At first that may seem faintly ridiculous, but when you look at the Venn diagram of price, proportions and performance, the Ateca lives in a little world of its own. To get vaguely comparable speed and power from any other medium-sized SUV, you’re looking at spending around £50k+ on a Porsche Macan S or an Audi SQ5. But although it may be marooned in its own micro-sector, that doesn’t mean it has a free pass. A £40,000-ish Seat – sorry, Cupra – has a lot to prove, starting with how it drives
Pros Hot hatch performance with SUV styling and practicality
Cons £40k for a Seat with somewhat unconvincing branding
The Cupra Ateca SUV is a brilliant family car that’s fast and great to drive, but you’ll have to accept its gloomy interior and boy racer exterior complete with tuner-esque branding.
Pros Surprisingly nimble Fizzing performance Still practical
Cons Boy racer looks Dark, gloomy interior A VW Golf R costs less
The 2021 Ford Escape's #10 ranking is based on its score within the Compact SUVs category. Currently the Ford Escape has a score of 7.9 out of 10, which is based on our evaluation of 26 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
Pros Good cargo capacity User-friendly infotainment system Well-balanced ride and handling
Cons Cheap cabin materials Transmission sometimes hunts for the right gear
Ford has expanded the availability of the hybrid powertrain to the SE and SEL trims for 2021; it's now standard on the top-spec Titanium model. Elsewhere, adaptive cruise control and a traffic-sign recognition feature join the optional Co-Pilot360 Plus package; a hands-free power liftgate and memory settings for the driver's seat and exterior mirrors are now part of the Technology package; and a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, a keyless-entry keypad, and LED exterior lighting are now on the list of features in the Convenience package. A new 19-inch wheel design is optional on the Titanium model, and a Class II Trailer Tow package is now available on Escapes with the optional turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
Pros Handsomely styled exterior, multiple powertrain options, safety tech comes standard.
Cons Cheap interior on base models, rough-edged base three-cylinder engine, high starting price.
For 2021 Hybrid powertrain now available on SEL trim.Traffic sign recognition added to models with adaptive cruise control.Minor shuffling of trim and package features.
Pros Roomy and comfortable seating Smooth ride quality Easy-to-use controls Available hybrid powertrain that gets around 40 mpg
Cons Transmission's abrupt shifts Lackluster handling
