2020 Ford Escape vs Nissan Rogue

Crossover SUVs are popular among family-oriented vehicles due to their cargo capacities, spacious interiors, and car-like handling. The 2020 Ford Escape and the 2020 Nissan Rogue are two of the most popular crossover vehicles on the market this model year, but which one is better suited to your specific driving and lifestyle needs?

Drivers in the Mechanicsburg, Harrisburg, and Carlisle areas can learn about the key differences between the Ford Escape vs. Nissan Rogue with our side-by-side comparison. Read more about the features and options for the 2020 Ford Escape and the 2020 Nissan Rogue, then learn where you can go to test drive the winning vehicle!

Ford Escape vs Nissan Rogue: Performance

The Ford Escape is equipped with a standard 1.5L EcoBoost® engine with Auto Start-Stop Technology that's capable of kicking out 181 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque. It's paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Nissan Rogue is equipped with a 4-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 170 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. It's paired with a Continuously Variable Transmission.

Not only is the Escape more powerful, but it also offers a better drive. The low ground clearance of the Escape means a low center of gravity that translates to more stability and less rollover feel around turns. It also handles more smoothly, gripping the road and cornering the turns in a manner that's more like a compact car than a crossover.

The Escape has a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds when it's equipped with its available 2.0L EcoBoost® engine and the Class II Trailer Tow Package. That's a full 2,000 pounds above the Rogue's 1,102-pound capacity. For hauls around town, the Escape is far more capable than the Rogue.

Ford Escape vs Nissan Rogue: Versatility and Capabilities

Both Ford's 2020 Escape and Nissan's 2020 Rogue offer available all-wheel drive (AWD) systems. However, in our opinion, the one that Ford's engineers have built is much savvier because of its available All-Wheel Drive Disconnect and standard Selectable Drive Modes. We'll describe these technologies here but feel free to contact us with questions.

Available AWD Disconnect: Except when dealing with the worst of Pennsylvania's winter weather, you're not going to need to be in AWD all the time. That's why the AWD Disconnect is there. As soon as it detects AWD isn't needed, it will intelligently disable that rear component of the drivetrain. The result? Your drag and your energy usage are reduced, which in turn speeds up your vehicle but slows down your cost at the pumps. Nissan Rogue's Intelligent AWD can do something similar.

Standard Selectable Drive Modes: Something else great the Ford has is its Selectable Drive Modes. Since it's a standard feature, every single Escape offers these. Depending on what you're facing out there, this allows you to select among Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, and Deep Snow/Sand Mode. So, explore away…

Ford Escape vs Nissan Rogue: Interior Space and Technology

Air conditioning, a CD player, radio, power windows, and power door locks are all standard with both vehicles. They also both come with ABS brakes, driver and passenger airbags, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags. Both come with adjustable driver seating as well, but the Escape offers a 6-way power-adjustable front-passenger's seat, while the Rogue's optional power front-passenger's seat only adjusts four ways.

The Ford Escape offers a spacious interior with plenty of head- and legroom: 40 inches of front headroom, 39.3 inches of headroom in the back, 42.4 inches of front legroom, and as much as 40.7 inches of legroom in the back. Unfortunately, the Nissan Rogue isn't able to keep up when it comes to a few of these numbers. With its available moonroof, the driver and the front-seat passenger will only have access to 39.5 inches of headroom, while riders in the back won't be able to relax too much with merely 36.6 inches.

Even without that available moonroof, the backseat's headroom is capped at about 38.5 inches. Sadly, its legroom prospects are no better. Just 37.9 inches of second-row legroom brings the Rogue's total to nearly three inches less than the Escape's in that category. There's nothing worse than being cramped on a road trip.

The Escape's standard safety features include stability control, airbag sensors, and knee airbags. The Escape is also available with enhanced Active Park Assist 2.0 and Lane Centering as well as the Sync 3 infotainment system-all three of which are unavailable with the Rogue.

Finally, Add a Little Bit of Color to Your Drive

In many ways, crossovers are extremely practical vehicles. They offer you and your loved ones a great shot at going on adventure after adventure for years to come-in safety and comfort, mind you! Yet the 2020 Ford Explorer is more than just practical. It also spices things up with 10 different available colors.

We're talking about bold hues, like Rapid Red, Velocity Blue, and Sedona Orange. Sophisticated paint jobs such as Agate Black, Desert Gold, Dark Persian Green, and Magnetic. There are even glistening coats, including Ingot Silver, Oxford White, and Star White. Unfortunately, the 2020 Nissan Rogue just can't keep up with these.

First of all, this Nissan only comes in nine different available colors rather than the 10 that Ford offers. The colors are also rather boring and muted by comparison. Their Pearl White and Glacier White simply can't keep up with the list of paint jobs included above. Interested? If so, contact us.

Test Drive the 2020 Ford Escape at Fred Beans Ford of Mechanicsburg!

The 2020 Nissan Rogue has plenty to offer in the crossover category, but it's no match for the performance, towing capacity, safety, and available features of the 2020 Ford Escape. Read the rest of our Ford Escape reviews and comparisons to learn more. Drivers in Carlisle, Harrisburg, and Mechanicsburg can experience these key differences for themselves by visiting Fred Beans Ford of  Mechanicsburg.

Feel free to contact us for more information and to schedule a test drive of the 2020 Ford Escape. Thanks!