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The Ford Escape at a press conference in Shanghai

Does the 2020 Ford Escape Look Too Much Like a Car?

The Ford Escape is back for 2020, and fans are ecstatic. It’s fully redesigned and updated in styling and interior quality. While many consumers are welcoming the Escape with open arms, some are citing its striking resemblance to a car. We scoured the conversations and threads online to see just how many folks are talking …

The Ford Escape is back for 2020, and fans are ecstatic. It’s fully redesigned and updated in styling and interior quality. While many consumers are welcoming the Escape with open arms, some are citing its striking resemblance to a car. We scoured the conversations and threads online to see just how many folks are talking about the Ford Escape’s car-like revisions.

2020 Ford Escape is entirely redesigned

The Ford Escape at a press conference in Shanghai
The new Ford Escape | KELLY WANG/AFP via Getty Images

Ford recognized the popular Escape was due for a reboot. For 2020, it’s undergone a complete redesign. Ford is hoping consumers will love the new exterior style and interior design. Power and acceleration are improved, and there are a host of powertrain options intended to fit a sporty and performance-based lifestyle. The hybrid version is back this year too after a hiatus. Cargo capability and passenger room in the back seat are both improved as well due to the sliding second row.

The look of the 2020 Escape is completely different from previous generations. It’s longer and wider in stature. It sits a tad lower to the ground and features bigger windows for improved visibility. Despite some of the increased size and length, the Escape is lighter than models of years past. The plunging nose and hatchback-looking layout have some consumers thinking it looks more like a car than an SUV.

An uncanny resemblance to other cars

We turn to Reddit to find conversations and threads regarding Escape’s new look. The popular opinion is that while most seem excited about the redesign, there is a striking similarity to the Mazda CX-5. One comment pointed out Ford’s knack of designing, much like the companies they used to own, including Mazda. Another says the Escape looks like a cross between the Porsche Macan and the Mazda CX-5.

Some talk about how much the new 2020 Ford Escape resembles other vehicles too. There are several mentions of likeness to the Porsche Macan and Mazda CX-5. But others talk about the hatchback-look, making it appear less boxy, comparing it to Hyundai or Kia designs. A few joked that it’s more like a lifted Focus model. The overall sentiment is that it looks too safe, design-wise, making it too much like a car. At best, it’s a bland crossover, with which the market is already saturated.

Car-like or not, the Ford Escape offers tons of options

Ford may have disappointed some with the redesigned styling of the new Escape. But, there’s plenty to get excited about when considering building out one for yourself. If you’re impressed with its car-like appearance, you’re sure to find the configuration that works for your lifestyle, too.

Consider a variety of trim levels and packages, including S, SE, hybrid-only SE Sport, SEL, and Titanium. Pick a powertrain from gas, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid varieties. FWD and AWD are also options, as well. You’ll enjoy the best of standard safety, infotainment, and driver assistance features.

Other compact SUVs and crossovers worth considering

If you’re in the same camp as some of the Reddit consumers and think the Escape looks too much like a car for your liking, you have great alternatives from which to choose. You might prefer the more traditional SUV styling of the Honda CR-V or popular Toyota RAV4 instead. And, if the Escape looks too much like the Mazda CX-5, you might as well look at the Mazda and sample the upscale extras it offers.

The 2020 Ford Escape does boast rave reviews among the experts, and consumers are genuinely enthusiastic about the return of the hybrid model. While some point out its uncanny resemblance to cars and hatchbacks, you may have a differing opinion. Ultimately, it boils down to personal preferences in the end.

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