Compare the2023 Ford Escape FHEVVS 2023 Kia Soul

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
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 Kia Soul doesn’t offer pretensioners for its 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 Soul 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 Soul 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 Soul doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Escape FHEV offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Soul doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Escape FHEV’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Soul.

The Escape FHEV offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Soul only offers a rear monitor.

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 Soul’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. Kia charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning on the Soul.

The Escape FHEV has standard 911 Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Soul doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Soul 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The Ford Escape FHEV weighs 536 to 780 pounds more than the Kia Soul. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

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 Kia Soul:

	Escape FHEV	Soul
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	143	253
Neck Injury Risk	22.5%	26%
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	38 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	102	324
Chest Compression	.5 inches	2 inches
Neck Injury Risk	36.3%	39%
Neck Compression	58 lbs.	86 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	220/169 lbs.	237/154 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 Kia Soul:

	Escape FHEV	Soul
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	191 lbs.	259 lbs.
Hip Force	240 lbs.	490 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	97	422
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	73 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	462 lbs.	1090 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 Soul has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Escape FHEV’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Soul runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Kia 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 Soul 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 53 more horsepower (200 vs. 147) than the Soul’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Ford Escape FHEV is faster than the Kia Soul:

	Escape FHEV	Soul
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	8.8 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.9 sec	5.6 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	16.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Escape FHEV
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/36 hwy
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/36 hwy
Soul
	FWD	EX 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
		2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/33 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Escape FHEV’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Soul doesn’t offer a regenerative braking 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 Soul 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 (8 out of 10) than the Kia Soul (7). This means the Escape FHEV produces up to 5.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Soul every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Escape FHEV	Soul
Front Rotors	13 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	10.3 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Escape FHEV has larger tires than the Soul (225/65R17 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escape FHEV has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Soul LX/S. The Escape FHEV’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Soul GT-Line.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Ford Escape FHEV has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Kia Soul has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Escape FHEV has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Escape FHEV flat and controlled during cornering. The Soul’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 Soul doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escape FHEV’s wheelbase is 4.3 inches longer than on the Soul (106.7 inches vs. 102.4 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 Soul doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Escape FHEV has .6 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear legroom, .5 inches more rear hip room and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Soul.

Cargo Capacity

The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume than the Soul with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 24.2 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 Soul’s liftover is 29.8 inches.

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

	Escape FHEV	Soul
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	36.7”/68.3”	26”/59”
Max Width	57.3”	45.6”
Min Width	41.4”	41.5”
Height	32.8”	33”

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Escape FHEV offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Soul doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The Escape FHEV has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Soul has no towing capacity.

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 Soul 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 Soul doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the Escape FHEV, 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 Soul doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Escape FHEV’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 Soul doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Escape FHEV’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Soul has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

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 Soul’s power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens 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 Soul doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

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 Soul’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’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Soul’s halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Escape FHEV’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Soul’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

On extremely cold winter days, the Escape FHEV’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Soul doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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 Soul S/EX/GT-Line.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Soul 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 Soul doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

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 Soul doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

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

The Ford Escape outsold the Kia Soul by over two to one during 2022.