Compare the2023 Mazda CX-30VS 2023 Ford Escape

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Ergonomics

Safety

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The Mazda CX-30 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.

The CX-30 has standard Whiplash-Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Escape doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-30. But it costs extra on the Escape.

Both the CX-30 and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Ford Escape:

	CX-30	Escape
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	18 lbs.	23 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	201/172 lbs.	188/315 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	33.5%	36.3%
Neck Stress	172 lbs.	181 lbs.

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 Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Ford Escape:

	CX-30	Escape
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	197
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	525 lbs.	816 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	178	344
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	32 G’s

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda CX-30 is much safer than the Escape:

	CX-30	Escape
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	89	391
Head Peak Forces	no contact	93 G’s
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.87 in	1.1 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.54 in	1.77 in
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	1160 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	144	168
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	1.54 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.71 in	1.5 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	379 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the CX-30 is 1.4% to 2.7% less likely to roll over than the Escape.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-30 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CX-30’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 CX-30’s reliability 19 points higher than the Escape.

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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 18th.

Engine

The CX-30’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (191 vs. 181) than the Escape’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder. The CX-30’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 40 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 280) than the Escape’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-30 4 cyl. is faster than the Ford Escape turbo 3-cylinder:

	CX-30	Escape
Zero to 60 MPH	7.8 sec	8.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.3 MPH	84.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CX-30 gets better mileage than the Escape:

			MPG
CX-30
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/33 hwy
Escape
	AWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/32 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-30 stops shorter than the Escape:

	CX-30	Escape
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The CX-30 Premium handles at .83 G’s, while the Escape AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-30 Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-30’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Escape’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

Chassis

The CX-30 is 7.1 inches shorter than the Escape, making the CX-30 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Ergonomics

The CX-30’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.

The CX-30 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-30’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.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The CX-30’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Escape’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-30 Premium 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-30 Preferred/Carbon/Premium 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-30’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.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Escape S doesn’t offer rear vents.