Compare the2023 Ford Escape PHEVVS 2023 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid

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 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Escape PHEV 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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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 PHEV offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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.

Both the Escape PHEV and the Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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 driver alert monitors.

The Ford Escape PHEV weighs 534 pounds more than the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid has not been tested, yet.

The Escape PHEV’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid 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 PHEV’s warranty.

The Escape PHEV 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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

The Escape PHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 41 more horsepower (221 vs. 180) than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

The Escape PHEV on electricity, only, can travel longer on electricity, only, on a full charge than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid (37 miles vs. 33 miles).

The Escape PHEV 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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Escape PHEV 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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Escape PHEV’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid:

For better traction, the Escape PHEV has larger tires than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid (225/60R18 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escape PHEV has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX.

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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Escape PHEV 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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Escape PHEV has .9 inches more front legroom, 9.8 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear hip room and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid.

The Escape PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 19.4 cubic feet). The Escape PHEV has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid with its rear seat folded (60.8 vs. 54.6 cubic feet).

The Escape PHEV has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has no towing capacity.

The Escape PHEV 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 PHEV can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid can’t be towed flat on the ground.

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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Escape PHEV’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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX’s power windows, only the front windows open or close 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 PHEV’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Escape PHEV’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Escape PHEV has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX.

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

The Ford Escape outsold the Kia Niro by almost five to one during 2022.