Compare the2023 Ford Escape PHEVVS 2023 BMW iX

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape PHEV 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 BMW iX doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape PHEV 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 BMW iX doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Escape PHEV and the iX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

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 PHEV the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The iX has not been tested, yet.

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Escape PHEV 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the iX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the iX ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 9 times as many Ford dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape PHEV’s warranty.

On the EPA test cycle the Escape PHEV running on electricity gets better mileage than the iX:

The Escape PHEV’s maximum EPA estimated range on a full tank and a full charge is 514 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The iX’s range is only 274 to 324 miles, after which the minimum time to recharge is 35 minutes for only an 80% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge using a conventional 110-volt outlet can take up to 33 hours.

The Escape PHEV has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the iX; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For better maneuverability, the Escape PHEV’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the iX M60’s (37.2 feet vs. 40.4 feet). The Escape PHEV’s turning circle is 5.6 feet tighter than the iX xDrive50’s (37.2 feet vs. 42.8 feet).

The Ford Escape PHEV may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1800 to 1900 pounds less than the BMW iX.

The Escape PHEV is 1 foot, 2.5 inches shorter than the iX, making the Escape PHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Escape PHEV easier. The Escape PHEV’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.9 inches, while the iX’s liftover is 30.3 inches.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escape PHEV 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 iX doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape PHEV’s available exterior PIN entry system. The iX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Escape PHEV has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the iX only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Escape PHEV has standard extendable sun visors. The iX doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Ford Escape PHEV, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Ford Escape outsold the BMW iX by over 24 to one during 2022.