Chevy Tahoe vs. Ford Escape
We take a look at two contenders in the US SUV category. Both are from major US brands but compete in different size segments, and both are competing for the American buyer's hard-earned dollar.
How does the full-size Chevy stack up against the compact Ford Escape? Read on as we share with you feature by feature what each of these US brands' SUVs has to offer.
Chevy Tahoe
The three-seat row Chevy Tahoe has been around since 1994. The fourth generation was made available in 2014 as the 2015 model year and continues to offer prospective buyers a value-for-money pre-owned proposition.
The Chevy Tahoe, in fact, was the fastest-selling vehicle back in February 2014 and was initially available in three trims: LS, LT, and LTZ. Updates were seen annually up to 2020 when the next-gen Chevy Tahoe was revealed.
Ford Escape
The Ford Escape is a compact SUV first seen on US roads back in 2001, with the third generation revealed in 2013.
The Escape was available in 2015 in three trims, S, SE and Titanium and with front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) options.
Just like the Chevy, the Ford saw a refresh in 2017 with upgrades to both exterior and interior appointments.
Exterior
The 2015 Chevy Tahoe measures 116 inches long and stands 74.4 inches high. The exterior design features both hoods and liftgate panels made of aluminum to reduce vehicle weight.
The Chevy front headlights feature projector-beam headlamps flanking the Chevrolet signature dual-port grille with chrome on all trims that sweep into the front fenders. The fully loaded LTZ trims offer high-intensity discharge headlamps with LED daytime running lamps.
Chevrolet has released special trims over the years; in 2014, Chevrolet debuted an updated Z71 Tahoe offered in 4WD LT trim only. This SUV featured a unique grille, fog lights, front park assistance, a front skid plate, front tow hooks, 18-inch wheels with off-road tires, running boards and "Z71" identification inside and out.
A 2015 model year Texas Edition was made available in both LT and LTZ trims, which featured a maximum trailering package, twenty-inch polished aluminum wheels (on LT models), twenty-two-inch premium painted aluminum wheels (on LTZ models), and an exclusive "Texas Edition" badge.
The 2018 refresh saw all trim levels with standard LED daytime running lights, which replaced the high beam projector DRLs on LS and LT trim levels. 2018 also introduced the Custom Edition package option on the base LS trim level that featured a chrome finish grille, 18-inch aluminum wheels and 18-inch all-season blackwall tires
The Ford Escape measures 78.1 inches in length and, unlike the Chevy, boasts only two rows of seats. A refresh in 2017 added to the exterior a Ford Edge-inspired front fascia with a new two-slat, hexagonal grille, while the rear end received reshaped LED tail lights.
Ford further refined the model and endowed the Escape with extremely low road- and wind-noise levels by insulating the doors and B pillars, lining the front wheel wells and using acoustic glass for the side windows. Plus, new seals were applied to the windshield and hood.
The Escape was made available in nine exterior colors and fitted with 17 x 7-inch alloy wheels and P235/55HR17 tires.
Powertrains
The Chevy Tahoe saw fitment of two engine options, a 5.3 L Ecotec3 FlexFuel V8 making 355 horsepower with a torque output of 383 pound-feet and the 6.2 L Ecotec3 FlexFuel V8 that offers 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque fitted in the LTZ from 2018.
Both engines were mated to a standard 6-speed 6L80 automatic transmission, and the drive is sent to the rear wheels or to all four corners, depending on the trim.
The Ford Escape made use of three engines, first off a 2.5-liter, naturally aspirated inline-four engine producing 168 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. The EcoBoost inline, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine of 1.6-liter makes 173 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, and lastly, the 2.0 EcoBoost inline, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine produces 231 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.
All trims in the Escape lineup use a six-speed automatic transmission with FWD or AWD.
Cargo and Towing
The Tahoe has 15.3 cubic feet behind the third row and a maximum of 94.7 cubic feet with all seat rows folded down. It offers a maximum towing capacity of 8,500 pounds.
The Ford Escape has 34.3 cubic feet of space available behind the rear seats and 68.1 cubic feet with them folded down. Towing capacity is from 1,500 to 3,500 depending on engine and drivetrain options.
Interior, Infotainment and Comfort
The Chevy has fold-flat second-and third-row seats, with an optional power-folding feature on the top trims and an available power-tilt, telescoping steering wheel. Multiple USB ports and power outlets, including a 110-volt, three-prong outlet, are fitted.
Infotainment sees an available eight-inch color touch-screen radio MyLink connectivity with options of a rear-seat entertainment system; in 2016, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability were introduced.
The 2015 Ford Escape features a MyFord Touch entertainment system with radio, clock, steering wheel controls, voice Activation and Radio Data System as standard, plus wireless phone connectivity.
Eco-friendly seat fabrics are standard on the lower trim levels, and for those who believe in recycling, the carpeting is mostly constructed from recycled plastic water bottles.
Updates for 2017 saw a new Sync 3 infotainment system added along with a new smartphone app called Sync Connect, allowing owners to remotely monitor their vehicle, check fuel levels, lock and unlock doors, and start the engine.
Safety
Chevrolet Tahoe features ABS brakes, stability control, front-impact airbags, side-impact airbags, overhead airbags and seat belts with pre-tensioners.
Key driver assistance features include forward collision alert, front park assist, lane departure warning, lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert.
The Ford Escape is equipped with a full array of safety features, including standard Advancetrac with roll stability control and curve control, next-generation dual-stage driver and front-passenger airbags and Ford's Safety Canopy System with two-row side-curtain airbags.
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