Compare the2023 Mazda CX-50VS 2022 Ford Escape

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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The Mazda CX-50 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Escape doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-50. But it costs extra on the Escape.

The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360° 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 CX-50 and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CX-50’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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda first in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 22nd.

Engine

The CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 6 more horsepower (187 vs. 181) than the Escape’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder. The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 6 more horsepower (256 vs. 250) and 40 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 280) than the Escape’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CX-50 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder gets better fuel mileage than the Escape 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder AWD (24 city/30 hwy vs. 22 city/31 hwy).

The CX-50 has a gallon more fuel capacity than the Escape FWD’s standard fuel tank (15.8 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escape (245/45R20 vs. 225/65R17).

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo has standard 20-inch wheels. The Escape’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-50’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the Escape (110.8 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CX-50 is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 3.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Escape.

For better maneuverability, the CX-50’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Escape’s (36 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (8.3 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-50 Premium/Turbo’s minimum ground clearance is 1.3 inches higher than on the Escape (8.6 vs. 7.3 inches).

Cargo Capacity

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-50 Select/Preferred/Premium/Turbo’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Escape doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Servicing Ease

The CX-50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Escape uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The CX-50’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 Escape’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

On a hot day the CX-50’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 CX-50 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.

The CX-50’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Escape’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-50 Turbo has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Escape doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the CX-50 Premium/Turbo 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’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The CX-50’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Escape offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the CX-50 and the Escape offer available heated front seats. The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Escape.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium 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 CX-50 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 CX-50 has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Escape S doesn’t offer rear vents.

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