Chevrolet Equinox vs Ford Escape: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Chevrolet Equinox typically lists for $25,947 against $23,603 for the Ford Escape (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Ford Escape takes fuel economy (24 MPG combined vs 23 MPG). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the LS at $20,795 vs the ACTIVE at $21,993; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Chevrolet Equinox LS ($20,795) faces the Ford Escape ACTIVE ($21,993); the most common trims on the market are the 1LT (28.2% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the ST LINE (36.5% of Ford Escape listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,309) faces the PLATINUM ($26,170). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Chevrolet Equinox | Ford Escape | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| LSCheapest | $20,795 | 5.2% | BASE | $18,500 | 0.4% |
| LT (1LT) | $21,995 | 25.7% | ACTIVECheapest | $21,993 | 36.0% |
| PREMIER (1LZ) | $24,962 | 2.8% | ST LINEMost popular | $23,377 | 36.5% |
| 1LTMost popular | $25,694 | 28.2% | ST LINE SELECT | $24,498 | 12.3% |
| 2LT | $28,186 | 12.4% | PLATINUMPriciest | $26,170 | 10.2% |
| RS | $30,206 | 10.6% | PHEV | $27,932 | 2.9% |
| ACTIVEPriciest | $32,309 | 3.1% | ST LINE ELITE | $28,000 | 1.8% |
| LT 2 PDE | $39,877 | 2.6% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Chevrolet Equinox prices · Ford Escape prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Chevrolet Equinox typical | Ford Escape typical | Difference | Chevrolet Equinox MPG | Ford Escape MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $28,973 | $26,799 | Chevrolet Equinox +$2,174 | 26–27 MPG | 26–40 MPG |
| 2025 | $25,947 | $23,603 | Chevrolet Equinox +$2,344 | 26–27 MPG | 26–40 MPG |
| 2024 | $22,797 | $23,364 | Ford Escape +$567 | 26–28 MPG | 26–39 MPG |
| 2023 | $20,899 | $23,002 | Ford Escape +$2,103 | 26–28 MPG | 26–40 MPG |
| 2022 | $18,583 | $19,081 | Ford Escape +$498 | 27–28 MPG | 26–41 MPG |
| 2021 | $16,406 | $16,556 | Ford Escape +$150 | 27–28 MPG | 26–41 MPG |
| 2020 | $15,544 | $15,491 | Chevrolet Equinox +$53 | 24–28 MPG | 26–41 MPG |
| 2019 | $14,000 | $12,995 | Chevrolet Equinox +$1,005 | 24–32 MPG | 23–26 MPG |
| 2018 | $12,417 | $11,177 | Chevrolet Equinox +$1,240 | 24–32 MPG | 23–26 MPG |
| 2017 | $9,995 | $10,037 | Ford Escape +$42 | 18–25 MPG | 23–26 MPG |
| 2016 | $9,265 | $8,882 | Chevrolet Equinox +$383 | 18–26 MPG | 23–26 MPG |
| 2015 | $7,999 | $7,995 | Chevrolet Equinox +$4 | 19–26 MPG | 23–26 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,495 | $7,740 | Ford Escape +$245 | 19–26 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $6,990 | $6,995 | Ford Escape +$5 | 19–26 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
| 2012 | $6,495 | $6,892 | Ford Escape +$397 | 19–26 MPG | 20–25 MPG |
| 2011 | $5,999 | $5,995 | Chevrolet Equinox +$4 | 19–26 MPG | 20–25 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,995 | $5,989 | Chevrolet Equinox +$6 | 20–26 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,620 | $5,780 | Ford Escape +$160 | 19–20 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,270 | $5,499 | Ford Escape +$229 | 19 MPG | 19–24 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,396 | $4,517 | Ford Escape +$121 | 19–20 MPG | 19–23 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,998 | $4,795 | Chevrolet Equinox +$203 | 18–19 MPG | 19–23 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,995 | $4,250 | Chevrolet Equinox +$745 | 19 MPG | 17–24 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Equinox or Ford Escape?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Ford Escape is cheaper: it typically lists for $23,603 versus $25,947 for the Chevrolet Equinox (national medians, October 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Chevrolet Equinox or Ford Escape?
The Ford Escape: its typical rated version returns 24 MPG combined versus 23 MPG for the Chevrolet Equinox (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is more reliable — Chevrolet Equinox or Ford Escape?
NHTSA lists an average of 2.1 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Equinox and 8.3 for the Ford Escape — an edge for the Chevrolet Equinox. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Chevrolet Equinox LS typically lists for $20,795 vs $21,993 for a Ford Escape ACTIVE; the most common trims on the market are the 1LT ($25,694, 28.2% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the ST LINE ($23,377, 36.5% of Ford Escape listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,309) faces the PLATINUM ($26,170). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/equinox/vs/ford/escape.
Dig deeper
Chevrolet Equinox — live listings & specs Ford Escape — live listings & specs Chevrolet Equinox prices by year Ford Escape prices by year Chevrolet Equinox MPG by year Ford Escape MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.