Compare the2023 Ford Escape FHEVVS 2023 Chevrolet Equinox

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

Safety

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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 Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape FHEV are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer height-adjustable 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 Equinox 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 Equinox 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 offers an optional Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Equinox doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Escape FHEV has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Equinox’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Escape FHEV has standard Cross Traffic Alert to warn the driver of approaching traffic and automatically engage the brakes to help avoid a collision. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Equinox and the Equinox’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The Escape FHEV’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Equinox doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 Chevrolet Equinox:

	Escape FHEV	Equinox
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	143	159
Neck Stress	185 lbs.	190 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	188/315 lbs.	363/349 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	102	376
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	220/169 lbs.	264/236 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 Ford Escape FHEV is safer than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	Escape FHEV	Equinox
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	191 lbs.	195 lbs.
Hip Force	240 lbs.	357 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	97	288
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	55 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	13 inches
HIC	344	377
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	462 lbs.	730 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Escape FHEV the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 177 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Equinox has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Escape FHEV’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Equinox’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

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

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 2 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The Escape FHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 25 more horsepower (200 vs. 175) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Ford Escape FHEV is faster than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	Escape FHEV	Equinox
Zero to 30 MPH	3.5 sec	3.7 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	9.6 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.9 sec	6.2 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	17.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	82 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Escape FHEV
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/36 hwy
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/36 hwy
Equinox
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy

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

The Escape FHEV has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Equinox. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Escape FHEV higher (8 out of 10) than the Chevrolet Equinox (7). This means the Escape FHEV produces up to 5.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Equinox 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 Equinox doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Escape FHEV	Equinox
Front Rotors	13 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.3 inches

The Escape FHEV stops shorter than the Equinox:

	Escape FHEV	Equinox
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Escape FHEV has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Escape FHEV flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Escape FHEV has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Equinox doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better maneuverability, the Escape FHEV’s turning circle is .2 feet tighter than the Equinox’s (37.2 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Escape FHEV’s turning circle is 4.4 feet tighter than the Equinox RS’ (37.2 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

Chassis

The Escape FHEV is 3 inches shorter than the Equinox, making the Escape FHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Escape FHEV has 1.5 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front hip room, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear hip room and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Equinox.

Cargo Capacity

The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume than the Equinox with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 29.9 cubic feet).

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

	Escape FHEV	Equinox
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	36.7”/68.3”	34.9”/67.4”
Max Width	57.3”	53.7”
Min Width	41.4”	40.7”
Height	32.8”	31”

Ergonomics

The Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum 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 Equinox doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Escape FHEV SEL/Titanium’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches. The Equinox’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

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 Equinox’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

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 costs extra on the Equinox and isn’t available on the Equinox LS.

The Escape FHEV’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Equinox LS doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

The Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Equinox Premier’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Economic Advantages

The Escape FHEV will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Escape FHEV will retain 49.07% to 49.62% of its original price after five years, while the Equinox only retains 44.91% to 45.97%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Ford Escape FHEV will be $802 to $1161 less than for the Chevrolet Equinox.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Ford Escape FHEV and the Chevrolet Equinox, based on reliability, safety and performance.