Looking at the road in Greenville will show you plenty of compact SUVs from various automakers, but not all of these are created equally. While both the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape are great vehicles that can fit most budgets, they have a few key differences that give the Honda the lead.
Interior Space and Versatility
The vast majority of families looking for a compact SUV want a vehicle that is nice and small on the outside but spacious on the inside, an area where the CR-V has an advantage over the Escape. Experts agree that the Honda has more usable interior room than the Ford, which is largely thanks to its efficient packaging and upright design. The very clever flip-fold mechanism lets you convert the second row of seats into a cargo bench with ease.
Comfort
Even interior comfort tends to be better in the Honda CR-V thanks to its plushy upholstered seats. By comparison, the seats in the Ford Escape are firmer and have thinner padding. This creates a sporty feel, but it means you won’t be as comfortable as in the CR-V during extended drives.
Safety
In terms of most safety ratings, the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape are identical. They both have a 4-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and mostly “Good” ratings from the IIHS. For the previous model year, both did poorly in the new IIHS test for small overlap frontal test. While Ford appears to have just accepted this fact and earned a “Poor” for the current model year, Honda took the rating to heart and made the necessary changes to earn a top “Good” rating this year. When configured correctly, the Honda CR-V has the status of an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, something you won’t get from the Ford.
Whether you want versatility, comfort, or safety, the Honda CR-V is the clear choice for Greenville, North Carolina, drivers. Visit Barbour Hendrick Honda to get behind the wheel of this SUV and start enjoying daily drives around town with confidence.
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