Compare the2022 Hyundai TucsonVS 2021 Ford Escape

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Tucson are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Escape doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Tucson AWD’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Escape doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Tucson Limited has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Escape only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Tucson and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Tucson comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Escape’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Escape. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Escape ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Tucson’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Escape’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Tucson’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Escape’s camshafts. If the Escape’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

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 Tucson’s reliability 40 points higher than the Escape.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 16 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 6 more horsepower (187 vs. 181) than the Escape’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Tucson uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Escape with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Tucson stops shorter than the Escape:

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the Escape (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson’s wheelbase is 1.8 inches longer than on the Escape (108.5 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tucson is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Escape.

For greater off-road capability the Tucson has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (8.3 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Tucson to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Tucson has 4.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Escape (108.2 vs. 104).

The Tucson has .1 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear hip room than the Escape.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Tucson’s rear seats recline. The Escape’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Escape with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 37.5 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Escape with its rear seat folded (80.3 vs. 65.4 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Escape doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

On a hot day the Tucson’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Escape can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tucson has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Escape doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

Both the Tucson and the Escape offer available heated front seats. The Tucson Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Escape.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Tucson (except SE) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Escape doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Tucson has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Escape S doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Tucson has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Escape S doesn’t offer rear vents.

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Escape Titanium’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Tucson, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Escape isn't recommended.