With the Ford Escape Now Dead, Here Are Some Alternatives
Key Points
- Despite strong sales, the Ford Escape is ending production after 25 years.
- Ford recommends shoppers opt for the more off-road-oriented Bronco Sport SUV.
- Alternatives to the Escape include the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Cherokee, Kia Sportage and Toyota RAV4.
After a quarter century on the market as a staple in the automaker’s lineup, Ford has announced that its Escape has ended production. It may not have been the most exciting model in Ford’s lineup, but the Escape was a strong seller, especially given its relatively affordable starting price, and it gained a loyal following of owners. That accessibility showed in its sales: Ford sold nearly 147,000 Escapes in 2024. In its place, Ford wants buyers to go for the more off-road-oriented Bronco Sport.
If you were in the market for an Escape but aren’t interested in the Bronco Sport, you might want to consider some of the Escape’s competitors, a few of which we’ve gathered here.
Related: Which Trim Level of the 2026 Ford Escape Should You Buy?
2026 Honda CR-V
- Starting price: $32,370 (price includes $1,450 destination)
- What to know about the 2026 Honda CR-V: Honda’s bestseller carries over into 2026 with a choice of gas, hybrid and fuel-cell powertrains.
Honda’s CR-V is a heavy hitter in the segment and the brand’s bestselling vehicle. If you’re in the market for one, you’ll find that there’s something for everyone. Honda offers the CR-V with three powertrains: a standard 190 horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine, a hybrid with a total of 204 hp that gets up to 40 mpg combined, or a fuel-cell electric vehicle with 174 hp and 29 miles of electric driving range. While the fuel-cell CR-V is available in just one loaded trim (it’s also only available in California), the gas and hybrid CR-Vs have more trims available.
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2026 Hyundai Tucson
- Starting price: $30,800 (price includes $1,600 destination)
- What to know about the 2026 Hyundai Tucson: Hyundai’s mid-size crossover is an up and comer in the segment, offering buyers a choice of gas, hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Hyundai is no stranger to the compact SUV segment with the Tucson. A staple in Hyundai’s lineup for over 20 years, the Tucson is the brand’s bestselling model. Hyundai offers the Tucson with a choice of three different powertrains. Gas-powered Tucsons get a 187-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine; the Tucson Hybrid gets a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder paired with a 47.7-kilowatt electric motor and a 1.49-kilowatt-hour battery pack for a total of 231 hp and up to 38 mpg combined; and the Tucson PHEV gets the same engine as the hybrid but with a larger electric motor (72 kW) and battery pack (13.8 kWh) for a total of 268 hp and 32 miles of electric driving range.
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2026 Jeep Cherokee
- Starting price: $36,995 (price includes $1,995 destination)
- What to know about the 2026 Jeep Cherokee: The Cherokee has returned to Jeep’s lineup after a brief hiatus and is all new for 2026.
Jeep’s prodigal son has returned — sort of. After ending production after the 2023 model year, the Cherokee has returned to the brand’s lineup for 2026 as a lower-cost option for buyers who have experienced sticker shock with Jeep’s pricing in the last few years. Unfortunately, Jeep showed up late to the party with the highest price; the Cherokee’s $36,995 starting price makes it one of, if not the most, expensive entries in the segment. However, that price may have something to do with its new standard engine. Wearing all-new duds, the Cherokee gets one powertrain choice this time around: a 1.6-liter four-cylinder hybrid with a total of 210 hp and up to a manufacturer-estimated 37 mpg combined. The SUV comes standard with four-wheel drive.
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2026 Kia Sportage
- Starting price: $30,135 (price includes $1,445 destination)
- What to know about the 2026 Kia Sportage: The Sportage was recently updated for 2026 with new styling inside and out, and it’s still available with three different powertrains.
Kia’s Sportage has been in the brand’s lineup for quite a while, and the current-generation model is probably the best the crossover has ever been. Kia recently refreshed the Sportage with styling similar to its larger Sorento and Telluride SUVs as well as an updated interior with larger screens. Powertrains are carried over, which is in no way a bad thing as Kia gives buyers a variety of options to choose from. There’s the gas-powered Sportage with a 187 hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine; the Sportage Hybrid with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine with a total of 232 hp and up to 42 mpg combined; and at the top of the range sits the Sportage Plug-In Hybrid. In an interesting setup, the PHEV shares the same turbocharged engine as the hybrid, just with a larger electric motor and battery pack for total system output of 268 hp and 34 miles of electric driving range.
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2026 Toyota RAV4
- Starting price: $33,350 (price includes $1,450 destination)
- What to know about the 2026 Toyota RAV4: Despite receiving a ground-up redesign for the 2026 model year, the RAV4 is still available with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
The Toyota RAV4 is the sales leader of the segment. All-new for 2026, Toyota has given the RAV4 a complete redesign both inside and out. Also new is the fact that all RAV4s can only be had with either 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain with up to a total of 236 hp and up to a manufacturer-estimated 44 mpg combined (which is wild for a crossover) or the more powerful PHEV with 324 hp and between 48 and 52 miles of all-electric driving range.
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Shop the 2026 Toyota RAV4 near you
Read More Compact SUV News on Cars.com:
- 2023 Ford Escape Review: Stepping On the Gas (and Some Rakes)
- How Much Is the 2026 Toyota RAV4?
- 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid TrailSport Review: A Compromise Against Compromises
- Is the 2025 Hyundai Tucson a Good SUV? 5 Pros, 2 Cons
- 2026 Jeep Cherokee Returns as High-Mileage Hybrid
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