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. You can control the screen with the rotary dial once you're moving as the touch function is disabled when you're driving.

The sat nav is a bit light on for detail, so your phone is probably more helpful if you're going somewhere tricky.

Powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, the Escape ST-Line punches out 178kW/345Nm, making it one of the most potent mainstream mid-size SUVs on the market.

Looking at its rivals, only the Holden Equinox can top the Escape ST-Line’s output with a 188kW/353Nm 2.0-litre four cylinder, while the Jeep Cherokee uses a 3.2-litre V6 to produce 200kW/315Nm.

Drive is sent to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.

Though all this might sound mighty on paper, keep in mind the engine is working to haul a 1700kg-plus SUV, which does tend to dull straight-line performance a little.

Overall, the Escape ST-Line’s engine is a punchy little unit that will happily rev out to its 6500rpm redline, even if it doesn’t produce the most sonorous noise at the top end.

The automatic transmission is also a good, if not great, one, that quickly up-shifts and manages slow-speed around-town duties just fine.

You will be able to catch it out when applying more throttle, though, with the six-speeder unsure when to change down and slow to do so when it makes up its mind.

And if you aren’t happy leaving the Escape ST-Line in automatic mode, there are always the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters to play with.

The 2.5-litre turbo engine is a familiar one, first appearing in the bigger CX-9 and then the lovely Mazda6. Pushing 170kW at 5000rpm and 420Nm at just 2000rpm to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic, it's a lot more relaxed than the other petrols in the CX-5 range and more refined than the diesel.

It also comfortably out-punches everything else in the segment.

The all-wheel drive system is obviously road-biased - along with the wheels and suspension - and is mostly front-wheel drive to help save fuel.

Our two weeks with the Escape ST-Line returned a fuel consumption average of 11.7 litres per 100km, while official figures peg the mid-size SUV at 8.2L/100km.

To be fair, we drove the Escape ST-Line exclusively in inner-city conditions, often during peak hour through Melbourne’s CBD.

The turbo's official combined cycle figure came out at 8.2L/100km, 0.8L/100km more than the non-turbo's ADR readout.

Once again, the turbo excelled, with a 9.2L/100km reading, close to the 9.1 I got in the GT last year in October. It's a point worth making because the 2.5-litre struggles to better 10L/100km in my hands.

An added bonus is that you can run it on standard unleaded.

Thanks to its lowered suspension, thicker anti-roll bars and sharper steering rack, the ST-Line doesn’t flounder and sag like other SUVs when introduced to a corner.

Don’t get us wrong though, the changes don’t turn the Escape into a hot-hatch-scaring corner carver, but the ST-Line certainly feels more planted and put together than the vast majority of mid-size SUVs.

In fact, we’d put it up there as one of the best steering mainstream SUVs on the market, alongside the direct and communicative Mazda CX-5.

The by-product though is that the Escape ST-Line is a bit firmer over bumps and uneven road surfaces.

Whilst its not enough to take away from its overall polished and likeable dynamics, buyers who have young families that may prioritise comfort over sportiness will be better off looking at other Escape variants.

For a mid-size family SUV, the CX-5 is still a very nice car to drive. Mazda doesn't have to engineer in nice steering, a crisp turn-in, well-judged brakes or pour the effort and expense into a well-sorted multi-link rear end. We know from other cars in the segment that not all of these things need to be in the mix to make a car sell. 

Even on these huge 19-inch wheels and without the inclusion of dynamic or adaptive damping, the Akera manages to ride well for most of the time. You'll get the occasional jolt from one of those nasty rubber speed bumps that councils have been randomly installing at roundabouts over the past couple of months.

It's also very nice in the corners if the mood takes you and your passengers are willing. While the tyres could be better - this seems to be where Mazda suddenly decides to skimp a little - the all-wheel drive helps keep things calm and composed.

What really makes this car, though, is the engine. No, it doesn't turn it into a performance SUV, that is absolutely not the point, but a lot of smooth torque means your options open up.

Overtaking is quiet and unfussed, 420Nm and third gear working together like Torvill and Dean (there's a contemporary reference for you). What it really means, though, is that kicking around town in the CX-5 is much more relaxed.

You need a lot less throttle, the transmission doesn't have to shift around as much and you see that in the real-world fuel economy. While that's an added bonus that won't cover the extra cost of the turbo, everything else is.

The six-speed auto is pretty good and in this segment isn't a bother because you either get saddled with a CVT or a seven-speed twin-clutch. I'll take a conventional six-speed transmission over a clunky DSG or droning CVT any day.

The CX-5 arrives with six airbags, ABS, brake assist, stability and traction controls, forward AEB (including pedestrian detection), front and rear collision warning, auto high beam, blind-spot monitoring, road sign recognition (including stop signs), speed limiter, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert and reverse AEB.

You also get two ISOFIX points and three top-tether restraints for the kiddies.

The CX-5 scored a maximum five ANCAP safety stars in April 2017.

Like all new Ford Australia models, the Escape ST-Line comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, along with five-year anti-corrosion assurance.

Service intervals are every 12 months/15,000km, with the first service due in two months/3000km.

The first full service will cost $360, while the second is $495 due to a brake fluid replacement that needs to be done every two years.

Service number three is back at $360, but the fourth service jumps to $750.

The Escape’s service schedule repeats this pattern until the 150,000km/10-year service, which requires a drive belt and radiator coolant replacement, increasing the cost to $895.

Mazda provides a healthy five year/unlimited kilometre warranty that now also includes roadside assist.

Service intervals are close together, with 12 months/10,000km - 12 months is normal. 10,000km isn't. Mazda does offer capped-price servicing, with services costing between $315 and $343 meaning $660-plus annual spend. That's before extras like brake fluid and pollen filters.