Compare the2022 Ford Escape FHEVVS 2021 Hyundai Tucson

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/05/02

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape FHEV 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 Hyundai Tucson doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The Ford Escape FHEV has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Tucson doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Escape FHEV has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Tucson doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Escape FHEV Titanium has a standard backup collision prevention system that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Tucson doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Escape FHEV has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Tucson Value/SEL/Sport/Limited/Ultimate has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Tucson have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and front and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Escape FHEV is safer than the Hyundai Tucson:

	Escape FHEV	Tucson
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	143	172
Neck Stress	185 lbs.	219 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	97 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	102	226
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	36.3%	37%

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

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 Ford Escape FHEV is safer than the Hyundai Tucson:

	Escape FHEV	Tucson
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	240 lbs.	356 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	97	241
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	55 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	462 lbs.	1028 lbs.

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

Warranty

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape FHEV’s warranty.

Reliability

The Escape FHEV 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 Tucson doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Engine

The Escape FHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 39 more horsepower (200 vs. 161) than the Tucson’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Escape FHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 19 more horsepower (200 vs. 181) than the Tucson’s optional 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Ford Escape FHEV is faster than the Hyundai Tucson:

	Escape FHEV	Tucson 2.0	Tucson 2.4
Zero to 30 MPH	3.5 sec	4 sec	3.4 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	11 sec	9.6 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.9 sec	6.9 sec	4.9 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	18.3 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	80.2 MPH	83 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Escape FHEV gets better mileage than the Tucson:

			MPG
Escape FHEV
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	44 city/37 hwy
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/37 hwy
Tucson
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy
		2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	22 city/28 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	22 city/25 hwy
		2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	21 city/26 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Escape FHEV’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Tucson doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Escape FHEV’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Tucson doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Escape FHEV 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 Tucson doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Escape FHEV higher (7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Tucson (5 to 7). This means the Escape FHEV produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Tucson every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Escape FHEV has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Tucson doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Escape FHEV’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Tucson:

	Escape FHEV	Tucson
Front Rotors	13 inches	12 inches

The Escape FHEV stops shorter than the Tucson:

	Escape FHEV	Tucson
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escape FHEV’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the Tucson (106.7 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

Chassis

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

Passenger Space

The Escape FHEV has .4 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Tucson.

Cargo Capacity

The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume than the Tucson with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 31 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Escape FHEV easier. The Escape FHEV’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.9 inches, while the Tucson’s liftover is 29.3 inches.

The Escape FHEV’s cargo area is larger than the Tucson’s in almost every dimension:

	Escape FHEV	Tucson
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	36.7”/68.3”	34.3”/69.5”
Max Width	57.3”	53”
Min Width	41.4”	40.7”
Height	32.8”	35.2”

Towing

The Escape FHEV can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Escape FHEV can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Tucson can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escape FHEV 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 Tucson doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the Escape FHEV (except SE), the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Tucson doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Escape FHEV (except SE)’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Tucson doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Escape FHEV Titanium offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Tucson doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Escape FHEV SEL/Titanium’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Tucson Value/SEL/Sport/Limited/Ultimate’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

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

The Escape FHEV’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Tucson’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Escape FHEV has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Tucson SEL/Sport/Limited/Ultimate.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Tucson offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Escape FHEV offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Tucson doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Escape FHEV Titanium’s Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Tucson doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Ford Escape outsold the Hyundai Tucson by 7% during the 2021 model year.