Compare the2023 Ford Escape FHEVVS 2022 Jeep Cherokee

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
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 Jeep Cherokee doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 Cherokee 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.

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

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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Cherokee have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

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 Jeep Cherokee:

	Escape FHEV	Cherokee
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	143	204
Neck Injury Risk	22.5%	38.2%
Neck Stress	185 lbs.	408 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	41 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	188/315 lbs.	368/516 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	102	166
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	36.3%	37%
Neck Stress	181 lbs.	218 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	220/169 lbs.	241/259 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 Jeep Cherokee:

	Escape FHEV	Cherokee
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	240 lbs.	363 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	97	264
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	53 G’s
Hip Force	816 lbs.	938 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	462 lbs.	490 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 164 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cherokee has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

There are over 25 percent more Ford dealers than there are Jeep dealers, which makes it 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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated below average.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Escape FHEV
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	44 city/37 hwy
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/37 hwy
Cherokee
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy
		3.2 DOHC V6	20 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
		Trailhawk 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy
		3.2 DOHC V6	19 city/27 hwy
		Active Drive II 3.2 DOHC V6	18 city/26 hwy
		Trailhawk 3.2 DOHC V6	18 city/24 hwy

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Escape FHEV uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Cherokee with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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 Jeep Cherokee (5 to 6). This means the Escape FHEV produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cherokee 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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Escape FHEV stops much shorter than the Cherokee:

	Escape FHEV	Cherokee
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	153 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Escape FHEV has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Cherokee’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Escape FHEV AWD handles at .77 G’s, while the Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4 pulls only .72 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Escape FHEV’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Cherokee’s (37.2 feet vs. 37.6 feet). The Escape FHEV’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Cherokee 4x4 Trailhawk’s (37.2 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Passenger Space

The Escape FHEV has .6 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 3.4 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cherokee.

Cargo Capacity

The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cherokee with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cherokee with its rear seat folded (60.8 vs. 54.7 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 Cherokee’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

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

	Escape FHEV	Cherokee
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	36.7”/68.3”	33.9”/67.6”
Max Width	57.3”	49.2”
Min Width	41.4”	39.4”
Height	32.8”	28.8”

Towing

All models of the Escape FHEV can be flat towed on all four wheels, 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. Only the Cherokee 4WD can be dinghy towed and it requires equipment that is not standard.

Ergonomics

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 Cherokee doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 Cherokee doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its extra cost Uconnect Access 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 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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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 Cherokee Latitude Lux/Limited/Trailhawk.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Ford Escape FHEV offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Cherokee doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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 Cherokee’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Recommendations

The Ford Escape outsold the Jeep Cherokee by over three to one during the 2022 model year.