In my view ('cause I've owned several of both including Lotus / twincam variants of both), the Cortina is a better handling car less prone to swapping ends, (courtesy of the longer wheelbase), but the Escort is a better steering car (courtesy of the rack and pinion steering).
The Cortina's old steering box system is, after all, pre-war in design.
So maybe fitting one of those rack and pinion conversions to the Corty might give the best of both worlds....? I've never done that conversion.
I'm sure there's other views out there