2025 Subaru Crosstrek vs. 2025 Ford Escape
The 2025 Subaru Crosstrek and the 2025 Ford Escape compete in the compact SUV segment with different approaches to utility, comfort, and driving experience. The Crosstrek leans into all-weather capability and off-road potential without sacrificing daily comfort.
The Escape focuses more on in-town practicality with optional hybrid powertrains and a slightly more refined ride. Both models offer flexible cabin space, updated tech, and available driver assistance systems. To choose the right vehicle, consider how each one delivers in real-world use across design, features, performance, and long-term value.
Design & Style
The 2025 Crosstrek combines rugged design cues with modern styling to reflect its adventurous spirit. Its high ground clearance, flared wheel arches, and functional roof rails support a wide range of outdoor gear. The cabin uses durable upholstery and practical layouts that balance comfort with utility. Every detail feels ready for both weekend trips and daily errands.
The 2025 Escape offers a more streamlined design with softer lines and a lower stance. It brings a car-like profile and more rounded styling details. The interior feels slightly more upscale with soft-touch materials and additional sound insulation, but cargo space and layout flexibility take a backseat to its sleeker aesthetic. Its urban look fits better in city settings than on dirt roads.
Technology & Safety
Inside the Crosstrek, drivers get an 11.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Subaru includes EyeSight Driver Assist on all trims, which adds adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention, and pre-collision braking. The interface is simple and quick to learn, with physical controls where it counts.
The Escape integrates Ford’s SYNC 4 system with a slightly smaller display and similar smartphone connectivity. It includes Ford Co-Pilot360, which provides lane-keeping assistance, blind spot detection, and rearview monitoring. While the Escape adds available parking assist and adaptive cruise on higher trims, some safety tools are optional rather than standard, depending on configuration.
Performance
The Crosstrek provides standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive on every model, offering solid snow, gravel, and rain control. Drivers can choose between a 2.0-liter or a more responsive 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Ride quality stays smooth over broken pavement, and off-road performance remains among the strongest in the segment without sacrificing efficiency.
The Escape features front-wheel drive as standard and offers all-wheel drive on select trims. Its base turbocharged engine supplies more torque for highway merging, and the available hybrid option boosts fuel economy. Still, the Escape’s lighter build and tuning prioritize pavement over rougher roads, limiting its versatility for more active lifestyles.
The Bottom Line
The Crosstrek supports a balance of everyday drivability and weekend adventure with standard all-wheel drive and a rugged yet compact platform. It brings strong safety features across all trims and gives buyers real value with capability that doesn’t depend on expensive upgrades. The Escape suits drivers who want a smoother on-road ride and hybrid efficiency, but it doesn’t offer the same confidence once the pavement ends. Both have their place, but they appeal to very different priorities.
Schedule a Test Drive Today
Take the next step and experience the Crosstrek in person. Visit Empire Subaru of Huntington to schedule a test drive and explore what makes it a smart fit for drivers who need comfort, capability, and control whenever they get behind the wheel.
