Ford Escape ST-Line v Holden Equinox LTZ 2019 Comparison

While Commodore versus Mustang on the race track is where the Ford versus Holden rivalry is at its fiercest, both companies would prefer to be winning the SUV sales race.

Truth be told the Ford Escape and Holden Equinox are also-rans when it comes to the medium light-duty battle-ground, hidden in the shadows of big performers like the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4 – and even outsold by far more expensive luxury models like the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Here we’re driving the two models one step from the top of their respective line-ups, both with a sporting skew, the Escape ST-Line and the Equinox LTZ.

Both come with on-demand all-wheel drive, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engines and a promise from their makers that we’ll enjoy driving them.

In a world gone SUV-mad the Escape and Equinox have basically been ignored. So, our plan is to try and figure out why that is, and determine if they deserve more attention.

And as they pitch themselves as sports models, we’ll also pay a lot of attention to how they feel from the driver’s seat.

Of the two of them the Equinox seems to have the better credentials to gain buyer attention. It’s newer, effectively replacing the Captiva, and it’s central to a massive Holden SUV promotional campaign.

The Escape is older and has gone through something of an identity crisis, having also been known as the Kuga. With a new generation model confirmed for Australia in 2020, this Escape is unlikely to be the focus of much promotional attention.

Being replacements for the traditional station wagon, both these vehicles should appeal to a wide gamut of buyers, from young families to retiree couples.

But to drill into that a bit more, the LTZ is the longer, wider vehicle with more interior space. It also has a bigger boot area with the rear seats up or folded. Towing capacity is also more substantial at 2000kg braked versus 1600kg.

Its engine also has slightly more power and torque and slightly lower fuel consumption claim, perhaps because it is fitted with a nine-speed rather than six-speed automatic transmission.

Reflecting their sporting ambitions both cars come with re-tuned suspensions. The ST-Line has been lowered, while the LTZ, along with the rest of the Equinox range, picks up Australian-specific hardware and calibration.

The Escape is $39,990 (plus on-road costs), while the Equinox is $44,290 drive-away. Go to the Ford website calculator and it says an ST-Line purchased in Melbourne will set you back a total of $44,603, so it ends up being pretty close.

But stretching the gap further, our ST-Line also added a Technology Pack for $800 that included adaptive cruise control with forward collision alert, a tyre pressure monitor, lane keeping aid and lane departure warning.

So, let’s check the equipment levels.

Safety first: In addition to the stuff listed above the Ford gets seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, park assist, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot assistance. If you’ve got a paired and in-range smartphone an emergency assistance function will call for help in case of an accident.

The Holden misses out on the driver’s knee airbag but has superior LED (versus halogen) headlights, adds a collision alert that vibrates the driver’s seat and a visual reminder to check the rear seat when exiting the vehicle. Don’t want to leave any kids or pets back there!

Both vehicles are five-star ANCAP five-star rated based on 2017 testing criteria.

In terms of comfort equipment both vehicles have 19-inch alloys (and a space-saver spare tyre), dual-zone climate control, Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity, embedded sat-nav, DAB radio, three 12v outlets and a rear cargo blind.

While the ST-Line gets a body kit, the Equinox adds stuff most people would see as more useful; a power tailgate (optional on ST-Line), leather (versus part-leather) seat trim, a powered driver’s seat with memory, heating for the front and rear seats, wireless phone charging, four USB ports (versus two) and a 230v charger.

Both cars come with a five-year unlimited warranty. The Escape is serviced every 15,000km or annually. Maximum service prices for the first five years or 75,000km add up to $2000. The Equinox is serviced every year or 12,000km, so six years or 72,000km is $1914.

The Equinox offers excellent space for the bucks. It truly has sprawling room in the backseat and there is an appreciably larger boot to fit all your family stuff in to, including a storage bin under the floor.

The presentation of the Equinox’s interior is also stylish and modern, highlighted by a dash-top mounted touch screen that has startling clarity.

The Equinox’s engine has the better figures in terms of power, torque and fuel economy and our testing supported that. There’s no shortage of grunt, yet our overall consumption on test came out at 9.0L/100km, versus 10.0L/100km for the Ford.

The Escape is the driver’s car of this pair. The ST-Line’s suspension tune helps make it feel nimble and responsive. It has better calibration of step-in throttle and brake application and – once you switch off the intrusive lane keep assist – more tactile steering.

It’s also impressively quiet. You are effectively cocooned in the cabin away from noise intrusion. Materials are soft touch, you are supported by well-bolstered and supportive sports seats up-front and high viewing position in the rear.

The Equinox doesn’t match the driving feel of the Escape. It’s just rougher around the edges with a sharper ride and more body movement in corners. And despite active noise cancellation it’s not as quiet as the Escape. It’s noticeable how much more suspension noise and tyre noise is generated.

The Mexico-built Equinox’s trim materials are a disappointment. Why is everything so hard to the touch? That impression of quality generated at first glance is negated when you hit your elbow on something.

And what’s the go with that stupid manual gearshift rocker on top of the lever. OK, plenty of people will never feel the urge to shift manually, but for those who do this creation is a dud. It’s like whoever thought this up had never driven a car.

At this price, the LTZ should also have usable flappy paddles as the ST-Line does.

The Spanish-built Escape is just smaller and less usable than the Equinox as a family hauler. It’s tighter in the back-seater and in the luggage area. Our test car also came with some creaks and groans from the dash, which were disappointing.

Both these vehicles deserve to sell better than they do. They both have clear attributes that more medium SUV buyers should be paying attention to.

Why aren’t they looking at them? Great question, love to get your input below. Maybe it’s that people who gravitate to these brands aren’t interested in these sorts of vehicles. After all, the Ford Ranger and Holden Colorado utes go pretty well in terms of sales.

The Equinox is the logical choice here for family buyers because it has more space, more equipment and is slightly cheaper (once you do the on-road adjustment for the Escape), yet the elements don’t quite add up to be as compelling a package as expected at first glance.

And as we made clear at the beginning, the driving component of this test is particularly important. On that basis, the Escape gets the nod. From behind the steering wheel it simply feels a more cohesive, more involving and more pleasant vehicle.

How much does the 2019 Ford Escape ST-Line cost:
Price: $39,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 178kW/345Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.6L/100km (ADR Combined) / 10.0L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 197g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2017)

How much does the 2019 Holden Equinox LTZ cost:
Price: $44,290 (driveaway)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 188kW/355Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined) / 9.0L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 196g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2017)