Ford Escape vs Jeep Compass: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Ford Escape typically lists for $23,766 against $22,795 for the Jeep Compass (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). the Ford Escape leads on NCAP safety (4.5★ vs 3.9★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the ACTIVE at $21,994 vs the TRAILHAWK at $23,000; 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 Ford Escape ACTIVE ($21,994) faces the Jeep Compass TRAILHAWK ($23,000); the most common trims on the market are the ST LINE (36.6% of Ford Escape listings) and the LIMITED (65.5% of Jeep Compass listings); at the top of the market, the PHEV ($27,888) faces the LATITUDE/NORTH ($29,850). 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.
| Ford Escape | Jeep Compass | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| BASE | $18,362 | 0.4% | SPORT | $19,441 | 1.9% |
| ACTIVECheapest | $21,994 | 35.9% | TRAILHAWKCheapest | $23,000 | 24.2% |
| ST LINEMost popular | $23,372 | 36.6% | LIMITEDMost popular | $23,143 | 65.5% |
| ST LINE SELECT | $24,497 | 12.2% | LATITUDE/NORTHPriciest | $29,850 | 8.4% |
| PLATINUM | $26,260 | 10.1% | — | ||
| PHEVPriciest | $27,888 | 3.0% | — | ||
| ST LINE ELITE | $28,038 | 1.9% | — | ||
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: Ford Escape prices · Jeep Compass prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford Escape typical | Jeep Compass typical | Difference | Ford Escape MPG | Jeep Compass MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $27,285 | $30,385 | Jeep Compass +$3,100 | 26–40 MPG | 26 MPG |
| 2025 | $23,766 | $22,795 | Ford Escape +$971 | 26–40 MPG | 27 MPG |
| 2024 | $23,377 | $19,999 | Ford Escape +$3,378 | 26–39 MPG | 27 MPG |
| 2023 | $22,999 | $22,495 | Ford Escape +$504 | 26–40 MPG | 27 MPG |
| 2022 | $19,191 | $20,874 | Jeep Compass +$1,683 | 26–41 MPG | 25 MPG |
| 2021 | $16,577 | $16,288 | Ford Escape +$289 | 26–41 MPG | 25 MPG |
| 2020 | $15,500 | $15,072 | Ford Escape +$428 | 26–41 MPG | 25–26 MPG |
| 2019 | $13,007 | $14,802 | Jeep Compass +$1,795 | 23–26 MPG | 25–26 MPG |
| 2018 | $11,368 | $13,350 | Jeep Compass +$1,982 | 23–26 MPG | 25–26 MPG |
| 2017 | $10,100 | $11,174 | Jeep Compass +$1,074 | 23–26 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2016 | $8,900 | $8,495 | Ford Escape +$405 | 23–26 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2015 | $7,995 | $7,480 | Ford Escape +$515 | 23–26 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,795 | $6,995 | Ford Escape +$800 | 24–26 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2013 | $6,995 | $6,197 | Ford Escape +$798 | 24–26 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2012 | $6,891 | $6,295 | Ford Escape +$596 | 20–25 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2011 | $5,995 | $5,995 | even | 20–25 MPG | 21–25 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,845 | $4,995 | Jeep Compass +$150 | 19–23 MPG | 22–24 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 — Ford Escape or Jeep Compass?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Jeep Compass is cheaper: it typically lists for $22,795 versus $23,766 for the Ford Escape (national medians, October 2026).
Which is safer — Ford Escape or Jeep Compass?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford Escape averages 4.5 of 5 stars across rated years versus 3.9 for the Jeep Compass. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Ford Escape or Jeep Compass?
NHTSA lists an average of 8.3 recalls per model year for the Ford Escape and 2.1 for the Jeep Compass — an edge for the Jeep Compass. 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 Ford Escape ACTIVE typically lists for $21,994 vs $23,000 for a Jeep Compass TRAILHAWK; the most common trims on the market are the ST LINE ($23,372, 36.6% of Ford Escape listings) and the LIMITED ($23,143, 65.5% of Jeep Compass listings); at the top of the market, the PHEV ($27,888) faces the LATITUDE/NORTH ($29,850). 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/ford/escape/vs/jeep/compass.
Dig deeper
Ford Escape — live listings & specs Jeep Compass — live listings & specs Ford Escape prices by year Jeep Compass prices by year Ford Escape MPG by year Jeep Compass MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.