Compare the2022 Kia NiroVS 2021 Ford Escape FHEV

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 Niro are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Niro has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Niro and the Escape FHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Niro is safer than the Ford Escape FHEV:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Escape FHEV. 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 FHEV ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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 Niro’s reliability 44 points higher than the Escape FHEV.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 14th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 7 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape FHEV’s standard 65 series tires. The Niro Touring SE’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Escape FHEV Titanium’s 55 series tires.

The Niro Touring SE handles at .82 G’s, while the Escape FHEV SE AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Niro Touring SE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Escape FHEV SE AWD (27.3 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Niro’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Escape FHEV’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

The Kia Niro may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 pounds less than the Ford Escape FHEV.

The Niro is 9 inches shorter than the Escape FHEV, making the Niro easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Niro’s standard front power windows open fully with one touch of the switches and its driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Escape FHEV’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The Niro EX Premium’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches.

When the Niro with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Escape FHEV’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Niro EX Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.