It’s always interesting when an automaker has two similar SUVs that directly compete with each other. Consumers are often more drawn to one over the other, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with the Ford Bronco Sport and Escape. Both SUVs are drawing in decent sales numbers, so which is really the best? Here’s what we found out.

The sales numbers are incredibly close

GoodCarBadCar has updated its data for July 2023, and it was rather revealing. It appears that consumers are torn between the Ford Escape and Bronco Sport.

The Ford Escape has seen a bit of a dip in sales for the year-to-date. In 2022, it sold 83,774 vehicles. This dropped by 7.79% to 77,252 vehicles in 2023. The numbers are still very impressive, however, and if you check the numbers for July, you’ll see that things are actually looking up. In 2022, it sold only 9,854. This increased by 25.97% in July 2023 to 12,413 vehicles.

The Bronco Sport, on the other hand, has seen a major jump in sales. In fact, it’s 15.00% better in 2023 than it was in 2022. Last year, it sold 66,157 vehicles, and this increased to 76,082 in 2023.

The numbers for July are impressive as well, with a 70.07% jump in sales. In July 2022, 7,608 Bronco Sports were driven off the lot. In July 2023, this number increased to 12,939.

When you break the numbers down a little more, you’ll see that the Escape only sold around 1,000 more vehicles year-to-date. For July, the Bronco Sport sold around 500 more. These numbers are so close that it’s impossible to determine which vehicle consumers are more drawn to.

Both the Bronco Sport and Escape have great features

The Ford Bronco Sport has two major things going for it, and these are nostalgia and newness. The Bronco name appeals to people who remember the original vehicle that was discontinued so long ago, and the fact that it has such a modern look draws in buyers who are more interested in having something that is still fresh.

The Bronco Sport is a great off-road vehicle, comes in bright, eye-catching colors, and it handles well on paved roads. What owners don’t like is the fuel economy and the powertrain. It only gets 25/28/26 MPG, and the 181 hp, turbocharged 1.5L three-cylinder engine is adequate, but not really impressive.

The Escape, on the other hand, has been around the block for several years now. In general, it gets good reviews from critics, and most owners don’t have any major complaints. It’s not the most popular SUV on the market, but it nearly always performs well in studies and is a good choice for smaller families. 

There is a hybrid option for anyone who is conscious of their carbon footprint, or those who simply want to save some money at the pump. It can also tow up to 3,500 pounds, which is impressive for an SUV of this size.

On the other hand, the transmission on the 2023 Ford Escape tends to shift abruptly, which can be alarming when you’re driving down the highway. Still, no vehicle is perfect, and both the Ford Bronco Sport and Escape offer a lot.

How do you choose?

Rather than trying to figure out which vehicle is the best based off of reviews, there’s a very simple way to solve this dilemma. Head for your local Ford dealership, and take them for a test drive. 

This is the easiest, and quickest way to decide whether the Bronco Sport or the Escape is for you. You can also flip a coin, but the test drive will definitely be more satisfying.