Compare the2026 Ford EscapeVS 2026 BMW X2

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X2 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X2 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Ford Escape achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The BMW X2 has not been tested.

Both the Escape and the X2 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Escape 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X2. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X2 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 8 times as many Ford dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape’s warranty.

The Escape has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The X2 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Escape’s reliability 27 points higher than the X2.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Escape first among compact suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The X2 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. With 3 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Ford higher than BMW.

The Escape’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (250 vs. 241) than the X2 xDrive28i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Escape gets better mileage than the X2:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Escape 1.5 Turbo’s fuel efficiency. The X2 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Escape uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The X2 M35i xDrive requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Escape AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the X2 (15.7 vs. 14.3 gallons).

The Escape has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X2 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Escape, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the X2.

For better maneuverability, the Escape’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the X2’s (37.2 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The Ford Escape may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 550 pounds less than the BMW X2.

The front grille of the Escape uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The X2 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Escape has 2.1 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear headroom and 4 inches more rear legroom than the X2.

The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X2 with its rear seat up (37.5 vs. 25.3 cubic feet). The Escape has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X2 with its rear seat folded (65.4 vs. 51.7 cubic feet).

The Escape has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The X2 has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escape uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X2 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape’s available exterior PIN entry system. The X2 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Escape has a standard rear wiper. The X2 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Escape has standard extendable sun visors. The X2 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Escape is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The X2 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Ford Escape and the BMW X2, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Ford Escape outsold the BMW X2 by almost 21 to one during 2025.